Columbia type E 2 upright machine

[celticguitar666]

I have a line on this machine for next to nothing The condition is complete but it has a alligator finish so it would need at least a good cleaning or a refinish if it didn't clean up well it runs motor is pretty quiet but automatic brake is malfunctioning tone arm is really stiff so cleaning and lube is needed reproducer looks perfect but are kits available or gaskets to rebuild if possible or necessary? is this machine worth getting into? How is the sound I couldn't play it because of tone arm issues. I can get this for less than $100 or am I better in continuing to invest in Edison and Victor which are sure bets not for so much for value but for sound reliability and parts
Dwight

[estott]

If the motor runs and the tone arm is not broken, then yes it should be a decent buy for under $100. You'll need to carefully remove the arm and probably use some emery cloth and polishing compound to make it move smoothly again. Yes, there are gaskets to rebuild the soundbox, the tricky part will be removing the threaded ring to do it.

[Victrolacollector]

I have the Columbia Grafonola E-2; it is a console and has a 3 spring motor. I rebuilt the reproducer with black gaskets from Wyatts Musical Americana in 1993 or 1994, the regular white tubing made the diaphragm too loose.

I cleaned the motor, and it runs great, nice and quiet. I used emery and polish and oil and got the tone arm moving again. The worst part was the alligatored dark brown mahogany or walnut cabinet. I tried everything I could use to clean, stain and even attempted to strip it and nothing worked. The inside finish is beautiful.

I paid $ 165.00 back in the fall of 1993 for this machine. I would say at $100.00 you have a steal. These machines sound and perform great, just have to get the cabinet figured out.

In conclusion, if I have a choice between a Victor or Edison product, I prefer those brands over Columbia, especially their inside horn machines. I like their cylinder and early disc machines.

[larryh]

Is this a columbia with a pot metal reproducer? I tend to avoid them due to that problem. Although the 810 I had was quite wonderful in sound and didn't seem to be any problem in repairing the reproducers.

[celticguitar666]

It didn't appear to have a pot metal reproducer What I though was interesting was the size of the diaphragm looked like 2 ½ inches or better I thought it would have a wide response with such a large one. I am still intrigued by it an if I can get it cheaper. I would not feel so bad about getting a less desirable machine as far as resale if I wanted to sell it. I am more interested in sound quality than collectable but it is still nice to get a desirable machine in your stable any other responses are welcomed to help me make an informed judgment If I do get it won't be until next week I have a feeling it will still be there maybe but then again no loss as I am watching a couple of others. Still I am more interested in records right now
Dwight

[estott]

A Columbia E-2 will have a pot metal reproducer- there was no other type. They are usually stable and don't fall apart, but they can stick in the tone arm. The diaphragm and gaskets are held in with a threaded ring and you'll need to make a tool to screw it out - you can put two pins into a piece of wood and fit them into the holes as a wrench. Be very careful with the arm, Columbia tone arms can easily break at the vertical pivot.

[De Soto Frank]

I am not sure exactly what the E-2 Columbia looks like, but I have accumulated to nice Columbia uprights recently, one for $175, and one with a much shabbier finish and missing its tone-arm, base, and reproducer for $65. A forum member supplied the missing parts for the cost of shipping.

The cabinets are decently constructed (at least as good as Edison's), and the motors are pretty reliable, though not quite is over-built as Victor or Brunswick. The biggest issue I've found with Grafonola motors is that the governor weights were cast from some sort of lead alloy, and are frequently found to be swelling and sloughing-off bits of oxidized metal.

If the machine is "all there" ( not missing any parts ), and the cabinet is sound ( glue joints are tight, veneer is tight / not gouged / bubbling loose ), then $100 isn't bad at all.

After years of ignoring Columbia machines (partially because I rarely encountered them), I decided that I was a little weary of Edison and Victor products, and I wanted to wary my collecting a bit.

[celticguitar666]

I am not sure exactly what the E-2 Columbia looks like, but I have accumulated to nice Columbia uprights recently, one for $175, and one with a much shabbier finish and missing its tone-arm, base, and reproducer for $65. A forum member supplied the missing parts for the cost of shipping.

The cabinets are decently constructed (at least as good as Edison's), and the motors are pretty reliable, though not quite is over-built as Victor or Brunswick. The biggest issue I've found with Grafonola motors is that the governor weights were cast from some sort of lead alloy, and are frequently found to be swelling and sloughing-off bits of oxidized metal.

If the machine is "all there" ( not missing any parts ), and the cabinet is sound ( glue joints are tight, veneer is tight / not gouged / bubbling loose ), then $100 isn't bad at all.

After years of ignoring Columbia machines (partially because I rarely encountered them), I decided that I was a little weary of Edison and Victor products, and I wanted to wary my collecting a bit.

It looks like typical Victor floor stander coffin style top and record storage underneath behind two doors and the horn volume doors work like louvers not a bad looking machine but nothing super striking but could be a nice looking machine all done up. I could see the louvers would less cumbersome than 2 doors and not get in the way The cabinet is solid and tight as well as the veneer. I probably would impulsed bought it for the price she offered to me at but the tone arm put me off till I got more info and the fact my wife would have not been happy unless she knew about it first so we will see more records or another machine decisions decisions
Dwight

[De Soto Frank]

Ah... The Wife. She who must be obeyed.

[FloridaClay]

Each of the big 3 have their pluses and minuses. Personally I very much like having some examples of all of them in my collection. Columbia did make some very nice machines, albeit that some of their cabinets are a little plain. One thing I have noticed from my own collection is that my Columbias tend to have good, strong motors that run more quietly than most of my Victors.

The Rumpole photo is fun. I miss that show.

Clay