Victor VVJ2-7 on UK eBay.

[epigramophone]

This Japanese portable is rare in the UK, but it has issues. The winding return spring needs repair or replacement, and the original soundbox appears to have been replaced with a British made Songster. Sadly the pictures on the Japanese Victor thread, which might have shown the original soundbox, have been lost.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/385764404300

[Steve]

Yes, I've been attempting to negotiate to buy this for the past 14 hours so the only reason you know its a Songster is probably due to the extra photographs I asked for!

I'm also not convinced the tonearm mounting is correct either. It looks very odd to my eyes but I'll see if I can get better photos added.

[CarlosV]

It should have a Japanese-made Victor orthophonic (pot metal). Beware that the arm connection to the horn may also be pot metal, I have a similar Japanese model with a pot metal connection that is swollen and prevents the arm from moving freely, rendering the machine useless.

[Steve]

It should have a Japanese-made Victor orthophonic (pot metal). Beware that the arm connection to the horn may also be pot metal, I have a similar Japanese model with a pot metal connection that is swollen and prevents the arm from moving freely, rendering the machine useless.

Does the soundbox look like an HMV No. 5? From what I'd already gathered and also from what you've added here, it seems this machine is a bit of a non-starter unless you simply want to buy it to look at and to say you've got one.

[CarlosV]

Does the soundbox look like an HMV No. 5? From what I'd already gathered and also from what you've added here, it seems this machine is a bit of a non-starter unless you simply want to buy it to look at and to say you've got one.

Yes, Steve, it is the same soundbox as the HMV 5, but with the Nippon Victor written on its back. Its pot metal is better than the HMV 5, at least in my sample. I have a couple of HMV 5's, and both have visible cracks around the back ring, while the Japanese Victor looks and plays well. The pot metal connection to the horn, if indeed this one has the same connection as my machine, is a bigger problem - I only found the problem when I got the machine in my hands: the arm was still moveable but not freely, and could not play records. I could not undo the connection to try to sand the surfaces - pot metal severely limits the alternatives to release a connection with heating or exerting more pressure. If you are interested in the machine, you could ask the vendor to play a video of it playing a record from beginning to end - that would demonstrate that the arm is free. As to getting a replacement soundbox, Japanese Victors are not easily found, but an HMV 5 or a US Victor orthophonic, which is plentiful, would be a good functional replacement.

[Steve]

Does the soundbox look like an HMV No. 5? From what I'd already gathered and also from what you've added here, it seems this machine is a bit of a non-starter unless you simply want to buy it to look at and to say you've got one.

Yes, Steve, it is the same soundbox as the HMV 5, but with the Nippon Victor written on its back. Its pot metal is better than the HMV 5, at least in my sample. I have a couple of HMV 5's, and both have visible cracks around the back ring, while the Japanese Victor looks and plays well. The pot metal connection to the horn, if indeed this one has the same connection as my machine, is a bigger problem - I only found the problem when I got the machine in my hands: the arm was still moveable but not freely, and could not play records. I could not undo the connection to try to sand the surfaces - pot metal severely limits the alternatives to release a connection with heating or exerting more pressure. If you are interested in the machine, you could ask the vendor to play a video of it playing a record from beginning to end - that would demonstrate that the arm is free. As to getting a replacement soundbox, Japanese Victors are not easily found, but an HMV 5 or a US Victor orthophonic, which is plentiful, would be a good functional replacement.

Thank you, Carlos, for confirming. No, I've walked away from this now; somehow having a non original soundbox spoils it for me and the other issues are something to consider too. It's not worth it for me.