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Has anybody else gone to see this Amberola V in Gresham, OR?

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/atq/4832529710.html

Seller is asking $650. I was very disappointed when I looked at it, being described as having a good working motor that only needed a 'belt'. There was no spring barrel, spring, or gear. Everything else on the machine was crusty and frozen solid. Virtually nothing on the machine worked. Even the on/off lever was stuck. The paint on the rusty horn was toast, the veneer is also in horrible condition with some missing panels. Other than that, it was exactly as advertised. I described the issues to the seller, though I think he preferred to believe the guy who told him it only needed a belt. I got the feeling he thought I was trying to rip him off with my offer.

He was actually a very nice fellow who just didn't know anything about the machine. My attempt at enlightenment went unheeded and that was frustrating. He did lower his price to $500, though.

That's my rant for the day...

Cliff

"There was no spring barrel, spring, or gear. Everything else on the machine was crusty and frozen solid. Virtually nothing on the machine worked. Even the on/off lever was stuck. The paint on the rusty horn was toast, the veneer is also in horrible condition with some missing panels. Other than that, it was exactly as advertised."
Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

I have a much nicer one for sale...

As we know, the Amberola V never had a belt. I was a direct gear drive. It reminds me of Mr. Haney on Green Acres selling poor Mr. Douglas a Genuine Edison "Victerola" ready to play. However, the missing parts stated above are extra!!
Harvey Kravitz

Perhaps I was a little too harsh. Some parts of this machine worked OK, viz.: the piano hinge for the lid worked just fine and the gear cover was doing a swell job of covering the gears. Cliff

The seller did accept my offer. I was happy about that. Got to the shop and found it has a terminal boo boo. Oh, well, great bunch of parts. The diamond B reproducer works great! Cliff

There is an Amberola V motor for sale on eBay that has the same problem as mine and someone found a way to fix it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/191485606602

I might try to salvage the broken motor plate...

Cliff

Had some folks at a local machine shop fix the broken spring barrel shaft bracket. It ain't purty, but it should work now...

Ugly it may be, but it saved the machine.

Martin