PA Goodwill-Edison Amberola ?

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CDBPDX
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PA Goodwill-Edison Amberola ?

Post by CDBPDX »

Southwestern PA Goodwill is auctioning what appears to be an Edison Amberola 30/50/75 mechanism in a cabinet I have not seen before.

Very interesting...

https://www.shopgoodwill.com/Item/44493993

Cliff
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Cliff's Vintage Music Shoppe, Castle Rock, WA
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tomb
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Re: PA Goodwill-Edison Amberola ?

Post by tomb »

It look almost like a very handy cabinet maker made the case. It is weird with the cabinet sticker on the bottom. It is an early machine motor and upper works because of the diamond B reproducer. I have never seen one with the cygnet horn attachment on it. It is kind of neat. Tom B

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Lucius1958
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Re: PA Goodwill-Edison Amberola ?

Post by Lucius1958 »

What I see is a Frankenphone.

Someone has taken an Amberola 30 (most likely) with a ruined cabinet, and tried to turn it into an outside horn machine. It is not an early model, as there is no external speed control; and these models never used the Diamond B - only the Diamond C.

The bottom panel is a remnant of the original case: the 'restorer' most likely blocked up the grille space in front (I notice the photos don't show the front side completely), then slapped a Cygnet crane on the back. When the neck of the reproducer broke off, they probably junked it, sold off the horn, and sent the remains to Goodwill.

It might be good for parts; but I wouldn't waste money on it.

Bill

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edisonphonoworks
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Re: PA Goodwill-Edison Amberola ?

Post by edisonphonoworks »

Probably done during the depression. It is a regular Amberola 30 cabinet, modified for external horn, by a fairly old owner, probably not recently done. The added B reproducer and bracket. The cygnet horn would have offered better sound. What most of you are are purists, if something is not as it ought to be, it gets called a Frankenphone, (it is certainly a Frankenstein machine). However it is part of the history of the machine, It probably was done during the depression and what someone found around and made, so they could listen to music in the home. It of course is fine for motor parts, the reproducer is rough. But this ha ha frankenphone ect, is getting really old with 578 posts (58 pages of this forum) dedicated to Frankenphones.

tomb
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Re: PA Goodwill-Edison Amberola ?

Post by tomb »

I felt it was unique too . The diamond B threw me off on the machine. I am not an expert on ambrolas and only have a 50. I think it could be repaired and sound half way decent. LIke you said some of the things that came out of the 30s and 40s are unique. It would be nice to know the story behind it. Tom B

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Re: PA Goodwill-Edison Amberola ?

Post by ts_13 »

I am glad you posted this I had the same questions. I was wondering if my lack of knowledge was the reason I did not recognize that machine.

T

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Re: PA Goodwill-Edison Amberola ?

Post by travisgreyfox »

hmmm. So how much is it worth in parts? Its not too far from me and was thinking about bidding.

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