Needle ad

[Lenoirstreetguy]

Since we're into "needle chatter" here's an HMV ad taken from from Punch Magazine in 1924. HMV always did more "accessories" advertising than Victor did. I want to find the ad for the soundbox tuning kit that HMV sold in the early twenties. It came in a neat little leatherette case...with a tiny wrench, a jeweler's screwdriver, wax and a waxing iron and I think a spare diaphragm.

Jim

[gramophoneshane]

I've always wanted one of those kits myself, and got very excited for a minute about a month ago when I saw a kit listed on Ebay. It turned out to be the even rarer Lumiere Pleated Diaphragm kit though, which is useless to me Still a fantastic item for the man who has everything lol. (or an LPD model)
This is the first example I'd ever seen, and hadn't even heard of them before.

[brianu]

I've never heard of such a kit. were those just hmv, or were they available in the US through victor - or other companies - in the US as well?

[Lenoirstreetguy]

I don't believe Victor marketed anything like this in the US or Canada. I can't find the pics I have of the HMV kit...and until I read Shane's interesting post I had no idea that they issued one specifically for the Lumiere machine. The American companies did sell repair kits for their dealers...Edison had one I know.....but these weren't targeted at the general public at all, whereas the HMV stuff was. They as a company were very concerned that you were getting the very best performance from your gramophone and encouraged the public to tinker with stuff, which if course is right up the alley of most of the British...god love'em!

Jim