An EMG,not quite what it seemed.
Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2019 2:03 pm
A few years ago after my father passed away, I acquired his collection of 78s, I brought the collection home and played them on my modern HiFi, when I say modern, I mean a Garrard 301, SME 3012, I think it’s modern anyway?
I must admit the novelty wore off and the records were packed away.
Roll forward to a few weeks ago and I started to browse the internet looking at acoustic gramophones, that led me to this forum and I began to focus on the EMG and Expert articles, I bought a copy of Francis James’ book, I was hooked.
However I quickly began to appreciate what rare beasts these machines are and accepted the likelihood of acquiring one slim. But a boy can dream.
I was walking past the local house clearance emporium just at the top of my road, glanced in and carried on, I went to cross the road but I stopped, turned back and went in. You can guess what I was thinking.
It’s a vast place full with old bed frames, smoked glass top coffee tables, lots of 1980’s black chipboard shelving units, you get the picture. As I said a boy can dream, but then I thought I was dreaming, for in front of me was an EMG Mk X base!!! However when I opened the lid, horror!
Then I spotted the baffle speaker.
Needless to say I had to have it. The seller said it was from a house clearance, it was one of many items left after various antiques dealers had been through the premises, a very large house in London, owned by a surgeon.
Sorry about the preamble, but I thought I would set the scene.
The motor board isn’t the original, it’s about 1/8th inch thinner than the original would have been and strips of wood raised it flush with the cabinet top. It’s been modernised twice, the new motor board has evidence of a quadrant speed controller and the name plate has been moved to accommodate an EQ switch. Also evidence of an earlier tonearm. I think it started life as an acoustic Mk X, spring drive, the winder hole has been blanked off. It was then converted to electric motor drive 78 rpm only with an electric pick-up and amplifier built into the cabinet. The amplifier is a strange item, single PP3/250 triode output, the component choices are a mixed bag. Then finally when microgroove records arrived, a 3 speed deck, new tonearm (Collaro Connoisseur) and the EQ switch added. The deck, a Garrard Model T is hardly high end, but it was probably considered fitting and quite novel at that time.
Was this done by EMG? The Newman St. badge suggests it was as cabinet predates it?
Serial number to rear of cabinet, has anyone seen the like?
What happened to all the acoustic components? But more to the point where could I acquire all the acoustic components???
Your thoughts and comments would be most appreciated.
Thanks Tony
I must admit the novelty wore off and the records were packed away.
Roll forward to a few weeks ago and I started to browse the internet looking at acoustic gramophones, that led me to this forum and I began to focus on the EMG and Expert articles, I bought a copy of Francis James’ book, I was hooked.
However I quickly began to appreciate what rare beasts these machines are and accepted the likelihood of acquiring one slim. But a boy can dream.
I was walking past the local house clearance emporium just at the top of my road, glanced in and carried on, I went to cross the road but I stopped, turned back and went in. You can guess what I was thinking.
It’s a vast place full with old bed frames, smoked glass top coffee tables, lots of 1980’s black chipboard shelving units, you get the picture. As I said a boy can dream, but then I thought I was dreaming, for in front of me was an EMG Mk X base!!! However when I opened the lid, horror!
Then I spotted the baffle speaker.
Needless to say I had to have it. The seller said it was from a house clearance, it was one of many items left after various antiques dealers had been through the premises, a very large house in London, owned by a surgeon.
Sorry about the preamble, but I thought I would set the scene.
The motor board isn’t the original, it’s about 1/8th inch thinner than the original would have been and strips of wood raised it flush with the cabinet top. It’s been modernised twice, the new motor board has evidence of a quadrant speed controller and the name plate has been moved to accommodate an EQ switch. Also evidence of an earlier tonearm. I think it started life as an acoustic Mk X, spring drive, the winder hole has been blanked off. It was then converted to electric motor drive 78 rpm only with an electric pick-up and amplifier built into the cabinet. The amplifier is a strange item, single PP3/250 triode output, the component choices are a mixed bag. Then finally when microgroove records arrived, a 3 speed deck, new tonearm (Collaro Connoisseur) and the EQ switch added. The deck, a Garrard Model T is hardly high end, but it was probably considered fitting and quite novel at that time.
Was this done by EMG? The Newman St. badge suggests it was as cabinet predates it?
Serial number to rear of cabinet, has anyone seen the like?
What happened to all the acoustic components? But more to the point where could I acquire all the acoustic components???
Your thoughts and comments would be most appreciated.
Thanks Tony