I have a Vic 2-65 portable and it will play 12" records without the least trouble. The only drawbacks are the crummy leatherette (am changing it now) and the Orthophonic's difficulty to rebuild (but then Wyatt...) and that finicky automatic brake.
Other than that it is an amazing machine and I hope to get done restoring it.
Best portable ever....?
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- Victor VI
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- Inigo
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Re: Best portable ever....?
Thanks to all of you. I see that the 102 is the best option. Still in curious about the Columbia 202 (i never owned one) and still intrigued about the sound of the Decca 120 & 130....
Inigo
- Marco Gilardetti
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Re: Best portable ever....?
Well if you want to have a working orthophonic portable within a reasonable timeframe you better leave the Deccas for a future addition. They surface very rarely, and unfortunately they are even more rarely in good aesthetic conditions. Moreover, finding even the most common spare part for them is a nightmare (as I am learning myself "the hard way").
Columbia 202/112a are instead quite common (although again not as common as HMV 102s) and with their super-glossy finished wooden top and plano-reflex tonearm they are much more beautiful machines than the Victor 102 in my opinion, but for the reasons expressed above you should buy one only if you can deal directly with some other reputable collector that can grant about their functionality and mechanical integrity. Avoid eBay sales and alike.
Columbia 202/112a are instead quite common (although again not as common as HMV 102s) and with their super-glossy finished wooden top and plano-reflex tonearm they are much more beautiful machines than the Victor 102 in my opinion, but for the reasons expressed above you should buy one only if you can deal directly with some other reputable collector that can grant about their functionality and mechanical integrity. Avoid eBay sales and alike.
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Re: Best portable ever....?
Marco, thanks for your advice. More on that, I've seen many broken or mistreated Columbia 202s here around at antique shops and the like, so I'd never trust a remote purchase. I need to see, touch, examine and test the machine before purchasing.
A different case was my 102. I bought it from an American guy, solely for the soundbox. I desperately needed a 5B replacement. It was so cheap that was worth the purchase. When it arrived home i was surprised by its good appearance, except for a plant pot mark on top of the case. But it was perfect. I never understood why that guy sold it for parts, he must need to get rid of it. It only needed a bit of care on the outer Rexine cover, and a bit of cosmetics on the motorboard, very scratched. But it worked marvelously. After cleaning and regreasing, i had a marvelous machine for a mere $100... Not to say, it went to my collection, and i bought another spare 5B elsewhere... It is a current black machine with no special features nor record tray, but is somewhat rate for it carries the instruction plate for Americans, as an export model (ww2). Date is 1945 (B/9).
A different case was my 102. I bought it from an American guy, solely for the soundbox. I desperately needed a 5B replacement. It was so cheap that was worth the purchase. When it arrived home i was surprised by its good appearance, except for a plant pot mark on top of the case. But it was perfect. I never understood why that guy sold it for parts, he must need to get rid of it. It only needed a bit of care on the outer Rexine cover, and a bit of cosmetics on the motorboard, very scratched. But it worked marvelously. After cleaning and regreasing, i had a marvelous machine for a mere $100... Not to say, it went to my collection, and i bought another spare 5B elsewhere... It is a current black machine with no special features nor record tray, but is somewhat rate for it carries the instruction plate for Americans, as an export model (ww2). Date is 1945 (B/9).
Inigo
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- Victor IV
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Re: Best portable ever....?
After the end of WW2, and the HMV factory resumed production of gramophones, the first 20,000 102s to leave the factory were to fulfil a government order for the Ministry of Supply. These machines were distributed to Armed Forces all over the world, not just to Americans, and differed from the standard 102 in that they had a cover for the winding escutcheon, two larger needle tin clips, and instructions printed on a metal plate riveted to the plaque in the lid.Inigo wrote:It is a current black machine with no special features nor record tray, but is somewhat rate for it carries the instruction plate for Americans, as an export model (ww2). Date is 1945 (B/9).
- poodling around
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Re: Best portable ever....?
Phono48 wrote:After the end of WW2, and the HMV factory resumed production of gramophones, the first 20,000 102s to leave the factory were to fulfil a government order for the Ministry of Supply. These machines were distributed to Armed Forces all over the world, not just to Americans, and differed from the standard 102 in that they had a cover for the winding escutcheon, two larger needle tin clips, and instructions printed on a metal plate riveted to the plaque in the lid.Inigo wrote:It is a current black machine with no special features nor record tray, but is somewhat rate for it carries the instruction plate for Americans, as an export model (ww2). Date is 1945 (B/9).
Oh, I saw one of these for sale on ebay yesterday - I don't presently have a link though.
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- Victor IV
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Re: Best portable ever....?
Although they don't appear very often, I wouldn't say they are rare.
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Re: Best portable ever....?
Phono48 wrote:Although they don't appear very often, I wouldn't say they are rare.
Oh, here is the link:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HMV-His-Mast ... :rk:3:pf:0
- Inigo
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Re: Best portable ever....?
Here its my 102 playing a record with a restored 5A soundbox using a restored 5A diaphragm. More than restored I should have said salvaged, as the condition of both soundbox and diaphragm was very tatty. Indeed they were discarded rests from other repair works and replacements. Here is the link:
https://youtu.be/NLs17N_3CIM
A bit of profanity for this forum, but finally I've rescued another little marvel, very adequate for use in the small study room: an old Webcor Holiday tube fonograf of late forties or early fifties. Another day I will tell the story about this machine. Still all original, except for the cartridge which I substituted for a modern Dual 650 ceramic unit, using adapted sapphire stylus, it plays 78s acceptably well for nightly occasional playing.
https://youtu.be/NLs17N_3CIM
A bit of profanity for this forum, but finally I've rescued another little marvel, very adequate for use in the small study room: an old Webcor Holiday tube fonograf of late forties or early fifties. Another day I will tell the story about this machine. Still all original, except for the cartridge which I substituted for a modern Dual 650 ceramic unit, using adapted sapphire stylus, it plays 78s acceptably well for nightly occasional playing.
Inigo
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Re: Best portable ever....?
In the mid-1960's these 102D's were being sold off in Army Surplus shops for £5 each, and I bought one.poodling around wrote:Phono48 wrote:After the end of WW2, and the HMV factory resumed production of gramophones, the first 20,000 102s to leave the factory were to fulfil a government order for the Ministry of Supply. These machines were distributed to Armed Forces all over the world, not just to Americans, and differed from the standard 102 in that they had a cover for the winding escutcheon, two larger needle tin clips, and instructions printed on a metal plate riveted to the plaque in the lid.Inigo wrote:It is a current black machine with no special features nor record tray, but is somewhat rate for it carries the instruction plate for Americans, as an export model (ww2). Date is 1945 (B/9).
Oh, I saw one of these for sale on ebay yesterday - I don't presently have a link though.
With the knowledge I have now I would have cleared their stock, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.