A Tungsten or Tungs-Tone is a type of phonograph stylus. Constructed from

tungsten Tungsten, or wolfram, is a chemical element with the symbol W and atomic number 74. Tungsten is a rare metal found naturally on Earth almost exclusively as compounds with other elements. It was identified as a new element in 1781 and first isolat ...

wire, held in a metal shank, a tungsten stylus differs from a

steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...

stylus in that it has a cylindrical rather than a conical shape, meaning that the cross-section of the stylus remains the same as the stylus wears down improving durability to several plays. Typically, a new steel needle is required for every record played on an old acoustic phonograph. This is because the record contains abrasive material. In the first few silent tracks this abrasion hones the steel needle to a profile that tracks the grooves properly. The needle continues to wear as it plays the record, so that by the end its diameter has increased to the point where the sharp edges may damage the grooves on subsequent plays. One famous brand of tungsten stylus was the Tungs-Tone stylus, manufactured by the

Victor Talking Machine Company The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American recording company and phonograph manufacturer that operated independently from 1901 until 1929, when it was acquired by the Radio Corporation of America and subsequently operated as a subsidia ...

in the 1910s and 1920s.

References

* {{cite web, accessdate=March 10, 2010, url=http://www.victor-victrola.com/FAQ%27s.htm, title=Frequently Asked Questions, work=The Victor Victrola Page Sound production technology

See also

References