Stella “The Grand” Music Box on Facebook Marketplace $600. In Massachusetts

[Django]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... b8ee897858

It needs work, but I thought that someone on here might find it to be of interest.

[Raphael]

A word of caution to a prospective buyer: getting work done on Stella mechanisms is best left to a professional, of which there are very few. In the past, many would not work on Stellas, due to their unique design. In my opinion, it is better to spend one’s money on a Stella that needs no work, even if it costs 4 or 5x what this seller is asking.

As a dealer, I no longer will have anything to do with Stellas, at any price.

Raphael

[JerryVan]

A word of caution to a prospective buyer: getting work done on Stella mechanisms is best left to a professional, of which there are very few. In the past, many would not work on Stellas, due to their unique design. In my opinion, it is better to spend one’s money on a Stella that needs no work, even if it costs 4 or 5x what this seller is asking.

As a dealer, I no longer will have anything to do with Stellas, at any price.

Raphael

Agreed! Stellas are notorious for having combs with broken teeth. This example is no different. I can see several gaps on the right end of the upper comb. The second, or lower comb, is not visible, (even if you were there in person), so you can't know its condition but it's probably broken too. Unfortunately, even a Stella in perfect condition can end up with broken teeth if played with a worn or damaged disc.

[fmblizz]

bah humbug LOL This small 9.5 incher actually sounds pretty sweet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDytqf5HxAo

blizz

[Raphael]

Agreed! Stellas are notorious for having combs with broken teeth. This example is no different. I can see several gaps on the right end of the upper comb. The second, or lower comb, is not visible, (even if you were there in person), so you can't know its condition but it's probably broken too. Unfortunately, even a Stella in perfect condition can end up with broken teeth if played with a worn or damaged disc.

If indeed it has a lower comb. Or a motor (the seller says there is no crank, which means it is untested). This may be a cannibalized specimen.

Raphael

[JerryVan]

bah humbug LOL This small 9.5 incher actually sounds pretty sweet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDytqf5HxAo

blizz

No argument there. They do sound beautiful, when they're not damaged.

[Django]

I guess that explains the price. I have very little knowledge of music boxes.

[edisonclassm]

Stellas were a very nice machine when they were new but most of the ones you find today suffer from a lot of wear and tear. The biggest drawback with these machines is that they required a periodic oiling of each disc by the owner in order to preclude the components from wearing out. That was a messy chore which most owners were unwilling to do. What happens is that the star wheels, which pluck the combs, wear quickly without the discs being oiled therefore getting a sharp edge on each star wheel tip. With the disc being dry, the star wheel then has a tendency to dig into the bottom of the disc especially if there are rust pits, causing it to rotate in a position which plucks the combs way too hard therefore breaking the delicate teeth in the treble section of the combs. Many of these machines have been successfully rescued and will give a lot of enjoyment for years to come providing the discs get a light coating of oil. Unfortunately, many have been poorly restored, so they have gotten a bad rap in the collector community and therefore people have a tendency to avoid them having gotten burnt.