New Restoration Project - HMV 161

[LaoChe85]

Hello all,

I have recently bought a new gramophone - the HMV 161! (I believe)

It is in working condition but needs a bit of tlc, the motor needs to be cleaned and the soundbox fitted with new gaskets and back isolator. Plus the cabinet needs a thorough clean! This is my first real cabinet gramophone, I've only got another table top one and an empty cabinet, so this should be a nice addition to collection.

I thought I'd put this on here and share my restoration process and what I think is a really nice example of a gramophone.

I think he first port of call is the cabinet, I intend to use some hand cleaner to get the initial dust, tar and other dirt and grime that its collected over the past 90+ years.

[CharliePhono]

I think this model has the "saxophone" horn?

[LaoChe85]

Yes it does, I had a look and it's a nice upgrade from the 160. Takes up room at the bottom of the cabinet though. I believe that this was the HMV's answer to Victors orthoponic horn.

[Inigo]

Nice machine... I'm sure you'll enjoy it a lot... Congratulations.

[LaoChe85]

Thank you! It's gonna be a fun project

[CharliePhono]

Yes it does, I had a look and it's a nice upgrade from the 160. Takes up room at the bottom of the cabinet though. I believe that this was the HMV's answer to Victors orthoponic horn.

That is my understanding as well. It was prior to HMV paying the royalties/fees to Western Electric for their system, I think. Others with more experience in this may contribute.

I've never actually heard that type of horn. Perhaps you will consider making a short video when you get your new machine up and running.

[LaoChe85]

I hadn't heard of it either until recently, I will do a short video once it's up and running. Thanks

[Inigo]

There was a complete line of instruments with this type of horn, and for me the 101 was of the same family, although it came out earlier than the others... The others being the 103-109-126 tabletops and the 161-181-201-211 line of uprights, and the 216 console. The smaller ones had long exponential metal horns and the uprights had the saxophone horns. All readily identifiable by their thin swan neck tonearms and the no4 soundbox.
I've read somewhere (?) that HMV was actually ready to put these models on the market by 1924 as an improvement over the old short horns (cast iron + wood flare) prior to the issue of the Maxwell and Harrison orthophonic system. The hmv no4 soundbox must have been imported from Victor, as I've read somewhere (Sooy memories?) that this was a Sooy development for pure improvement and development of the current soundboxes (Exhibition and no2) by 1924, prior to the electrical recording unveiled by Maxwell and Harrison. A different system from the orthophonic, and developed at the same time or maybe earlier. Columbia and HMV are suspected to be also experimenting with electrical recording by this time. Anyway, they happened to launch it in time with the new electrical recording (lema 'Listen ToThe Bass') and in these first few years 1925-1926 HMV launched these machines. For a short time, as by 1927 they started launching the new line of reentrants, their version of the Victor orthophonics, and the LTTB line of machines were replaced by the new ones, one by one. The last was the 102 by 1931, which replaced the 101.
More or less.
Please, correct me if I'm wrong... Highly probable...

[LaoChe85]

This is all great information, I'm really interested in the history of these machines and the era they come from but I don't know much about it except it was a mark up of the HMV 160.

I'm believe the HMV No 4 soundbox is derived from the victor no 4 soundbox with a few little tweaks (lacks the detail around the nickel ring).

Another feature of this machine I love is the 12 inch turntable, it makes the machine feel all that bit more grander.

[Inigo]

It IS a great machine!