Rangertone Chimeless Chimes NBC

Perhaps the only known video of the Rangertone Chimeless Chimes in operation at NBC. Aired May 12, 1986, these machines were put into operation late 1932 but most or all of them have now been discarded and junked. For the real story of the NBC chimes see nbcchimes.info

[@mjb784533]

@fromthesidelines Yes, NBC continued to use the machine into the 60s until they stupidly decided that the chimes was too old fashioned, like the Peacock. In the 50s they sometimes increased the rotational speed of the mechanism to speed up the chimes to take less time. Of course, this machine came into use in the 1930s, and prior to that time the chimes were hand-struck, and were different from what we remember. See the info on the NBC Chimes Museum web site.

[@Superskunk1954]

I am privileged to have one on display in my basement. One reed (center drum, note E) was missing when I acquired the machine, but there doesn't seem to be any effect on the electronic signature. Many thanks to everyone that posted information such as this video; without these hints, I doubt I could have restored the unit to functional status. The servos can be tricky.

[@fromthesidelines]

From the transcriptions of NBC programs I've heard, 'mjb', the chimes WERE "more leisurely paced" from the '30s through the '50s {"G......E......C"}. In the '50s, as you've noted, they were "faster", as heard above.

[@fromthesidelines]

That sounds like the chimes NBC used in the '50s {"Enjoy another visit with 'FIBBER McGEE AND MOLLY'- tonight, on the NBC Radio Network." [chimes]}.

[@madamerotten]

@mjb784533 I never saw any evidence that they used these electromechanical machines past 1950. There was an all-electronic chime machine built by J. L. Hathaway of the NBC engineering department around 1940 and used by the NBC radio network that could be adjusted for speed.

[@altfactor]

Isn't a Rangertone Chimes set on display at the Museum Of Television And Radio in New York??

[@Symphonicprelude]

Wasn't the chime deliberately tuned to G E C to stand for General Electric Co. the originator of NBC ?

[@madamerotten]

@Superskunk1954 Do you still have the machine? Would you be willing to make a video of it? You mentioned "servos." What part of the machine are you referring to?

[@mjb784533]

Absolutely NOT. general Electric had no part in RCA nor NBC after 1929. During the early usages of the chimes they had more than three notes -- first 7, then 5, and finally 3. The first 3 note chime melody in late 1931 was C-A-F. Most of the stories about the beginnings of the chimes were written without access to actual recordings. They are still rare, but they do not match up with most of the stories. Check out the Chimes Museum, NBCChimes.Info

[@mjb784533]

I doubt it -- I've never seen one there. Actually, there is no institution by that name anymore, it gave up the rouse that it was a museum and now calls itself "The Paley Center for the Media" and specializes in fund raising. It does not collect artifacts, so a machine like this -- especially one that represented Paley's arch-enemy -- is out of its league. It doesn't even collect original recordings, it only has dubs and returns the borrowed originals. Many other places have better collections.