Are there any machines, you would avoid?

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Edisonfan
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Are there any machines, you would avoid?

Post by Edisonfan »

Apart from the crap out of India and China, and Frankenphones. Are there any machines you would avoid?

Paul

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Inigo
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Re: Are there any machines, you would avoid?

Post by Inigo »

Those off brand portables with very bad tracking alignment...
Although there is a case of love for beauty...I used to own a late thirties-early forties green Columbia portable made in the Spanish factory. I fell in love with that machine because it looked really luxurious, and the sound was astounding, similar to that of an hmv 102. It had a Garrard motor and a very good Paillard soundbox which have a true deep bass through its 36" sound system (tonearm plus exponential horn length). Once a day I spotted a Columbia 113a, and the owner agreed to swap it with my green later portable. I love that machine, but once I noticed its very bad tracking, my suffering commenced....I've tried to improve alignment by adding a supplement between the soundbox and tonearm, which provides a certain azimuth angle and offset to the soundbox, so the thing improves greatly. But still I haven't worked out the definite solution, and I'm always tinkering with it. At a given point I substituted the Orange rubber connector at the back of the soundbox by a silicone thick washer one made by me such that it had a wedge shape and changed the azimuth. But I didn't like that solution, and after some months I substituted again for a standard plain silicone washer. I'm playing with the idea of that supplement, kind of a short curved pipe that one can attach between tonearm and soundbox, but that can be removed with no change to the original machine. Still I have to work it out...
But indeed it is a very pretty portable, huge and heavy, but so attractive... And the sound its good!
If I had noticed the misalignment before, I could not have acquired it. Beauties that destroy records... hummmm....!
Inigo

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Re: Are there any machines, you would avoid?

Post by Jerry B. »

This is a difficult question to answer because of the risk of offending other Forum members and I have no desire to do so. With that said, here is my opinion.

I have little interest in suitcase portables. My first generation collector friends, who influenced me, simply avoided them. I remember one fellow that said he wouldn't walk across the street for a free one. That was my feeling for a long time BUT I WAS WRONG. I've seen nice ones at sales and listened to them play and they play like gang busters. I was amazed at the quantity and quality of the sound coming from such a small package. I appreciate them now but don't look to add them to my collection.

I avoid generic cookie cutter off brand uprights. I am thinking of talking machines that have the same basic austere design with generic mechanisms. I do very much like off brand machines that were daring with unique cabinet designs such as Modernola, Puritan, Keen-O-Phone, and others. I've often said you could build an interesting collection of unique off brand machines.

Jerry B. ;)

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Re: Are there any machines, you would avoid?

Post by FellowCollector »

I have no interest in (and so I avoid) most of the plain (read: common) cabinet Columbia Grafonola models, most suitcase portables and almost all acoustic era Victor Victrola console models (the models that are wide and rather low to the floor) including VV-210, 215, 220, 240, 260 and so forth. No offense intended to those who enjoy and appreciate these models.

Doug

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Re: Are there any machines, you would avoid?

Post by estott »

Jerry B. wrote: I have little interest in suitcase portables. My first generation collector friends, who influenced me, simply avoided them. I remember one fellow that said he wouldn't walk across the street for a free one. That was my feeling for a long time BUT I WAS WRONG. I've seen nice ones at sales and listened to them play and they play like gang busters. I was amazed at the quantity and quality of the sound coming from such a small package. I appreciate them now but don't look to add them to my collection.
UK portables such as the HMV 102 are often better than a mediocre quality cabinet machine. There was a strong market for these from people living in apartments where space was a premium- and an owner might have a small but carefully selected record library.

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Re: Are there any machines, you would avoid?

Post by soundgen »

Jerry B. wrote:This is a difficult question to answer because of the risk of offending other Forum members and I have no desire to do so. With that said, here is my opinion.

I have little interest in suitcase portables. My first generation collector friends, who influenced me, simply avoided them. I remember one fellow that said he wouldn't walk across the street for a free one. That was my feeling for a long time BUT I WAS WRONG. I've seen nice ones at sales and listened to them play and they play like gang busters. I was amazed at the quantity and quality of the sound coming from such a small package. I appreciate them now but don't look to add them to my collection.

I avoid generic cookie cutter off brand uprights. I am thinking of talking machines that have the same basic austere design with generic mechanisms. I do very much like off brand machines that were daring with unique cabinet designs such as Modernola, Puritan, Keen-O-Phone, and others. I've often said you could build an interesting collection of unique off brand machines.

Jerry B. ;)
how could you possibly offend another Forum member :lol:

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Re: Are there any machines, you would avoid?

Post by billybob62 »

soundgen wrote:
Jerry B. wrote:This is a difficult question to answer because of the risk of offending other Forum members and I have no desire to do so. With that said, here is my opinion.

I have little interest in suitcase portables. My first generation collector friends, who influenced me, simply avoided them. I remember one fellow that said he wouldn't walk across the street for a free one. That was my feeling for a long time BUT I WAS WRONG. I've seen nice ones at sales and listened to them play and they play like gang busters. I was amazed at the quantity and quality of the sound coming from such a small package. I appreciate them now but don't look to add them to my collection.

I avoid generic cookie cutter off brand uprights. I am thinking of talking machines that have the same basic austere design with generic mechanisms. I do very much like off brand machines that were daring with unique cabinet designs such as Modernola, Puritan, Keen-O-Phone, and others. I've often said you could build an interesting collection of unique off brand machines.

Jerry B. ;)
how could you possibly offend another Forum member :lol:
Nor me. Jerry is a true gentleman.

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Re: Are there any machines, you would avoid?

Post by Wolfe »

Many days, on encountering a Grafonola, I marvel at how awful that clunky tonearm looks. My records would probably feel the same. For that reason I wouldn't beseech myself to own one at any time.

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Re: Are there any machines, you would avoid?

Post by Viva-voce »

Wolfe wrote:Many days, on encountering a Grafonola, I marvel at how awful that clunky tonearm looks. My records would probably feel the same. For that reason I wouldn't beseech myself to own one at any time.
The first machine I owned was a Columbia Grafonola Mignon floor model in average condition I bought at age 12 with my parents' financial assistance. I enjoyed it for many years and wore out many records before gifting it to my close friends in Los Angeles and whenever I travel back home and visit them it does feel good to see it proudly displayed in their living room.
And their kids enjoy and play it as well.

I am much happier with my Victor IV though :)

Steven

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Re: Are there any machines, you would avoid?

Post by Vinrage_mania »

billybob62 wrote:
soundgen wrote:
Jerry B. wrote:This is a difficult question to answer because of the risk of offending other Forum members and I have no desire to do so. With that said, here is my opinion.

I have little interest in suitcase portables. My first generation collector friends, who influenced me, simply avoided them. I remember one fellow that said he wouldn't walk across the street for a free one. That was my feeling for a long time BUT I WAS WRONG. I've seen nice ones at sales and listened to them play and they play like gang busters. I was amazed at the quantity and quality of the sound coming from such a small package. I appreciate them now but don't look to add them to my collection.

I avoid generic cookie cutter off brand uprights. I am thinking of talking machines that have the same basic austere design with generic mechanisms. I do very much like off brand machines that were daring with unique cabinet designs such as Modernola, Puritan, Keen-O-Phone, and others. I've often said you could build an interesting collection of unique off brand machines.

Jerry B. ;)
how could you possibly offend another Forum member :lol:


Nor me. Jerry is a true gentleman.

yep just think how many miles Jerry has traveled shuttling other collectors stuff and kept it safe

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