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Help with identification:is this gramophone the real deal?

Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 9:03 am
by Layla
Finally I will have my own I gramophone to play my old 78 records (the wo. The pictures are attached.

I am not an expert, but the horn looks like a genuine German (Parlophone) made antique. I have no idea about the woodbase and motor it self.

The black winder knob is not original for sure.

My question is:

- Do any one recognized the woodbase? The seller thinks it is a ODEON or Parlophone
- The motor is marked with "Swiss Manufacture" No.6, is this a genuine motor?

To be honest I don't care about it's value. For me it is important that I don't damage my records with a bad gramophone. So I hope some expert will share some knowledge :)

Thank you, here are some pictures from seller. After some minute I will post the soundbox pictures I made.
foto 1.jpg
foto 3.jpg
foto 4.jpg
foto 6.jpg
foto 7.jpg
foto 8.jpg
foto 9.jpg

Re: Help with identification:is this gramophone the real dea

Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 9:26 am
by Layla
Here are some pictures of the soundboxes that I have received. The German made was in a box, it is very heavy and bigger.
DSC03803.JPG
DSC03804.JPG
DSC03800.JPG

Re: Help with identification:is this gramophone the real dea

Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 9:35 am
by CarlosV
It looks legitimate to me. As to brand or origin, if German of Swiss, it is difficult to tell. Parlophone generally utilized its own motors,so my guess is Swiss origin. As to wearing your records, these gramophones are never gentle with records, but once the soundbox is revampes with good gaskets and its movable parts are cleaned and properly aligned, it should be able to play with no major wear.

Re: Help with identification:is this gramophone the real dea

Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 1:14 pm
by soundgen
The Grand Opera is probably the soundbox belonging to the gramophone the Luxus is much later and you can buy replacement knobs which would be more appropriate on Ebay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Winding-hand ... SwDJlZlGke

Re: Help with identification:is this gramophone the real dea

Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 1:23 pm
by JerryVan
Don't be too anxious to get rid of the black knob. Do a little research first. You never know. I removed awful looking picture from a music box lid long ago, thinking it wasn't correct and that it was a bit water stained. Yup, it was correct. Took 20 years to find another and had buy a junk music box just to get the lid picture.

That's a nice phonograph by the way!

Re: Help with identification:is this gramophone the real dea

Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 2:55 pm
by estott
Looks perfectly genuine- not an expensive machine but an honest one

Re: Help with identification:is this gramophone the real dea

Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2017 11:18 am
by Layla
Thank you very much all of you for useful information! I am very excited to use my gramophone, but I need to wait for the needles.

The turntable is made for 10inch records and I have only 12inch 78rpm records, hopefully it will play them smoothly. I've so many questions, but I am sure I will find the answer in already posted threads of this awesome forum.

Re: Help with identification:is this gramophone the real dea

Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2017 12:00 pm
by estott
Layla wrote:Thank you very much all of you for useful information! I am very excited to use my gramophone, but I need to wait for the needles.

The turntable is made for 10inch records and I have only 12inch 78rpm records, hopefully it will play them smoothly. I've so many questions, but I am sure I will find the answer in already posted threads of this awesome forum.
You can play 12 inch records on a 10 inch turntable - the size does not have to match, even though one portable company advertised that their machine had a 12 inch turntable to avoid the "hollow sound"

Re: Help with identification:is this gramophone the real dea

Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2017 12:24 pm
by Layla
estott wrote:
You can play 12 inch records on a 10 inch turntable - the size does not have to match, even though one portable company advertised that their machine had a 12 inch turntable to avoid the "hollow sound"
Thank you estott. Very interesting information, I will pay attention to it. I love listening old original records with scratchy noises, so I won't experience "hallow sound" as disturbing :)

Re: Help with identification:is this gramophone the real dea

Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2017 2:04 pm
by Layla
I have a problem with this gramophone. How ever I hold it tightly while winding, the nails in bottom trims don't keep the wooden trims together, wood cracked on some parts. (I will upload pictures tomorrow).

Question 1: Should I bring it to wood restoration company or is there a DIY solution, any recommend product/glue to fix it? The gramophone is not that valuable to bring it to an antique restorator.

I heard a weird sound while playing. It sounded like the gramophone collapsed. I heard it 3 different times for about while 50% of a record was played. After that moment I played over 5 times and I didn't hear it anymore.

Question 2: Could it be the spring? The gramophone wasn't used for a long time.

Question 3: The motor runs quietly and I want to use this gramophone for some years. If I post a picture of the motor can you guys tell me which parts I should oil? Any recommended oil which I must use, can I use white vasaline without acid and door hinge oil? I found some info at https://sites.google.com/site/oldgramop ... oporucenia where to oil, but I want to know is it missing some important part?