EMG Conversion with Wilson horn.

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epigramophone
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EMG Conversion with Wilson horn.

Post by epigramophone »

Given that this is a conversion of a not particularly attractive cabinet, the pre-sale estimate of £4000/£6000 looks optimistic.
The soundbox is not missing. It is in the bottom cupboard with it's original box and a copy of the Frank James book.

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auct ... 1d105db876
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Inigo
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Re: EMG Conversion with Wilson horn.

Post by Inigo »

The horn has a strange strangulation near the bend... :shock:
Maybe it's only photo edition, for the upper left corner of the turntable area seems also faded or missing in some way.... Who did this to the photo is not doing any good!
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Re: EMG Conversion with Wilson horn.

Post by Steve »

I like it but isn't that a version of the Gramophone Company's Junior Grand underneath all the EMG bastardisation? The JG is my personal favourite of the early Grands - there's no accounting for taste.

The early Wilson Horn conversion of an HMV 510 I had sold for £2000 over 10 years ago with a reproduction horn that Frank James personally apologised for - it was an early attempt!

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Re: EMG Conversion with Wilson horn.

Post by Steve »

Wait a minute, that's a Mark 8, not the Wilson Horn model!

I like it but I like the undervalued Gramophone Co. "Junior Grand" it's based on - literally as the bottom half was a JG before EMG bastardised it.

The early Wilson Horn conversion of the HMV 510 I owned sold over 10 years ago for £2000 with a repro horn Frank James apologised for - it was a slightly crude early attempt.

This is, in my opinion, a much better machine so it'll be interesting. I wish I had the space.

Chunny?

Apologies for slight duplication but my first post couldn't be edited due to time limitations.

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Re: EMG Conversion with Wilson horn.

Post by Orchorsol »

Some of us think that it's an example of the kit-of-parts that EMG sold for people to build their own EMG.

A friend has checked with the auctioneers about the soundbox - it is missing - the carton is empty. And the estimate has been reduced greatly.
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Re: EMG Conversion with Wilson horn.

Post by Steve »

Orchorsol wrote: Wed Sep 14, 2022 3:38 am Some of us think that it's an example of the kit-of-parts that EMG sold for people to build their own EMG.

A friend has checked with the auctioneers about the soundbox - it is missing - the carton is empty. And the estimate has been reduced greatly.
It's still showing £4000-6000.

Hmmm......maybe its time for me to sell my spare Mk 8 soundbox? :)

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Re: EMG Conversion with Wilson horn.

Post by Orchorsol »

My mistake. I think they started at around £2500, then it was definitely reduced to £1200, but now they're into ridiculous territory!
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Re: EMG Conversion with Wilson horn.

Post by Steve »

It's got a £1250 start bid but do we think there is a reserve around the £4000 mark? Does it always follow that the lower point of an estimate represents a "hidden" reserve?

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Re: EMG Conversion with Wilson horn.

Post by Steve »

The more I look the more intriguing this becomes.

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Re: EMG Conversion with Wilson horn.

Post by Steve »

The top part of the cabinet appeared to be a much lighter and non matching colour to the lower ⅔ and that heavy planted on molding makes it look a little like a table Grand sat atop a cut down Junior Grand, but it isn't. It is clearly a complete oak Junior Grand with a Victrola style domed lid added to provide height and clearance for the tonearm.

However the JG is a very narrow machine so how did they find a lid to match and to seamlessly retrofit it?

I'm also puzzled by that extra molding below the festoon carved decoration. It is clearly added later but not really needed so what's its purpose? It's not as though it covers the redundant winding hole.

But then that provokes another question: there appears to be two significant plugged holes on both sides of that top section. What were they for?

To give a slightly wider profile to the top they've also added sections of oak which although mitred to match the original JG construction, do not completely conceal the notches where the original flat hinges of the JG lid were positioned. The new lid has a continuous piano hinge.

I'm not sure I think this is an amateur assembly. If that lid matches the top closely, it must have been worked on by someone with good carpentry and joinery skills, if not a professional cabinet maker.

Of course, the missing soundbox is not so much of an issue as the missing goose neck!

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