Picked up my first cylinder phonograph!

[Antonian462]

For a while now I’ve wanted to get into cylinders but either the price was out of my budget or nothing was close to me on craigslist and I didn’t want to fight over eBay. Saw this out around Toledo and had to take a look. The machine was the gentleman’s grandfathers since the 70s and inherited once he passed. It’s been sitting ever since. I’m completely new to cylinder phonographs but it looks all original and in decent shape, definitely in need of a good cleaning and oiling. Only known issue is a broken main spring. I picked up this Amberola V for $400 and with over 30 cylinders so I believe I did pretty good!

[fran604g]

An Amberola V is a top tier Edison instrument, imho. At $400 if the stylus and reproducer is good, and the mechanics are sound, you've done very well. The mainspring shouldn't be a big deal getting replaced, I don't think.

The V is capable of amazing sound reproduction!

Congratulations!

Best,
Fran

[phonogfp]

Fran's right - - the Amberola V is a nice machine. An especially nice first cylinder phonograph - congratulations!

You probably already know that the Amberola V plays 4-minute celluloid cylinders ONLY. At least one of the cylinders you show is a wax 2-minute. Attempting to play any wax record (either 2-minute or 4-minute) with your Amberola's Diamond B Reproducer will ruin it in short order. It plays celluloid only.

How do you tell the difference? Fortunately, celluloid feels different; harder, cooler to the touch. And there's also an article which illustrates the basic types of cylinders, and this should help you avoid damage to any 2-minute records you may have in that box:

https://www.antiquephono.org/basic-anti ... onal-tips/

If you can remove the spring barrel (with the mainspring inside) from the motor, you can simply send it to one of the following repairmen and they can return it with a new mainspring inside, all ready to pop back into your motor:

http://wyattsmusical.com/

http://www.victroladoctor.com/ (NOTE: Closed until April)

Ron Sitko
56 Church Hill Road.
Waterford NY 12188
Telephone (518) 371-8549 (NOTE: Closed until after New Year's Day)
(No web address. Call weeknights after 7pm Eastern.)

http://victrolarepairservice.com/

Again - congratulations!

George P.

[FellowCollector]

I searched for years before finding a decent Amberola V in oak. And you found one as your first cylinder phonograph! Nice!

The Amberola V is very desirable especially in oak. It's an example of what I consider the desirable "pre-Edison Fire" Amberola models. One of the several 2 minute cylinder lids features "Prunes" by Edward Favor. If the actual 2 minute cylinder is in that box and is in good playing condition, it's a fun cylinder. But as George mentioned, you should never play it (or any other 2 minute cylinder) on your Amberola V once the main spring is repaired. When and if you eventually find a 2 minute cylinder phonograph you'll enjoy the 2 minute cylinders in the group if they're in playing condition! Thanks for sharing your find!

Doug

[Indestructible]

Congratulations on your first cylinder machine ! Thats really a nice score to find an Amerola V like that. Once you get that main spring fixed the curiosity of the cylinders will be a thing of the past. Enjoy !

[AmberolaAndy]

Dude, that is so sweet! I wish I can get an Amberola V! Enjoy it!

[Antonian462]

An Amberola V is a top tier Edison instrument, imho. At $400 if the stylus and reproducer is good, and the mechanics are sound, you've done very well. The mainspring shouldn't be a big deal getting replaced, I don't think.

The V is capable of amazing sound reproduction!

Congratulations!

Best,
Fran

Thank you !

[Antonian462]

Fran's right - - the Amberola V is a nice machine. An especially nice first cylinder phonograph - congratulations!

You probably already know that the Amberola V plays 4-minute celluloid cylinders ONLY. At least one of the cylinders you show is a wax 2-minute. Attempting to play any wax record (either 2-minute or 4-minute) with your Amberola's Diamond B Reproducer will ruin it in short order. It plays celluloid only.

How do you tell the difference? Fortunately, celluloid feels different; harder, cooler to the touch. And there's also an article which illustrates the basic types of cylinders, and this should help you avoid damage to any 2-minute records you may have in that box:

https://www.antiquephono.org/basic-anti ... onal-tips/

If you can remove the spring barrel (with the mainspring inside) from the motor, you can simply send it to one of the following repairmen and they can return it with a new mainspring inside, all ready to pop back into your motor:

http://wyattsmusical.com/

http://www.victroladoctor.com/ (NOTE: Closed until April)

Ron Sitko
56 Church Hill Road.
Waterford NY 12188
Telephone (518) 371-8549 (NOTE: Closed until after New Year's Day)
(No web address. Call weeknights after 7pm Eastern.)

http://victrolarepairservice.com/

Again - congratulations!

George P.

Thank you so much for those resources ! Definitely much needed, I was under the assumption I could play any 4 min cylinder. Am I safe the play the Oxford 4 minute cylinders?

[Antonian462]

I searched for years before finding a decent Amberola V in oak. And you found one as your first cylinder phonograph! Nice!

The Amberola V is very desirable especially in oak. It's an example of what I consider the desirable "pre-Edison Fire" Amberola models. One of the several 2 minute cylinder lids features "Prunes" by Edward Favor. If the actual 2 minute cylinder is in that box and is in good playing condition, it's a fun cylinder. But as George mentioned, you should never play it (or any other 2 minute cylinder) on your Amberola V once the main spring is repaired. When and if you eventually find a 2 minute cylinder phonograph you'll enjoy the 2 minute cylinders in the group if they're in playing condition! Thanks for sharing your find!

Doug

Thank you ! I was pretty happy to find it and was very surprised it was on craigslist as long as it was. Unfortunately “ prunes “ is that broken cylinder in the box . Thank you for for the information

[Antonian462]

Dude, that is so sweet! I wish I can get an Amberola V! Enjoy it!

Will do! Can’t wait to get it up and running