EXPERT JUNIOR - 16/17 Dec

[Steve]

Another quite rare find. Whilst it doesn't state the horn diameter it must be a Junior given the position of the tonearm:

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auct ... ea7c29559a

It never ceases to amaze me why auctioneers believe that people will want to buy expensive collectables one week before Christmas. Surely it's not the best time to get the optimum price?

[JerryVan]

It never ceases to amaze me why auctioneers believe that people will want to buy expensive collectables one week before Christmas. Surely it's not the best time to get the optimum price?

I used to feel that way too. The Stanton auctions usually occur closely to income tax and property tax times. It never seems to matter. If a collector wants "it", a collector finds a way to buy "it". It's all about priorities!

It seems to be a tradition here in the US for auction houses to have a New Year's Day auction. I never understood that one. Does a hungover bidder usually spend more?

[emgcr]

Yes indeed---looks like a good Junior complete with four-spring Expert soundbox and counterweight suggesting a discerning previous owner. He/she also seemed keen to polish the outside of the horn. Hope the same is not true for the inside ! The ebonised case is a little austere for my taste.

[Steve]

Yes indeed---looks like a good Junior complete with four-spring Expert soundbox and counterweight suggesting a discerning previous owner. He/she also seemed keen to polish the outside of the horn. Hope the same is not true for the inside ! The ebonised case is a little austere for my taste. The motor is mechanically spring-driven.

Hasn't the inside been painted white? The outside certainly looks painted to me. What is the problem with polishing the inside?

[emgcr]

Does look like it so hope it is not too reflective !

[Steve]

Does look like it so hope it is not too reflective !

Does the use of soft clear wax (Liberon paste / Briwax etc) cause a lot of unwanted sound reflection?

[epigramophone]

I suspect that both the case and the horn have been repainted black, as the interior of the case looks like mahogany.
Frank James once found an EMG in a coal cellar. This Expert would have been well camouflaged there.

[Orchorsol]

I've heard from several people I trust that varnishing the interior of the horn can cause unwanted reflections that affect the sound performance negatively. I should think wax finishes wouldn't smooth over the surface texture in the same way, so might be OK. Just conjecture.

This one has a 4-spring Expert soundbox (who knows what condition, the photos are poor). It's also fitted with one of Joe Ginn's counterweights - as is my Junior, which is a very nice feature to have, but it means that the lid can't be closed until well after the start of a 12" record!

[emgcr]

What is the problem with polishing the inside?

Polishing, gloss painting or a bright surface finish on the inside of any gramophone horn is disastrous acoustically which I found to my cost twenty-five years ago when playing my first EMG (Mk IX). The horn was missing so I found a very small completely incorrect item which was made of cardboard with petal edges but which actually sounded quite good. Indeed, it was sufficient to ignite my passion for EMG gramophones ! In order to improve the cosmetics, I painted the outside and then thought to "improve" the matt interior with a semi-gloss paint. The result was horrific and I lost all the acoustic magic which EMG/Experts are famous for and I have never been able to recover the situation---even when painting again with a matt finish. That was a very good lesson which was confirmed again some years later when making the first fibre-glass Oversize bell which came off the mould with a high gloss finish from the smooth gel coat. An over-bright and unattractive acoustic was the result which was substantially toned down by abrasion to a completely matt finish whereupon the sound was transformed greatly for the better and the magic started to appear. The important lesson was to ensure that the acoustic conduit or conveyance was mechanically strong enough (good wall thickness) not to vibrate of its own accord and to have a completely non-reflective but smooth finish. This then ensures the uninterrupted development of the spherical sound waves presenting only the frequencies generated from the shellac disc. Well-formed radii at the bell mouth then complete the picture allowing easy transference to atmosphere after which the full acoustic magic can be appreciated.