The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

This VV50 on CL looks pretty nice... perhaps even mint as the seller indicates. My question is whether anyone knows if the travel case pictured is original to this item, or if it was a custom-made or aftermarket item?

http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/atq/1878149487.html

I believe the travel case was available and is correct. A friend in Bremerton, WA has something similar or identical. Wow, not a trip to Florida is a must! You can get the VTLA and the VV-50. Jerry

I've never seen one with the travel case before. That could help explain why the seller says it's in mint condition, if in fact it is. No flaws are visible but as seems to be the norm with Craigslist pics, they are not terribly helpful. If it is indeed in at least very good condition with that travel case, I guess the price is about right. Too bad for me it's 5,000 plus miles away.

Valecnik wrote:.Too bad for me it's 5,000 plus miles away.

Albeit not 5,000 miles away (but more like 2,000+)... it may as well be for me, too. It does look pretty sweet though (from what one can tell from the CL pics).

Does anyone have any idea of what this machine is realistically worth? I think it would go for as much as twice his asking price on Ebay because of the condition, but don't take my word for it. I only paid $70.00 for my oak VV-50, but it needs a lot of veneer repair. Once you have good information, you could do the math, see if it is worth having shipped and ask if he would either ship it or help you arrange shipping.

Tinkerbell, do you live anywhere near Michigan or Illinois? The Union show is in northern IL every June and Stanton Auctioneers has an annual two day auction in Michigan every November; Friday and Saturday of the week before Thanksgiving. I went last November and found prices to be reasonable, in fact generally down. However many major dealers attend and can get extremely competative over parts lots (especially original crane parts, but most of the machine prices are usually decent except for the exotics.
Just be sure to do all the homework you can before you go so you have a good idea of what things are worth.

Jim

I think it's worth the asking price. If it's really nice, somebody should grab it. Shipping, properly packed, could not cost more than $50, could it?

phonojim wrote:Does anyone have any idea of what this machine is realistically worth? I think it would go for as much as twice his asking price on Ebay because of the condition, but don't take my word for it. I only paid $70.00 for my oak VV-50, but it needs a lot of veneer repair. Once you have good information, you could do the math, see if it is worth having shipped and ask if he would either ship it or help you arrange shipping.

Tinkerbell, do you live anywhere near Michigan or Illinois? The Union show is in northern IL every June and Stanton Auctioneers has an annual two day auction in Michigan every November; Friday and Saturday of the week before Thanksgiving. I went last November and found prices to be reasonable, in fact generally down. However many major dealers attend and can get extremely competative over parts lots (especially original crane parts, but most of the machine prices are usually decent except for the exotics.
Just be sure to do all the homework you can before you go so you have a good idea of what things are worth.

Jim

I live in Wisconsin, and already discussed going to Union next June with my husband. Devious fellow that he is, he was all for going but suggested we take the train to Chicago rather than drive. (I suspect he figures I'm unlikely to cart a big machine home if we are taking public transportation!)

Tinkerbell wrote: I live in Wisconsin, and already discussed going to Union next June with my husband. Devious fellow that he is, he was all for going but suggested we take the train to Chicago rather than drive. (I suspect he figures I'm unlikely to cart a big machine home if we are taking public transportation!)

Oh, being a railfan and a phono collector, I have the perfect hail Mary for you: Tell him if you drive, you will let him visit the Illinois Railway Museum, and ride all the trains and trolleys they have operating. It is about 2 miles from the Union show, in fact, you could drop him off BEFORE you go to the show, then decide when (or if ) to pick him up!

http://www.irm.org/

Brad wrote:It is about 2 miles from the Union show, in fact, you could drop him off BEFORE you go to the show, then decide when (or if ) to pick him up!

http://www.irm.org/

Ha!! Interesting prospect...

Well guys, good luck with getting this one shipped. I just spoke to the seller and he said he would be willing to ship it and I went through the suggestions of packing and also the idea of just dropping it off at his local UPS store instead. Offered to pay by paypal or MO he then tells me he just really wants to sell it locally and not deal with the hassle. Sorry, instant payment and dropping it off for someonelse to packup doesn't seem like alot of effort to me.