The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

We seem to be lacking a question.

I was visiting with a friend and he expressed the desire to know anything that had been done to a machine right down to the rubber feet under the cabinet. It immediately occurred to me that I have represented machines as 100% original when in fact I have replaced gasket material or a spring or new rubber feet. My question...

If I sell what I describe as an "all original" Victor II, do you want it mentioned at the rubber pads on the bottom of the case were replaced? How about a new spring?

Jerry Blais

Jerry B. wrote:I was visiting with a friend and he expressed the desire to know anything that had been done to a machine right down to the rubber feet under the cabinet. It immediately occurred to me that I have represented machines as 100% original when in fact I have replaced gasket material or a spring or new rubber feet. My question...

If I sell what I describe as an "all original" Victor II, do you want it mentioned at the rubber pads on the bottom of the case were replaced? How about a new spring?

Jerry Blais

I would definitely mention it, even though I understand that there is a fine line between what is "consumables" vs parts. Where do you draw the line? Is a replaced diaphragm an issue? What about the original (hardened grease then? Nobody would say a car is not original, because you changed the air filter.

My question is about record sleeves. When do you replace them when they start coming apart? And what do you do with those?

Andreas

I consider new rubber feet and gaskets to be a plus, but that's just me. If selling a machine, I'd say something like, "All original except for the rubber feet and diaphragm gaskets."

Question: Should we mention fresh lubrication when describing an offered machine as "All Original?"

George P.

Andreas and I are thinking identically!

I'll answer George's and Andreas's questions as they were put up at almost the same time.

Andreas - If a record sleeve gets too bad I put it in my paper recycler and will replace the sleeve when I get more.

George - I would mention anything new (gaskets, lube, springs, etc.) A antique car doesn't drop in value if you rebuild the carburetor but does if you repaint it.

Question: Do you collect all brands of phonograph and related items or just stick with 1 particular brand and if so which brand?

Mike

PHONOMIKE wrote:I'll answer George's and Andreas's questions as they were put up at almost the same time.

Andreas - If a record sleeve gets too bad I put it in my paper recycler and will replace the sleeve when I get more.

George - I would mention anything new (gaskets, lube, springs, etc.) A antique car doesn't drop in value if you rebuild the carburetor but does if you repaint it.

Question: Do you collect all brands of phonograph and related items or just stick with 1 particular brand and if so which brand?

Mike

I woould buy a phonograph of any brand as long as i like it, but I would rather stick to Edison and victor/victrola. I would want a Brunswick, because it plays 78's and Edison dd's. I don't have many phonograph, and I don't even have a victor/bixtrola, but I'm looking for one for a good price that I could repair. I do have an amberola I'm working on, an ediphone, and a cecilian gramophone.

Q: When your restoring a phonograph, do you do everything yourself? Ex: would you send the reproducer to someone to fix? Or send the wood to a woodworker? I personally to reproducer rebuilds, and I might bring my amberola box to a local wood restorer that I know.

-Martin

MormonS:

I like to do most everything myself, but I have a nice little Amberola too...complete with Amberola cancer, which is peeling veneer and splintered molding. Time to call in the wood-working cavalry, methinks.

The question is, does anyone like 1910s music that isn't jazz?

VanEpsFan1914 wrote:MormonS:

I like to do most everything myself, but I have a nice little Amberola too...complete with Amberola cancer, which is peeling veneer and splintered molding. Time to call in the wood-working cavalry, methinks.

The question is, does anyone like 1910s music that isn't jazz?

Yes, very much so. I am currently listening to a singer called Zona Vevey - I have several Zonophone records with her singing. A bit of information here:

http://www.musichallcds.co.uk/cdr26_page.htm

I love listening to acoustic records of this era - but have no jazz records at all.


Okay, a question. Do you use extra soft, soft, medium or loud needles and why ?

VanEpsFan1914 wrote:MormonS:

I like to do most everything myself, but I have a nice little Amberola too...complete with Amberola cancer, which is peeling veneer and splintered molding. Time to call in the wood-working cavalry, methinks.

The question is, does anyone like 1910s music that isn't jazz?

Pretty much all recorded music in the 1910s wasn't jazz. Well, until 1917 anyways.

Question: How do you clean your records?

PHONOMIKE wrote:I'll answer George's and Andreas's questions as they were put up at almost the same time.

Andreas - If a record sleeve gets too bad I put it in my paper recycler and will replace the sleeve when I get more.

George - I would mention anything new (gaskets, lube, springs, etc.) A antique car doesn't drop in value if you rebuild the carburetor but does if you repaint it.

Question: Do you collect all brands of phonograph and related items or just stick with 1 particular brand and if so which brand?

Mike

Being in the restoration biz I vehemently disagree!

Question that didn't get answered before: Do you USE your machines or just display/ dust them?