Have you ever regretted selling a machine?

Discussions on Talking Machines & Accessories
User avatar
Zwebie
Victor IV
Posts: 1381
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 2:55 pm
Personal Text: We are only the caretakers for future generations.
Location: FLORIDA

Have you ever regretted selling a machine?

Post by Zwebie »

Have you ever regretted selling a machine, and then had the opportunity to buy it back?

Well, in 2016, in a moment of weakness, I sold my GEM Model A–3 (Third Style) French Conversion.
See Featured Phonograph #104: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=17702
Well, about a month back, I was afforded the opportunity to buy it back, (which I jumped on).
It now honors “pride of place” back in my collection!

Cheers, Bob S.
Attachments
20210408_163645.jpg
20210408_130802.jpg
Last edited by Zwebie on Thu Apr 08, 2021 4:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Phono48
Victor IV
Posts: 1314
Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 2:38 pm
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Have you ever regretted selling a machine?

Post by Phono48 »

Zwebie wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 1:23 pm Have you ever regretted selling a machine, and then had the opportunity to buy it back?
No, but I have a feeling that it's about to happen! Some time ago, I bought an Indian HMV 113, known as the "transportable", and what a superb machine it is! It cost me a fair chunk of money, but it was something I had wanted for years. I have now had it for many months, but have never found anywhere to put it, as all the available shelves and cupboards are full of other portables and records,, and anyway, it's far to heavy to keep lifting into cupboards. It is sitting on the floor in my music room, preventing me getting at records and other machines, and is danger of being kicked or chipped by the vacuum cleaner. In short, it's a nuisance, so regrettably it has to go. I just know that as soon as it's gone, I will wish I hadn't done it, but as the song says "Life gets teejus, don't it"?

Barry

User avatar
gramophone-georg
Victor VI
Posts: 3992
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:55 pm
Personal Text: Northwest Of Normal
Location: Eugene/ Springfield Oregon USA

Re: Have you ever regretted selling a machine?

Post by gramophone-georg »

I regret selling my Columbia Europa about 16 years ago:

Image
"He who dies with the most shellac wins"- some nutty record geek

I got PTSD from Peter F's avatar

User avatar
gramophone-georg
Victor VI
Posts: 3992
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:55 pm
Personal Text: Northwest Of Normal
Location: Eugene/ Springfield Oregon USA

Re: Have you ever regretted selling a machine?

Post by gramophone-georg »

Congrats on buying yours back, Bob- it's an attractively odd machine. That's what I miss about the Europa, too. It was a dented, rusty old basket case when it came to me.
"He who dies with the most shellac wins"- some nutty record geek

I got PTSD from Peter F's avatar

User avatar
Granby
Victor II
Posts: 402
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2019 9:41 am
Personal Text: The Granby Phonograph Historian
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Contact:

Re: Have you ever regretted selling a machine?

Post by Granby »

I will take this thread in a slightly different direction, LOL. Let's go from high end machines to basic off brands.... :lol: I had numerous machines stored in a steel building a few years back. I had a health scare and decided it was seriously time to liquidate these machines just sitting around gathering dust - machines that would have no place in my home EVEN if I had the space.... I called an auctioneer and I think they all went for $20 to $80 a piece, and then they took their 30%.

One of which was a Granby phonograph, in pieces, needing a refinishing and rebuild. Since then, my research on the Granby phonograph has been published and I now travel to local historical societies in VA speaking about them. To this day, I have NOT seen this particular model in any old advertisements, literature, etc.

In hindsight, it was pretty some early prototype or early unadvertised model.... :?

Since I am the "Granby" guy, I would love to run back across that one!
- Chris
Licensed Funeral Director (NC/VA) Historian, Collector, Enthusiast.....

Author of: Norfolk's Greatest Home Furnishers: The Story of Phillip Levy & Co. and The Granby Phonograph

EdiBrunsVic
Victor IV
Posts: 1062
Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2010 12:12 pm
Location: Cranberry Township, PA

Re: Have you ever regretted selling a machine?

Post by EdiBrunsVic »

Yes, I wish I had kept my first VV-50. It was my first old phonograph, bought in 1969, and it was traded away after about twenty years. About ten years ago I bought another VV-50 at a phonograph show and it was more expensive, but worth it. This time I will keep it!

Don

User avatar
TinfoilPhono
Victor IV
Posts: 1926
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 8:48 pm
Location: SF Bay Area, Calif.

Re: Have you ever regretted selling a machine?

Post by TinfoilPhono »

I've sold a lot of nice machines over the many decades that I've been collecting. None have left without at least some regret -- after all, I bought them because I liked them -- but I have usually been able to let them go without looking back.

There have, however, been a few which I very much regret having sold. Very few, in the grand scheme, but still... I was able to buy one back a few years ago: a Graphophone AD with Bettini attachment. I'm glad to have that one sitting next to me as I type this. I can think of two others that I would dearly love to have again, but that's pretty much it out of the many dozens I've let go.

I love that French Gem!!
Attachments
Columbia-AD.jpg

AmberolaAndy
Victor V
Posts: 2423
Joined: Fri May 26, 2017 10:15 pm
Location: A small town near Omaha, Nebraska

Re: Have you ever regretted selling a machine?

Post by AmberolaAndy »

Not really. I’ve sold 3 lesser machines to afford one really good machine. So far my biggest regret is not buying those needle cut Edison discs back in 2015.

Garret
Victor IV
Posts: 1523
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 10:07 pm
Location: Lille, France

Re: Have you ever regretted selling a machine?

Post by Garret »

I will regret selling my HMV 194 when I find a 202/203.

Garret

Garret
Victor IV
Posts: 1523
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 10:07 pm
Location: Lille, France

Re: Have you ever regretted selling a machine?

Post by Garret »

Phono48 wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 1:54 pm
Zwebie wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 1:23 pm Have you ever regretted selling a machine, and then had the opportunity to buy it back?
No, but I have a feeling that it's about to happen! Some time ago, I bought an Indian HMV 113, known as the "transportable", and what a superb machine it is! It cost me a fair chunk of money, but it was something I had wanted for years. I have now had it for many months, but have never found anywhere to put it, as all the available shelves and cupboards are full of other portables and records,, and anyway, it's far to heavy to keep lifting into cupboards. It is sitting on the floor in my music room, preventing me getting at records and other machines, and is danger of being kicked or chipped by the vacuum cleaner. In short, it's a nuisance, so regrettably it has to go. I just know that as soon as it's gone, I will wish I hadn't done it, but as the song says "Life gets teejus, don't it"?

Barry
PM coming your way.

Post Reply