New Amberola (to me)

[travisgreyfox]

So I finally purchased one of these machines! I bought it at an online auction and thought I did well for buying a "completely restored and working" example.

Now for the bad news: it is not restored and definitely not working I do not know anything about repairing edisons so wanted to come get some advice on where to start. As soon as I put the reproducer down on the record it slows to a crawl. Nothing seems to be obviously out of place or broken(according to my limited knowledge). The only thing I did was clean/grease the reproducer and horn pivot points so that the reproducer glides more smoothly, which didn't help the issue.


Any advice and where to start would be appreciated.

[travisgreyfox]

Oh I also contacted the auction house and explained how I paid for (at the very least) a working model and he said I must have broke it traveling

Here are some more pics of the machine without the motor removed. I will probably take the motor out to look at it my next day off.

[rgordon939]

Where are you located?

Rich Gordon

[JerryVan]

Are you 100% sure that the machine pictured in the auction page is the one you received? I ask because the top board that surrounds the upper works, in your photo, is a light colored oak veneer in a mahogany cabinet, while the one shown on the auction page appears to have a dark colored mahogany top board.

[Jerry B.]

I agree with JerryVan. I see a mixture of oak and mahogany. That raises questions. With that said, I suspect the half nut adjustment with the feed screw is slightly out of adjustment. I don't have a similar Amberola to make suggestions. Perhaps another member could help. It's a simple adjustment that could make a huge difference.

Jerry B.

[travisgreyfox]

I am located not too far from Pittsburgh, Rich.

I believe this is the same one that was pictured from the auction. I will include pics from the auction house and I can take better photos when I get home. To me it looks like the machine is a hodgepodge of various parts (or at least the screws and how the motor is mounted on). On the bright side, the outside cleaned up really nice.

Does anybody know of a good YouTube video on how to adjust the half nut adjustment with the feed screw?


Thanks everyone.

[epigramophone]

The auctioneers described the machine as an "Amberola Floor Model 60." There is no such machine.
The Amberola 60 (shown below) is a table model. The machine which you have is an Amberola 75.

Unfortunately most auction houses impose such restrictive terms and conditions that it is difficult to seek redress.

[Curt A]

I had the same machine (Amberola 75) with a similar problem. As I remember it, it was a simple adjustment, like loosening the collar at the end of the mandrel which was too tight...

Screenshot 2023-10-16 at 3.25.24 PM.png (86.79 KiB) Viewed 1662 times

[drh]

Something's off--the first of your photos of the reproducer shows it secured with thumb screws, as it should be; the second and subsequent show it secured by slot-head screws. Two different machines?

Very sorry you're having frustration with what should be an exciting new toy.

[Dischoard]

Ah yes, that first photo shows an oak motorboard and reproducer with thumb screws, I think that's the image that threw things off in the beginning. Could this have been downloaded earlier for reference and accidentally uploaded with pictures of your own machine?