question on off brand machine

Discussions on Talking Machines & Accessories
78recordpicker
Victor I
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Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2016 3:57 pm

question on off brand machine

Post by 78recordpicker »

Hello all. I have the opportunity to pick up a Steger 501 which plays quite well at a good price. I know interest in off brand machines is iffy for most but anyone have an opinion on the Stegers? I can't seem to trace any recent machine sales for the brand.

pathe
Victor Jr
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Location: mid michigan

Re: question on off brand machine

Post by pathe »

Hello,
I have a Steiger upright don't know the model number Steiger and Sons was a piano Company the only two I have ever seen had very fancy cabinets well constructed
mine has a Dayton number 9 two spring motor the spring barrels are similar in design to the saal motor that are in silvertone machines my Steiger is one of my favorite machines

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Curt A
Victor Monarch Special
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Re: question on off brand machine

Post by Curt A »

A friend has an oak Steger in a case that looks similar to Victorian Eastlake furniture. I personally like it better than most other uprights that I have seen, including Victrolas, etc. I really don't know why unique off brand machines are diminished by collectors... although as a rule, most off brands are cheaply built and ugly.
"The phonograph† is not of any commercial value."
Thomas Alva Edison - Comment to his assistant, Samuel Insull.

"No one needs a Victrola XX, a Perfected Graphophone Type G, or whatever you call those noisy things."
My Wife

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phonolamplighter
Victor O
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Location: Portland, Oregon

Re: question on off brand machine

Post by phonolamplighter »

Steger & Sons Piano Mfg. C., Chicago, began making phonographs in 1919. This was one of many,many piano builders that branched out to make phonographs. The advantage was the ability to make good quality cabinets and most already had a business reputation for the musical trade.

We love those off-brands and love doing the historical research on them too.

Here are two advertisements from 1920. The model of your machine is not pictured, but this will give you an idea of what they had in the talking machine market.

All the best,
Attachments
steger (color) phono ad.jpg
steger models adv.jpg
Ed and Nancy

78recordpicker
Victor I
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Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2016 3:57 pm

Re: question on off brand machine

Post by 78recordpicker »

Thanks to all! I have yet to find any info from the internet on model 501. It looks very similar to 502. If anyone has any info on the 501, I'd appreciate any leads. thanks!

OrthoFan
Victor V
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Re: question on off brand machine

Post by OrthoFan »

78recordpicker wrote:Thanks to all! I have yet to find any info from the internet on model 501. It looks very similar to 502. If anyone has any info on the 501, I'd appreciate any leads. thanks!
I spotted this ad featuring the 501 doing a Google Books search --
Steger Model 501.jpg
(From -- https://books.google.com/books?id=Mfk4A ... &q&f=false )

OrthoFan

78recordpicker
Victor I
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Re: question on off brand machine

Post by 78recordpicker »

Thanks Victor IV, I could not find that.

Dedrums
Victor O
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Personal Text: phonographs are like potato chips you can't just have one
Location: Long island ny

Re: question on off brand machine

Post by Dedrums »

Here's one more
Attachments
Steger.jpg

OrthoFan
Victor V
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Re: question on off brand machine

Post by OrthoFan »

78recordpicker wrote:Thanks Victor IV, I could not find that.
Actually, I'm OrthoFan. "Victor IV" is my ranking.

In any event, if you haven't seen it, there's an article about the Steger phonographs starting on page 4 of issue 69 of the "New Amberola Graphic. It includes an illustration of your model, and is available on the Internet Archives site -- https://archive.org/details/NAG69

In case you have trouble viewing it, here's a PDF version of the issue which I downloaded from the page:
NAG 69.pdf
(27.67 MiB) Downloaded 83 times
Hope this helps.

OrthoFan

78recordpicker
Victor I
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Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2016 3:57 pm

Re: question on off brand machine

Post by 78recordpicker »

Thanks OrthoFan! Fantastic info. I'll have to give a try to play a Pathé to see how the tone arm plays verticals. I did buy it. Here it is:
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IMG_1932.JPG
IMG_1932.JPG (122.2 KiB) Viewed 2142 times
IMG_1931.JPG
IMG_1931.JPG (88.45 KiB) Viewed 2142 times

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