EMG and Expert items on eBay UK

[dd2u]

My other half was browsing eBay UK last night. On the front page under the heading "Find the perfect Valentine's gift here" was a little "shop now --->" arrow, pointing directly at an Expert Minor!

Sadly she did not take the hint, and carried on browsing cushions or some-such frippery.


Here is the item in question (the Expert Minor, not the cushion):
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251221904946
There are some great photographs with that listing. The machine looks to be in very good condition, though at only 18", the horn will lack the bass response of the larger machines. £1500, no bids.

Or you can pay extra, and get a different Expert Minor with a recently gold painted horn:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280992263896
£4000, no bids.

No one has bought the following Expert Junior; it has been offered several times on eBay, never received a bid, and failed to make £3000 last time:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/A-good-workin ... 0900470351

$(KGrHqJ,!pQE7BcvTb,rBPBcYkhz4!~~60_58.JPG (41.99 KiB) Viewed 4453 times

Other recent and current sales on eBay UK:
(click the small "See original listing" above the photo in the eBay links below)


An Expert 4 spring sound box sold for £465.09
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200880376878
There are some great photographs with that listing too.

A damaged EMG Cork turntable mat sold for £23.09
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200880355463

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An EMG Davey Fibre Needle Cutter sold for £111.00
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190785323041

$T2eC16RHJF8E9nnC7Q3)BQ9wnik64!~~60_58.JPG (119.41 KiB) Viewed 4453 times

I also noted 1928-1947 bound editions of The Gramophone magazine sold for £156.00
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300843851529

$(KGrHqF,!rcFCf21(B,dBQ6zGGl1m!~~60_58.JPG (45.4 KiB) Viewed 4453 times

A Mahogony HMV 163 with many scratches to the woodwork is still available, and bidding has already gone further than I would expect given the condition:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261162016044

$(KGrHqV,!jcFC2wUcEu!BRBnBN(Wl!~~60_58.JPG (45 KiB) Viewed 4453 times

None of these are my listings, and I shall not be bidding / did not bid on any of them. I list them merely for interest.

[Orchorsol]

Here is the item in question (the Expert Minor, not the cushion):
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251221904946
There are some great photographs with that listing. The machine looks to be in very good condition, though at only 18", the horn will lack the bass response of the larger machines. £1500, no bids.

That does look really nice. I heard an Expert Minor last year and the sound is wonderful but yes, lacking in bass as you say.

Or you can pay extra, and get a different Expert Minor with a recently gold painted horn:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280992263896
£4000, no bids.

And a horrible lumpy repair where the horn curves! That item sold for way too much at an auction some months ago and I think the buyer (now seller) will discover sooner or later that they've "fallen out of bed" on it!

No one has bought the following Expert Junior; it has been offered several times on eBay, never received a bid, and failed to make £3000 last time:

The unsightly black painted finish (and the finish to the horn) may or may not be original. Production of these machines continued after the war and terrible quality reclaimed timber was used for a time (this is described in Frank James's book). It may be a nice machine otherwise but at £3k for a Junior I think you'd want a nicer one.

[CptBob]

Here is the item in question (the Expert Minor, not the cushion):
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251221904946
There are some great photographs with that listing. The machine looks to be in very good condition, though at only 18", the horn will lack the bass response of the larger machines. £1500, no bids.

That does look really nice. I heard an Expert Minor last year and the sound is wonderful but yes, lacking in bass as you say.

I noticed that machine too. Sadly I can't afford even the starting price. When the auction started I was waiting to hear about a job I'd applied for and was thinking of treating myself, but I heard yesterday that I wasn't successful. (This sounds like a terrible sob story)
I suppose I could just buy it and increase my overdraft, but I also have domestic peace to consider. My dearly beloved can't for the life of her see any beauty in a gigantic brown horn.

I do live in a very small house, our living room is only 12 foot square. How would a gramophone of that size sound in it? I think if I ever managed to get an EMG or Expert I'd have to take it to my house in France for reasons of domestic peace. It would be a shame to only be able to visit my gramophone occasionally, and when we got there all I'd want to do would be to play the thing for days on end. The main living room there is 28 foot by 15. It's got a tiled floor and wooden ceiling. My HMV145 is in the slightly smaller dining room and to my mind sounds great there.

Re the HMV163

A Mahogony HMV 163 with many scratches to the woodwork is still available, and bidding has already gone further than I would expect given the condition:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261162016044

After I'd looked at the pictures - including one of an LP on the turntable, this sentence amused me.

This item has been tested and the sound some come from the speaker on this item but the speed dial does need amending to fit the needs of its new owner

Seems pretty genuine to me, and good luck to them if they do get over the odds.

[Ian]

Looking again just now, I find that the Expert Minor listing (251221904946) has been pulled, with still a day left to go. Very frustrating and disappointing for prospective bidders. Like many determined eBayers, I invariably wait until the last few seconds before putting in my bid.

Grrr!

[dd2u]

I fear some naïve sellers think that if they do not attract bids early on, then they will not do so at all.

I am certain that some unscrupulous buyers contact naïve sellers and offer to buy the item outside of eBay, pointing to the lack of bids as proof that they will get nothing through eBay.

Then there are those sellers who offer the item for sale in two places, and then remove it from eBay when it sells elsewhere.

All these are frustrating for buyers, but when I remember, I sometimes send the seller a private message pointing out these pitfalls and urging them to stay the course. Sadly I did not think to this time, but maybe those with a genuine interest an the item may consider this in the future? The approach may back-fire, but it has not done so yet for me.

[epigramophone]

By contrast the HMV163 did sell, but for a lowly £228. Even this was probably more than the seller, a charity, was expecting. Clearly many potential bidders were put off by the poor cosmetic condition.

If the buyer has the skill to carry out the necessary work himself (or herself!) he will have a nice machine for a bargain price. The purists may not like refinished cabinets, but if they are well done they can look good.

[epigramophone]

That nice looking Expert Minor is back on eBay, but the price has gone up!

The starting price has been set at £2000 with a "Buy It Now" price of £2800.

There are no bids at the time of posting this. Curiouser and curiouser....

[Sterling]

Hi there - I'm actually the seller of the Expert Minor - just thought I'd let you know that the reason for pulling the auction early was that I was quite literally being bombarded with offers to sell off site, and there all sorts of issues re potential overseas buyers including rather convoluted shipping instructions/queries, and all this without any actual official eBay bids! So I decided to delete the original listing, taking the opportunity to revise the shipping/overseas buyer info and then I revised upwards the starting price (as the machine is far, far nicer original condition that any I've seen in quite some time and if it doesn't make £2k - I want to keep it!). I'm incredibly sorry if that's caused any confusion - I know how annoying that can be as a buyer myself. all best Sterling London

[Orchorsol]

Hi there - I'm actually the seller of the Expert Minor - just thought I'd let you know that the reason for pulling the auction early was that I was quite literally being bombarded with offers to sell off site, and there all sorts of issues re potential overseas buyers including rather convoluted shipping instructions/queries, and all this without any actual official eBay bids! So I decided to delete the original listing, taking the opportunity to revise the shipping/overseas buyer info and then I revised upwards the starting price (as the machine is far, far nicer original condition that any I've seen in quite some time and if it doesn't make £2k - I want to keep it!). I'm incredibly sorry if that's caused any confusion - I know how annoying that can be as a buyer myself. all best Sterling London

Hi Sterling! Lovely machine - if I had funds available right now I'd be champing at the bit to buy it, but I kinda hope you keep it! Have you had it long, does it have a story?

[CptBob]

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