Victrola VV-X Photos Requested

[VV-Montreal]

Would anyone have photos of the insides of a correct Victrola VV-X tabletop 1910 model?
The one I recently acquired has perhaps been tinkered with.
A notch in the horn makes room for the speed control arm, but its contours are rough and unprofessional, and the cut seems recent. Perhaps the motor is not original to the machine.
Thanks for your help.

[TonyJ]

I found this by doing a quick search : http://www.yesterdayrevisited.com/yrsto ... d=86KHWcmS

While I haven't seen a whole lot of machines personally, I'm thinking the speed control is generally in the front. Maybe as you mentioned, it's not original

[VV-Montreal]

Thank you, Tony. I should have specified that mine is a tabletop early 1910 model with the bullet brake.
I have modified the initial post.

[Jerry B.]

I think your machine is 100% correct except for the placement of the brake and your non-Victor key. This is what I believe:

I think the first Victrola, or VTLA (abbreviation for "Victrola") was a sales surprise even to the Victor Company. The name "VTLA" doesn't even suggest the possibility of additional Victrola models. The VTLA became the VV-XVI and sales soared. The first table model Victrola was the XII. Victor replaced their most expensive horn models with even more expensive internal horn Victrolas and sales soared. What were customers buying? Customers were buying the look and status of the product at the sacrifice of performance. The modestly priced Victor III offered a powerful double spring motor and a large horn but it did not offer the status and look of a Victrola.

Your Victrola X was intended to be a low priced Victrola. I suspect Victor had an abundance of double spring Victor III motors and there was pressure to use up surplus motors. A properly build Victrola would separate the spring motor from the horn. To use the older motor, Victor would have to build taller cabinets but this would alter the look of the Victrola. We've already determined that appearance was more important than performance to Victor so their response followed that logic. The top of the horn was eliminated and the somewhat noisy spring motor was suspended in the horn and everything looked great on the outside.

Every table model VV-X that I've seen is exactly like yours. The motor sits in the horn and the cut in the horn for the crank is sloppy and unprofessional in appearance. Your Victrola X is, in my opinion, a historic and valuable example. It is very early and a visual example of Victor's corporate values.

You have a great Victrola.

Jerry Blais

[VV-Montreal]

Thanks so much, Jerry.
You're right that the brake was moved for some reason. There are holes where it used to be.
Still, it looks great, the cabinet being in excellent shape. But the motor is rather noisy compared to my VV-VIII, which is to be expected given that it sits in the middle of the horn.
Too bad the machine lost its nameplate at some point.

[brianu]

Too bad the machine lost its nameplate at some point.

probably when it was refinished. you may find one on ebay for a X, but the correct style for this early tabletop version would be a challenge.

[gramophone78]

Isn't the needle cups section missing also...??. Oh wait, I see it hiding for on the other side. The reproducer blocked it.. . Did the early X's have their cups mounted in different places..?.

[VV-Montreal]

Here's a better picture. I've just seen another post and now realize that the brake, needle cups and lid support have all been moved (by a left-hander?).

[bobbypsarudakis]

This particular model looks to be a table top similar to the the VV-XI and probably shares the same parts with the "Low Boy" model. Pictures of the "Low Boy" attached.

Just my thoughts

[Ripduf1]

Here is an image of my X interior. The cutout on mine is a bit neater however if I were you, I would not worry about the cutout being different. I would just touch it up so it doesn't appear to be a fresh cut. Note the orientation of the needle cup holder on my machine. I think you are in good shape with your machine and dont need anything. You may want to move things back to being "right handed". John

PS Post a picture of your motor and some of us could confirm if it is correct or not.