1928 Edison C-2 Radio Phonograph Diamond Disc

[EarlH]

This isn't mine of course, but I thought you might looking at the pictures, et.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/atq/5056925578.html

[fran604g]

Wow, stunning!

Fran

[Tpapp54321]

I contacted the seller asking about the price and here's what he said that it was electronically restored and that it was modified to use a EL34 tube in place of the 250. He said that the price is 5k. That seems a bit pricey to me, is that what a restored C-2 goes for these days?
-Tom

[EarlH]

Chuck would know for sure about the tube change, which may or may not be a big deal. I know an old 250 tube can go pretty high. 2-3 hundred for one that tests strong is not unusual, so that was probably the reason for the change.

I know a guy that paid around $4000 for one last year. The one he got was a really pristine example of one and the albums are like new, so I guess if you are going to go top dollar for one that's the one to spend the money on. It really sounds nice and almost no 60 cycle hum. The stylus can be a problem though if they are bad. I picked one up on a rummage sale last year so you can't go by what I paid for the one I have. And it came with four other radios. The guy working on the chassis has it playing now, but is finishing it up. I guess the chassis on them are kind of a pain to go through because of the way they are assembled.

Those things are REALLY heavy for the leg base they are standing on and be very careful moving one with the components in it.

[ChuckA]

I contacted the seller asking about the price and here's what he said that it was electronically restored and that it was modified to use a EL34 tube in place of the 250. He said that the price is 5k. That seems a bit pricey to me, is that what a restored C-2 goes for these days?
-Tom

Doesn't make much sense to me to go to all the trouble of adapting the set to use an EL34 when you are asking that kind of money, what's $200 for a $5K radio??

The price is way over the current market value, unless it was still in the shipping crate.

Someone would have had to completely hack the electronics to change the tube. It appears they left the 81 tube in place, the 81 rectifier is a weak point in these units as it can only supply about 70ma of current, a known problem even in 1929. The EL34 plate current is 70-100ma, the 50 only 45ma, so they are really taxing the power supply. The filament of a EL34 is 6.3v, the 50 is 7.5v, either they are burning up the EL34 or there's a big dropping resistor under the chassis throwing away 6watts.

A much easier change would be to substitute a 10 for the 50 and just raise the grid bias.

One last point, it looks like the cabinet was refinished, why is it getting the dark highlights correct so hard to do? Especially if you are going to be selling the piece for $5k.


Chuck

[EarlH]

Thanks Chuck, I knew that you would know what had gone on with that tube and why. I kind of wondered about the finish as well, Especially on the lid and doors. Edison really liked to show off that diamond book matched veneer on those and it's really not all that hard to do with lacquer. You've seen a good number of those things and I've only seen 6-8 of them.

Mine turned out a little bit darker when I refinished it than I wished it would have, but I'm not refinishing it over again this summer. If it really gets to bugging me I can do it next year.

[Tpapp54321]

Chuck,
What would be a good value for one of these is restored condition? I've always admired the C-2 and if I could have any phonograph it would probably be one of these. How do they sound with 78s, how abot the radio? Thank you in advance,
-Tom Pappas

[PeterF]

Bob Baumbach had one for sale (and playing records) at CAPS last August, restored but also with expert electrical upgrades. IIRC it was no-sale at under $4000. Beautiful, sounded great, but nobody wanted it that badly.

[ChuckA]

Chuck,
What would be a good value for one of these is restored condition? I've always admired the C-2 and if I could have any phonograph it would probably be one of these. How do they sound with 78s, how abot the radio? Thank you in advance,
-Tom Pappas

Tom,

The last couple I saw go up at auction, unrestored electrically, went for $1000 or so. I bought 3 incomplete units last year for about $400 each, to make 2 good ones. I have another nice original, restored, with albums for $3,000 available.

This is the first one I finished from the three I bought:


They can be made to sound very good, it requires rebuilding the pickup and speaker correctly more than anything else. Remember these are 1929 technology, frequency response was determined by what was available on the media, in this case the frequency response is from about 60Hz to about 4.5KHz. If you remove the filter on the volume control the high end can be extended to about 6.5KHz at the expense of raising the low end response to about 200Hz. I've been asked by some owners to add a switch to their C-2's to bypass the filter when playing DD's and switch back in for 78's.

Here's the response curve, ignore the red and blue curves.



The radio is a Splitdorf regenerative TRF design, works OK, when the regen is switched in the sensitivity is increased but it can be unstable if it is advanced to far. Needs a long wire antenna for all but local broadcasts. But most people don't buy one for the radio.

Chuck

[Uncle Vanya]

Chuck,
What would be a good value for one of these is restored condition? I've always admired the C-2 and if I could have any phonograph it would probably be one of these. How do they sound with 78s, how abot the radio? Thank you in advance,
-Tom Pappas

Tom,

The last couple I saw go up at auction, unrestored electrically, went for $1000 or so. I bought 3 incomplete units last year for about $400 each, to make 2 good ones. I have another nice original, restored, with albums for $3,000 available.

This is the first one I finished from the three I bought:


They can be made to sound very good, it requires rebuilding the pickup and speaker correctly more than anything else. Remember these are 1929 technology, frequency response was determined by what was available on the media, in this case the frequency response is from about 60Hz to about 4.5KHz. If you remove the filter on the volume control the high end can be extended to about 6.5KHz at the expense of raising the low end response to about 200Hz. I've been asked by some owners to add a switch to their C-2's to bypass the filter when playing DD's and switch back in for 78's.

Here's the response curve, ignore the red and blue curves.



The radio is a Splitdorf regenerative TRF design, works OK, when the regen is switched in the sensitivity is increased but it can be unstable if it is advanced to far. Needs a long wire antenna for all but local broadcasts. But most people don't buy one for the radio.

Chuck

You wouldn't happen to have a spare tone arm for an Edison C-4, would you? I do have a pickup, bit wouldn'tt mind another.