The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I bought a Decca Salon 130 portable at Wayne a couple of weeks ago. Other than having to crank it something like 80 times to play one record, it seems to be a fine little machine, but I do have a few questions.

Attached are so-so pictures of the reproducer that came with it. Is this the original or some kind of generic replacement? It is stamped "Swiss Made". What other reproducers would be appropriate?

What appears to me to be a (semi-?) automatic brake mechanism has me stumped a bit. is this intended to shut off automatically at the end of a record because it doesn't. I can use it as a sort of alternative to the start and stop lever by pulling it to one side - is that its real purpose, or does it need adjustment (and if so, how do I adjust it)?

Thanks for any and all responses, information, etc. This is my first non-US machine so forgive me if these questions are very basic.

Kevin

Is this the earlier "square cabinet" version with the all nickel-plated motor-board? If so, I'd suggest you probably have a slightly later generic soundbox on the machine, albeit one which might well have been used / sold by Decca in the UK. So don't panic, it's not 'wrong' per se but it is far more common to see the 130 with a "No. 8" type sound-box which has a fascia plate which is usually a gun metal blueish-grey plated finish (much darker than the horn is painted).

The 130 was the top-of-the-range model from the early to late 1930's but there was a rarer version produced and sold simultaneously with the replacement model, the "30". The late '130' has curved ends to the cabinet to replicate the newer styling of the Models 10-30. In order to accommodate the slightly shallower cabinet, they used a slightly smaller motor. In this model the motor-board is not fully a metal plate but adopts the more common 'drop-in' Garrard motor-plate, found in other table and cabinet machines of the period. The existence of this variant even surprised Christopher Proudfoot who has written a small booklet on Decca portables (available through CLPGS) before such a specimen had appeared on the open market.

The more commonly found square cabinet version is, in all honesty, the better machine in my opinion.

What makes the Decca 130 and 120 portables stand out is their large bifurcated horns, the equal in capacity to some table models. After WW2 Decca acquired the rights to the highly respected Meltrope soundbox, and if you fit one of these you will have a very fine sounding machine.

You have not posted a picture of the machine itself, but there should be a detachable record album housed inside the lid. If yours is missing, which they frequently are, you may find one on UK eBay if you persist.

Presuming the autobrake is the one with the two protruding lever, one with a black button on the end, which is the earlier version of the two autobrakes fitted, it works like this. Pull the arm fully over to the right, to start the motor. Press the black button with your left hand, at which point, the other pointed lever will fly across to the right, and make contact with the arm. Holding the button down, move the arm across the record until the needle is at the point where you want the brake to kick in. Release the black button, and the other lever will be locked in it's working position. When the pin in the arm comes into contact with it, the brake will kick in. (or should, these brakes can be a swine to adjust!)

If your Decca 130 is like this one -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl9BN2HMuwE -- then that should be the correct sound box.

I have a chrome plated portable--Not a Decca, but an unbranded model--with the same sound box, and it sounds fantastic.



(not mine, but identical)

Some of the sound boxes are branded with the Paillard name.

OrthoFan

Thanks all for replies so far.

I'm a bit confused at some responses as some of the descriptions have no similarity to my machine. I think it would be best for me to post some pictures and I shall try to do that today.

The machine pictured in Orthofan's post is not a UK Decca 130. I'm not sure what model that is but it definitely isn't a 130.

Yes, a picture of your machine would help!

By the way the Decca 130 also did not have CHROMIUM fittings. The Decca 130 portable was nickel-plated.

If you look at the link, (not the picture) that Orthofan provided yesterday, that will lead you to the 130. Yours will either have metal corner protectors that go the full depth of the case, which is the first version, or small triangular ones, which is the later version. The one in the link is the later version, so I would expect the autobrake to have a simple hoop sticking out from the turntable edge, which is moved by the pin attached to the arm. A much simpler version, which is easier to adjust.

Hi Steve,
Sorry for the confusing post I made. I edited it so that it specifically states the machine pictured is NOT a Decca. I posted it just to show that the same sound box was used on various models, including one I have. (However, this US Decca-branded model does come close -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-p5CqRfR_M From what I can tell, it's the same motor-board, tonearm, sound box, etc., but the motor-board is enamel coated rather than plated.)

As noted, the video link I posted does show (part) of a Decca 130. From what I can tell, it's quite a performer.

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Kevin:

I also look forwarding to seeing photos of your portable.

OrthoFan