The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Just picked this up- nothing in it, even the horn is gone.

Anyone have a junk Sonora with a usable horn?

I have done a bit of research about Sonora and their phonographs since buying mine.
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =2&t=21672
I suspect that someone already sold all the valuable parts due to the condition of the cabinet. The parts can be worth more than the intact phonograph. It's really tragic to see this, but it is still a beautiful cabinet for record storage. Usually it is a disaster to refinish the cabinet, but it might not be in this case. "Always look for the silver lining."

audiophile102 wrote:I have done a bit of research about Sonora and their phonographs since buying mine.
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =2&t=21672
I suspect that someone already sold all the valuable parts due to the condition of the cabinet. The parts can be worth more than the intact phonograph. It's really tragic to see this, but it is still a beautiful cabinet for record storage. Usually it is a disaster to refinish the cabinet, but it might not be in this case. "Always look for the silver lining."

None of the parts were sold from this- they were thrown away & the cabinet used for something else.

I have an upright Sonora bombe` deep in the garage. I do not know what model, but the motor, and horn are there... it is missing the tone-arm and reproducer, and grille. The remnants of the tip-out record folders are still there.

I literally pulled it out of a dumpster about 15 years ago.

If you can post the height of your cabinet, I'll try to squeeze back through the piles of stuff and measure mine, and see if it's close enough to warrant exhumation.

If it's of use to you, it's yours.

estott wrote:Anyone have a junk Sonora with a usable horn?

I would certainly post a "wanted" ad in our Yankee Trader.... .

De Soto Frank wrote:I have an upright Sonora bombe` deep in the garage. I do not know what model, but the motor, and horn are there... it is missing the tone-arm and reproducer, and grille. The remnants of the tip-out record folders are still there.

I literally pulled it out of a dumpster about 15 years ago.

If you can post the height of your cabinet, I'll try to squeeze back through the piles of stuff and measure mine, and see if it's close enough to warrant exhumation.

If it's of use to you, it's yours.

I will get measurements- yours sounds like it must be a larger model than mine, but it is worth a try.

The tone arm & reproducer are not so much trouble, and at the worst I can rob from a Sonora table model I have in the attic. The horn is the real problem & without that this cabinet will go to the garage

I gave it a cleaning today- still far from beautiful but it has possibilities

"Red mahogany piano finish" - the bane of our existence...


Certainly not the worst example I've seen...

Suggest giving George Vollema a call. He might have the horn and his prices are reasonable.

Piano finish mahogany is gorgeous when properly done, but something of a pain to do. I had a guy here who was a real artist at it, but unfortunately he moved to Italy.

Clay