Waning interest in cylinder or disc machines and records?

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bigshot
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Re: Waning interest in cylinder or disc machines and records

Post by bigshot »

I'm different than most phonograph fans. I got into it specifically to hear the music the way it was supposed to be presented. I find that the quality of music on 78s is better than Edison, so I've never gotten a diamond disc or cylinder machine. I have one machine for acoustic 78s and one for electrical and I'm happy with that. But I have thousands of records, and whenever I see good ones at the junk shop, I pick them up. That will likely never stop.

phonojim
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Re: Waning interest in cylinder or disc machines and records

Post by phonojim »

I am still as interested as ever in both disc and cylinder phonographs and records. This year I went to Union for the first time in close to 20 years and had a ball. I also go to Stanton's auctions twice a year. I have thought about cutting back or even selling things off because of my age (73), but my wife and I have discussed it and have decided that there is no need for me to change at this time.

Jim

epigramophone
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Re: Waning interest in cylinder or disc machines and records

Post by epigramophone »

phonojim wrote:I am still as interested as ever in both disc and cylinder phonographs and records. This year I went to Union for the first time in close to 20 years and had a ball. I also go to Stanton's auctions twice a year. I have thought about cutting back or even selling things off because of my age (73), but my wife and I have discussed it and have decided that there is no need for me to change at this time.

Jim
Quite right. I turned 70 this year but still enjoy collecting and restoring machines. I do sell machines from time to time, but only because space is limited and I cannot keep them all. It is the only practical way to vary and enhance my collection. I also have a supportive wife, and the family will keep what they want from the collection and dispose of the rest intelligently when I am gone.

People who retire with no interests outside of work tend not to last long. Those with hobbies tend to keep going. Both my parents lived into their mid 90's, so there is hope for me yet ;) .

Phonofreak
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Re: Waning interest in cylinder or disc machines and records

Post by Phonofreak »

When I first started collecting, I bought "shotgun". Whatever came my way and cheap, is what I bought. Over the years, I collected the typical Victor and Edison cylinder and disc machines. What I am really into are Columbia and client machines, both disc and cylinder. To me they have so much personality, even the plain ones. Also, they seem to be underrated, and inexpensive which is why I like them so much. I get a decent and unusual machine at a very good price. I also go after records, but not as much as before. When you have bunches of them, you tend to be more selective. I don't go "hunting" as much as I used to. If a good deal or something unusual comes my way, then I go after it. For the past couple of years, I have gotten back into model building, especially trains. I have been a model builder since I was 4 years old. I have dome model railroads since the early 70's. It's good to have many hobbies and interests to keep you going.
Harvey Kravitz

Hailey
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Re: Waning interest in cylinder or disc machines and records

Post by Hailey »

My interests have somewhat narrowed over the past 35 years. My focus is generally in machines that I consider to be of combined modalities of value and quality...be it disc or cylinder. Records have filtered in along the way. I recently sold the collection of nearly 6000 hand-picked 78 rpm records, yet I did retain a few hundred of what I consider the best of the collection. As far as cylinders, I have cabinets full of hand-selected records that I honestly do not even know what is present. I do know that if someone wants to pick through them and take out the 5000 series cylinders, they would certainly not be disappointed!

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briankeith
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Re: Waning interest in cylinder or disc machines and records

Post by briankeith »

I like 45's myself :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

VanEpsFan1914
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Re: Waning interest in cylinder or disc machines and records

Post by VanEpsFan1914 »

HOW TO TALK ONESELF INTO A CENTURY-OLD VICTROLA AT AGE SIXTEEN:

I collect 78s and need a pro-grade turntable for better jam sesh enjoyment. There are these really cool record players with lots of fancy wood trim, metal controls, integrated tachometer displays, automatic stop sensors, volume control, replaceable styli, and a storage space the size of Delaware.

And there's also the issue of American made craftsmanship and a huge cult following. They were supposed to be really gentle on the records with a few modifications, and the used ones weren't too bad in price!

