HMV 101 - Teak Model

[spoonman]

So I picked up a HMV 101 in great condition recently. Its unmarked and undamaged (though missing the handle & key) and plays well but badly needs cleaning, polishng and oiling, cleaning of the inside.

It’s the Teak model that was made / assembled (?) in Calcutta and it’s an early version – front winding probably from 1925/26.

Having never worked on a machine before I’m terrified of opening it up & doing “something” resulting in the machine never working again…

I‘ve contacted various experts (most of you reading this post I’m guessing) and everybody was unbelievably helpful and forthcoming

However a lot of the assistance I got was along the lines of “take out main spring, replace gaskets and …”and my reaction after considerable thought was “uh?”.

I’ve ordered the original manual in the hope of finding detailed step-by-step care instructions. However was recently told that the owners manual doesn’t really have much on cleaning & servicing instructions.

Thus was wondering if anybody here knew of any source – a website, book etc – that would help beginners…or does one just roll their sleeves up and dive in…How did you guys deal with the first time you had to clean / service your machine?

Cheers.

sid

ps - apologize for the low-quality snaps!

[MordEth]

Sid,

Even in rather small photos that looks like a nice machine, and having heard John’s (blue) HMV 101, I was very impressed with that portable. Here’s a video of it in action, playing Edison Bell-Winner 5514 (14399) “Perfection” (J. H. White) as performed by The Commodore Grand Orchestra (trumpet solo by Albert Coupe, conducted by Joseph Muscant) [first issued circa late 1932].

While rummaging through a few things, I came across this, which I am almost certain is the ‘service’ diagram from the manual:

I do not think that there is much to the manual, but I imagine that someone here could no doubt manage to help you with this.

Thanks to beaumonde for the image above, I snagged it from him via Google’s cache.

— MordEth

[Steve]

That isn't actually the same motor shown in that diagram as this 101 has got in it.

The motor in this 101 is a 400 series.

[brianu]

That isn't actually the same motor shown in that diagram as this 101 has got in it.

The motor in this 101 is a 400 series.

that helps.

[Zeppy]

I have a question on the 4 with the info on the back...are they all pot metal? I have several, and they just seem to be in far too good condition to be pot metal (no swelling, no cracks). Did HMV mark their pot metal 4s as 4A like Victor did?

[Steve]

The easiest way to tell if you have a brass or pot metal backed no.4 is by where the product information is written. A brass backed no.4 has the writing behind the mica diaphragm, and a pot metal back has the info on the back, as in the photo's below.

That's a great post above but I must just correct one thing you've said there: the vast majority of HMV No.4's have the writing on the outside face of the back-late AND they are all brass bodies! All pot metal HMV No.4's are chromium plated too and not nickel as the vast majority of extant ones are. Assuming anybody can't tell the difference between chrome and nickel, I would suggest that whoever is looking at the soundbox looks for tell tale signs of metal expansion - every chrome (pot metal) No. 4 I've ever come across has already shown some signs of expansion and there are normally hairline cracks in both the bezel and the back (both are white metal)and particularly noticeable in the chrome plated front.

I would also say as a cautionary note that just because this is a front winding machine that has little bearing on whether it is "early" or not. Certainly a UK made 101 with the same motor and winding position IS the original and earliest version of the same machine BUT this does not apply to the so-called "Colonial" models. The 101 was made for the Indian market exactly the same as this for quite a number of years afterward and it is typical to find odd matching of components. So the No. 4 could be pot metal and chrome plated, if you see what I mean?

[Steve]

Zeppy

Your question appeared whilst I was typing a response to gramophoneshane's last post! Yes, you're right, they are not necessarily pot metal just because they have the writing on the back as he states. Very few are in actual fact and they are all chrome plated and quite obviously different although they do not have the "a" which you were asking about.

[Guest]

Thanks everybody. Much appreciated!