SilverTone XI Photos

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Bronco-Jeff
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SilverTone XI Photos

Post by Bronco-Jeff »

Here are some pics of my Silvertone Model XI. Got this in Ohio while on vacation for $110.00

Most of the pics I see online the metal is all nickle. Mine is Gold Tone. Anyone know why the difference?

The only thing that is missing are the three needle cups.
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alang
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Re: SilverTone XI Photos

Post by alang »

That is a stunning machine. Congratulations.

Andreas

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De Soto Frank
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Re: SilverTone XI Photos

Post by De Soto Frank »

Jeff,

That's a gorgeous machine, absolutely the top of the line from Sears, with the Walnut cabinet and gold-plated trim.


Grille: it is a moulded piece, made from a material known then as "composition" or "Rep-Wood" - a mixture of wood-fibers and a binder, that was then moulded into shape under heat & pressure. Kind of like bakelite. It is fragile, treat it gently.


The gold plating is simply a feature of a higher-priced machine.


I have a Silvertone upright in Golden Oak, that is roughly equivalent to a Victor X. Cabinet quality is excellent, motor is a very stout Saal motor. The only down-side to the machine, is the design of the tone-arm tube: the hinged swing-joint at the middle allows for some air leakage, which reduces volume somewhat, but Silvertone had to avoid infringing on Victor patents, so this was their best effort, I guess. The hardware on mine is nickel.

You have a excellent example of a high-end model Silvertone...

Thanks for sharing !

:)
De Soto Frank

Bronco-Jeff
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Re: SilverTone XI Photos

Post by Bronco-Jeff »

Frank, thanks for the info. I was wondering about refinishing the wood. Would that reduce the value?

There is a water mark on the top. The reproducer is also not attached very well to the Tone Arm.

Any thoughts on who in Dallas Texas would be a good repair person?

Thanks again

JEff
214 675 3726

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De Soto Frank
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Re: SilverTone XI Photos

Post by De Soto Frank »

Jeff,

Based on what I am seeing from your photos, this machine appears to be in excellent original condition; that said, I would advise against refinishing.

Antique furniture is almost always worth more in its original finish.

The original cabinet factories had very skilled employees who applied the finishes, and their labor was a lot cheaper than we can get today. So your chances of getting a re-finish that equals the original factory-new finish, or even what you have now, are slim, and would probably exceed the value of the machine.

I would bet there are some good talking machine people within a reasonable drive to you, that can give you some good advice.

Depending on how bad that water-mark is, you might be able to find a person who does museum-conservation type work who can minimize that damage. Or, you can look around for a nice vintage jacquard or tapestry cloth to drape over the top.


Better to do nothing than to do too much.


Frank


(Also - keep it out of direct sunlight and fluorescent light: UV rays will damage the finish and bleach the wood pretty quickly. Also away from HVAC registers that would tend to dry the wood / finish out.)
De Soto Frank

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Henry
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Re: SilverTone XI Photos

Post by Henry »

Nice machine! The loose fit of the sound box would doubtless be remedied by a new rubber isolator; the one in the photo looks dried out. A temporary fix might be a turn or two of teflon plumbing tape around the end of the tube (arm). Similarly, a thick application of petroleum jelly, or better yet, A+D ointment (lanolin plus petrolatum, available OTC at pharmacies), applied to the tone arm joint, would help seal air leaks that may contribute to weak volume. (The lanolin in A+D will not dry out and make the parts stick together, like plain vaseline would. For many years, I used A+D as a lubricant on my trombone tuning slide, with never a problem.)

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audiophile102
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Re: SilverTone XI Photos

Post by audiophile102 »

De Soto Frank wrote:Jeff,

Based on what I am seeing from your photos, this machine appears to be in excellent original condition; that said, I would advise against refinishing.

Antique furniture is almost always worth more in its original finish.

The original cabinet factories had very skilled employees who applied the finishes, and their labor was a lot cheaper than we can get today. So your chances of getting a re-finish that equals the original factory-new finish, or even what you have now, are slim, and would probably exceed the value of the machine.

I would bet there are some good talking machine people within a reasonable drive to you, that can give you some good advice.

Depending on how bad that water-mark is, you might be able to find a person who does museum-conservation type work who can minimize that damage. Or, you can look around for a nice vintage jacquard or tapestry cloth to drape over the top.


Better to do nothing than to do too much.


Frank


(Also - keep it out of direct sunlight and fluorescent light: UV rays will damage the finish and bleach the wood pretty quickly. Also away from HVAC registers that would tend to dry the wood / finish out.)
I just want to echo Frank's recommendations. The price you paid is a steal so you have to be congratulated. I personally would not consider purchasing a phonograph that had been refinished. Once you turn that corner there's no going back. Over all it looks so great, I think I could live with the water stain.
"You can't take the phonographs nor the money with you, but the contentment the phonographs bring may well make your life better, and happier lives make the world a better place."

52089
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Re: SilverTone XI Photos

Post by 52089 »

Bronco-Jeff wrote:Frank, thanks for the info. I was wondering about refinishing the wood. Would that reduce the value?

There is a water mark on the top. The reproducer is also not attached very well to the Tone Arm.

Any thoughts on who in Dallas Texas would be a good repair person?

Thanks again

JEff
214 675 3726
Water stains are not usually difficult to fix. Find a copy of Groth's "Furniture Doctor" or similar book, or even search the web for various methods.

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