(Buys two Victrolas, much to parental surprise, regret, toleration--then bragging! Yes, Dad thought the 1927 bluegrass crackling out of my 1930 portable Vic was the coolest thing he'd ever heard. Same for the Ride of the Valkyries when I first re-commissioned my big old XIV.)

phonojim
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Re: Waning interest in cylinder or disc machines and records

Post by phonojim »

Briankeith, so do I!. I still have the the ones I bought in jr. high and high school ('62 grad) but have expanded the collection to over 1k records. I have some that go all the way back to 1949, including a full set of RCA's original colored vinyl discs. I collect and restore the 45 players as well.

Jim

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Re: Waning interest in cylinder or disc machines and records

Post by larryh »

What an interesting discussion. It varies about as much as the people who collect them. I started buying records in high school. That was in the late 50s. I used to go to all the thrift stores of the time where in those days a dime bought you just about any record. Machines at auctions were selling for a dollar or less. I hauled home so many albums of electrical selections that I gave away a wall full twice and more than that about 20 years ago when I had lived here in the country for a while. Now I find that I have reverted to that period for many things. What kept me from enjoying them way back was the lack of people who could find the parts and knew how to fix them right. I had all sorts of fancy Capeharts, Scotts, Magnavox, and others but usually they would only play for a while then quit. I decided to stick with the mechanical machines because I could at least fix them or find someone who would. I tend to have a wide variety of things I enjoy which isn't always good due to space issues. Anything from Piano, Opera, Chamber, Country, Pop. A pretty wide range. For a long time Victor records were mostly my favorites, but when I got back into Edisons after selling of over a thousand disc in the 60's for 15 cents each, I got rid of the fancy Edisons a friend of mines dad had found at a high end auction house in or city. The reason I dropped them was due to the reproducers and the lack of ways to get them to sound anything like they would have when new. Later after I retired I got a small London Model at a farm auction near me and the both got me interested in the Edison again but also in a quest to produce a diaphragm I could be happy with. That is how the True Tone Diaphragm became a reality. Lately I came upon a Columbia 800 right around the corner of our country road. Hard to believe it was there all the time I have been out here and I never heard of it. When they moved and had an auction I got it. Partly because I had an 810 I sold to a good friend about 40 years before and often regretted it. It does a pretty decent job on many records. For now its in my moms basement as is a Chippendale Upright I often use when walking and testing diaphragms. It pretty much reaffirmed something I had realized when I sold my Credenza. That the Edison when working well has the most realistic and upfront sound of the mechanical machines.

Like others report buying the records is easier now days than selling them. I have tired to sell some things that 15 years ago would have at least moved on to someone else. Now they just sit. I too will most likely end up giving a lot of them away again. The best Edison disc I will keep, the lesser interest standard vertical records I will probably part with the vast majority of. I had a period where I wanted 45 classical albums and spent several years buying a lot of them. Then I decided to go back to the same version on 78 records because the sound is richer on the old 78 of the same selection.

A friend in another hobby said one day that the "fun was in the hunt" and I think that is pretty true of a lot of the things I found. Once I had them they tended to sit and not be heard much. So yes I am a collector whom changed his mind often about what that it was I wanted in the line of style or period of machines and records. I still enjoy hearing a new selection or machine as much as ever, but keeping them to the point of having them wall to wall I simply don't do.

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FloridaClay
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Re: Waning interest in cylinder or disc machines and records

Post by FloridaClay »

I suppose I am kind of in limbo at the moment. It is getting increasingly difficult to find a square foot or so to put a new acquisition and truth be told I have some things that intrigued me early on that I would not buy now. The sensible thing would be to thin the herd for space and $$ for better machines. I think about that, then look at some candidate for sale and think of some story associated with getting it or some pleasant event related to it, and there it remains.

I have told the person who will some day be my executor that when the time comes call Stanton's and ask them to send that truck.

Clay
Arthur W. J. G. Ord-Hume's Laws of Collecting
1. Space will expand to accommodate an infinite number of possessions, regardless of their size.
2. Shortage of finance, however dire, will never prevent the acquisition of a desired object, however improbable its cost.

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