Expert two spring soundbox at eBay

[Inigo]

Also nice...
https://www.ebay.es/itm/225278508230?mk ... media=COPY

Screenshot_2022-12-03-15-45-52-84_260528048de7f2f358f0056f785be619.jpg

[Steve]

That's been for sale for the past 5 years at least. The seller has a lot of overpriced machines he's been trying to sell for a very long time.

The soundbox is in a poor state too. Note the damage to the diaphragm.

[Inigo]

Yes, I didn't notice it... Looks like badly oxidised and has holes in that part. I once had a Columbia no15 with all the diaphragm edge eaten by oxide like that...

[Steve]

Yes, it's obviously been stored in a very damp place which has helped to completely corrode the diaphragm. Still, a replacement diaphragm is obtainable along with new rubber isolators and gaskets. Fortunately, being unplated brass bodied, the metalwork should polish up acceptably but needing a rebuild like this does and a new diaphragm before you can use it it's not worth half the asking price in my opinion.

[Orchorsol]

Agreed, and then some - for some strange reason I've never seen an Expert 2-spring sell for much more than £500, even though they probably "should" be able to top £1000 in good condition like the other large EMG and Expert soundboxes. This one is utterly absurd at that price, listed over and over again.

Where would you buy a diaphragm Steve, do you know of a source? Until recently everyone I know in the EMG world agreed that diaphragms as good as the originals were impossible to find or make. But in very recent years Alex Kirtley has managed to produce excellent ones.

[Steve]

Agreed, and then some - for some strange reason I've never seen an Expert 2-spring sell for much more than £500, even though they probably "should" be able to top £1000 in good condition like the other large EMG and Expert soundboxes. This one is utterly absurd at that price, listed over and over again.

Where would you buy a diaphragm Steve, do you know of a source? Until recently everyone I know in the EMG world agreed that diaphragms as good as the originals were impossible to find or make. But in very recent years Alex Kirtley has managed to produce excellent ones.

First off, I'd cross Alex Kirtley's palms with silver and see where that takes us. Failing that, I suppose I'd try to adapt a contemporary diaphragm from another soundbox. How difficult can it be? Wait a minute......don't answer that!

The diaphragms weren't a special material or unique gauge, where they?