Exciting acquisition: VV 5-22

[tesch1932]

Hi everyone,

I found this VV 5-22 for 20 BUCKS today, so I ran off with it!

Overall, it seems to be in better shape than it looks. The motor runs, the brake works, the handle is strong. And it is LOUD

But....

Look at the tone arm

Is there anyway the tone arm can be repaired with brazing? I never came acrkss this kind of damage before...

Also, it came with this Columbia soundbox (photos in next post.) Which friction fits kinda.

Can anybody identify it? Did people used to interchange soundboxes back in the day? Would it harm the record, or do I need to start hunting for a soundbox?

[tesch1932]

Soundbox

[EdiBrunsVic]

I have a portable like the one you just acquired. However, the correct model number is VV-2-55. There are some repair listing in the links section that will help you with your needs.

[tesch1932]

Thanks!

Woops, I mixed up the numbers...

[OrthoFan]

Thanks!

Woops, I mixed up the numbers...

You can fix that by clicking on the edit button which appears at the the bottom right hand corner of your post.

As for the reproducer, based on my experience, for the best possible sound, you'll want to hunt down a replacement Orthophonic sound box like this one:

Capture.JPG (38.96 KiB) Viewed 887 times

The nice thing is, for whatever reason, the pot metal used on the portable model reproducers was a lot more stable than for the cabinet models. I've never come across one that was swollen or cracked.

Fully restored, the 2-55 is a fantastic performer and provides a room-filling sound similar to the HMV 102. It sounds more like an electrically amplified phonograph than an acoustic one.

OrthoFan

[AZ*]

Congratulations. As OF says, they can sound quite good with a decent soundbox.

Yours appears to be the magical gravity defying version. Maybe you misread the numbers since they were upside down.

It's a joke son.

[tesch1932]

Yeah, I don't know how the pictures flipped when I posted them...

This was definitely an "accidental" purchase. A few days ago, I had picked up and RCA console from 1947 right before the switch to 45s. So this one will have to sit around a while.

The Columbia sound box does seem to be ggood quality, and built around the same period as the machine. Guess I'll have to wait out for an portable Orthophonic sound box...