The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I just got home from an auction where I was bidding on a VV-230. I wasn't terribly interested, but figured I would get it for a reasonable if not low price given the weather, the market and the location. despite most things at this auction selling unusually low, this one in my opinion didn't... overall it was in nice shape and running, but still needed the basic work - also a couple of the doors had split slightly at the lower hinges and would have had to be glued and clamped. long story short, I was bidding against one other guy who I hadn't seen there before and he won it. I'll tell you the price, but first I was just wondering at what price some of you might have stopped bidding on this one... or what you feel a reasonable price for this machine in this condition would be.

brian

I paid 600.00 for mine, its almost mint. That was a few years ago, It is a beautiful machine!!

I actually used to have the electric version, but sold it about a year ago, a VE-230... this one was super nice. I pretty much sold it for what I had into it, which was about 900.

Brian,

Hmm, hard to say what it did go for. I don't much care for low-boys, so I wouldn't pay much (sub $50 regardless of model), however, it appears that machines fetch a pretty high price in your neck of the woods. e.g. http://southjersey.craigslist.org/clt/1313825041.html

Lovely machine! If I only had floor room...

But a question I've wondered about for a long time. Do the machines with obviously larger horns sound different? Mine are all tabletops - or my Credenza, which is of course altogether different - with much smaller horns. Louder? More full?

Nat

Brad wrote:Brian,

Hmm, hard to say what it did go for. I don't much care for low-boys, so I wouldn't pay much (sub $50 regardless of model), however, it appears that machines fetch a pretty high price in your neck of the woods. e.g. http://southjersey.craigslist.org/clt/1313825041.html

holy crap... I check craigslist pretty regularly even though I haven't been in much of a buying mode for quite some time now... and I hadn't noticed that one... honestly though, $6500 for a standard upright VV-X in mahogany? I can't say that typifies my area... if anything, I'd maybe expect more of such price inflation from your northern end of the state where most everything is overblown... i.e. "real" housewives of NJ... ha...

hope all is well brad.

brian

I don't believe the VV-230 would qualify as an "art model". They were a standard line model, albeit an upper end one. I suppose a special painted finish would kick it up to art model status, but in standard wood choices, no.

John M

JohnM wrote:I don't believe the VV-230 would qualify as an "art model". They were a standard line model, albeit an upper end one. I suppose a special painted finish would kick it up to art model status, but in standard wood choices, no.

John M

I could be mistaken, but I just remember reading one of the books which referred to it with the broad category of art models, given the more elaborate and expressive cabinetry.

Really? OK!

Then is, say, a VV-130 considered an art model?

John M

Either way, what was the winning bid?