Some praise for The Victrolaguy!

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B.B.B
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Some praise for The Victrolaguy!

Post by B.B.B »

I recently had a No. 2 soundbox rebuilt by Walt Sommers, & for all of you wondering if his skills are as good as "it says" I can only say "yes" they are.
Still, the cost of the rebuild wasn't much more then if I had bought all the parts needed & done it myself.

I've rebuilt a few myself & even bought one rebuilt from a member of the former phono-board.
But this is something else. Even I, with my tone-deaf ears, can hear a clear difference! And it looks great too.

I also got some of his own needles, both soft & loud & the are super.
Look & sound exactly like the NOS Victors I have.

So what I want to do with this rambling is to give Walt my strongest recommendations, if you need some help with your soundbox or new needles, I don't think you need to look further.

And no, Walt didn't threaten nor bribe me to post this, I did it because we often read about the hustlers/peddlers/cheaters/parting out for a quick buck guys of this hobby. Screw them.

It's guys like Walt that you should talk about :)
Searching for The Sound

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edisonc250
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Re: Some praise for The Victrolaguy!

Post by edisonc250 »

I agree and he gets his stuff out to you fast!!!

bostonmike1
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Re: Some praise for The Victrolaguy!

Post by bostonmike1 »

Plus he is one hell of a nice guy to speak with---very knowledgeable. Is he a member of this board?---it would be nice to have him aboard. MICHAEL

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Re: Some praise for The Victrolaguy!

Post by Tampa Don »

I can also vouch for Walt's integrity and expert attention to detail re. phonograph restorations. I've purchased two phonographs that he had worked on and they look and sound fantastic. He's a master craftsman.
Don

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Re: Some praise for The Victrolaguy!

Post by MordEth »

bostonmike1 wrote:Is he a member of this board?---it would be nice to have him aboard.
Michael,

Who do you think that VictrolaGuy - Walt is? ;)

He’s posted 37 times so far, and has contributed quite a lot to this forum, both here and while we were on ProBoards. Believe me, we’re quite fortunate to have him among our active members.

I’ve learned many things from his explanations.

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bostonmike1
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Re: Some praise for The Victrolaguy!

Post by bostonmike1 »

VictrolaGuy - Walt wrote:
bostonmike1 wrote:Plus he is one hell of a nice guy to speak with---very knowledgeable. Is he a member of this board?---it would be nice to have him aboard. MICHAEL
Hi Mike, although I am an incredibly nice guy (and pretty darned good looking if I must say so myself since nobody else said so :lol: ), I don't think I have met you, unless it was up at Wayne in the past couple of years? You may be recalling some of my posts or perhaps eBay because I know you have bought goodies from me there. Anyway, thanks for your kind comments. I am glad I can help.

Since I work on phonographs on a full time basis it is tough to find the time to sit down and really contribute like I would prefer to. Nevertheless I do contribute when circumstances allow. I've been working on phonographs since starting in about 1974 when I was 13. My father really set my ethics in good order. I never knew it as a kid, but when I was helping him it was actually a means of his providing for our family. As a kid it was just fun for me, but because it was also work my dad had promised to other people I had the luxury of being disciplined from the start. I was never a "weekend warrior"...never had a chance.

Walt
SIR----We never met? How many 6'3"---204 pound"---"colored men" ----with a white wife -----who purchased a reproducer from you for "Green cash" ---did you meet that day? The "rent-cops" at the shows entrance were equally astounded that a black man could be involved in a white mans hobby. So I do see how you blocked it out of your memory. Regardless---I gave you a recogmendation as I saw fit.

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B.B.B
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Re: Some praise for The Victrolaguy!

Post by B.B.B »

VictrolaGuy - Walt wrote:
B.B.B wrote:I recently had a No. 2 soundbox rebuilt by Walt Sommers, & for all of you wondering if his skills are as good as "it says" I can only say "yes" they are.
Still, the cost of the rebuild wasn't much more then if I had bought all the parts needed & done it myself.
Awww shucks Jens...I'm blushing... Many thanks for the kudos to all.

Jens, with your permission I would like to post some closeup pictures of the needle arm assembly on your reproducer. It had been damaged (apparently from a lethal fall upon a hard floor at some point in the distant past) and required some not-so usual repairs; repairs that are actually required more often than most probably realize. Anywho, let me know if posting the pics is okay with you.

Thanks again, Walt
Aaah, I don't think you know how to blush :mrgreen:

Of course, post the pictures, it's very interesting for me to see & probably for others too.

It's probably Bing Crosbys fault.
His crooning pushed someone over the edge & out the window goes the machine, reproducer & all....

Right know it actually handles Crosby again. But Bob this time. A whole lot of difference. You can almost see it smiling behind the mica.
Yes, its from 1937, but it still handles it with grace.
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Re: Some praise for The Victrolaguy!

Post by MordEth »

B.B.B wrote:Of course, post the pictures, it's very interesting for me to see & probably for others too.
B.B.B,

I’m definitely interested in seeing these—I think it gives a greater appreciation of one’s work to see what goes into a particular repair...it’s one thing to be impressed by the finished product, but I think that knowing all the work that may have gone into something makes it that much more impressive.

MicaMonster’s work on JohnM’s 1-A #2 is a good example (update here). I’m looking forward to seeing the final result, but the steps in-between are of interest, perhaps more so because I don’t have to do the work. :D

It’s been a while since I’ve restored/repaired anything other than a computer.
B.B.B wrote: It's probably Bing Crosbys fault.
His crooning pushed someone over the edge & out the window goes the machine, reproducer & all....

Right know it actually handles Crosby again. But Bob this time. A whole lot of difference. You can almost see it smiling behind the mica.
Yes, its from 1937, but it still handles it with grace.
Thanks for posting that, it got a laugh as I commute to work. Mrs. D (my landlady/adopted mother’s mother) would approve—she’s a huge fan of Bob Crosby. :D

My mom, on the other hand, is a big fan of Bing. Particularly around Christmas. I’ll urge her to only listen to him on the first floor. :lol:

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vic160
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Re: Some praise for The Victrolaguy!

Post by vic160 »

Walt did my orthophonic reproducer rebuild for an amazing price, it was pretty bad, now it plays so nice and sweet. I talked to him on the phone, he explained it all to me, what he had to do, and even sent pictures. No one else would ever touch any orthophonics I get!!!

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