How I Got Started

[Sir Wind-A-Lot]

The way I got started with the gramophone hobby is reminiscent of a poorly managed game of Ker-Plunk! By removing the wrong straw, one marble is nudged ever so slightly; creating a cascading effect that leads from one hobby to another.

And for me it all started with the need for a sturdy truck.
But it had to be a van (preferably a 4X4) that I can sleep in and haul supplies up the cottage property.
But who makes stock 4X4 vans?
Nobody, of course.
Unless it’s a conversion from a hairy-knuckled, cowboy booted, gap-toothed, backyard local-yokel’s idea of an engineering masterpiece, inherent with all the questionable building practices that went into making it.

So I would bid my time; something, somewhere ... would fit my needs.

And one day while leafing through the Truck Trader, I saw it!
An old army 1955 Dodge M43CDN ambulance.
Oouuhh Baby, I was hooked.
Especially since a queen-sized mattress fits snugly in the back.
No more cold, hard ground camping for these getting-older bones of mine.
Have lava-lamp and travel ... chicks are gonna dig me now!

Thus began my involvement with the vintage military vehicle hobby.

And as with any antiquated oddball hobby that makes people quirk their faces at you, one is slowly and measurably immersed into the whispered underground network of support, services, conjecture, truths, and otherwise unknown cabal secrets not meant for the common man.

And in the progress of the mil-veh hobby, you show up at the mall’s cruise nights, meet other collectors, form get-togethers, participate in parades, meet heads-of-state, royalty, et cetera, et cetera.
Then you get invited to living history displays.
And reenactors offer you pieces of kit and clothing to make your vehicle look more period-looking.

Thus began my involvement in the military reenactments of WWII/Korea.

Understandably so, having an ambulance meant I would do a “medical impression”.
So I gave myself the rank of Major in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (or is it Corpse?) and began the hunt for various odds ‘n sods of medical tools and quackery.
It’s kind of funny: some adolescents wouldn’t go into the ambulance because it creeps them out that “dead people were in there”.
“Oh, and those darks stains on the walls? That’s blood (aka wood stain).”

So the display looks fine and dandy from an army/medical point of view.
But it’s missing the personal touch. Adding a few straight razors, ration cans, period books and magazines appear to liven it up a bit.
And then a fellow mil-veh collector asks me if I would like a portable gramophone to go with the display.
Well *heck*, that’ll be the perfect item to add a little bit of panache to everything.

And besides ... one never refuses anything that’s been offered for free from a former CFL player (with two sons in the same league) whose eyelids can bench press 10-pound weights.
It’s a survival stratagem I’ve learned over the years: bigger people hurt you bigger.

He included 30 albums (mostly opera) or so along with the Columbia Grafonola, and people were quite happy to see and hear it.
And I played the same four albums over and over again, with the same needle.
But now I have new needles for it, and another acquaintance offered me his collection of 300 or so 10” 78’s now that he’s finished copying them onto a CD.

I haven’t done much with the machine. Gave it a light cleaning overall, and oiled the motor with 5W30 synthetic oil.

So this winter I’ve taken a closer look at it, lurked here and there for common problems and fixes, and I figure it would most certainly benefit with a reproducer rebuild and motor main spring cleaning and re-greasing.
And I hear there’s a shoe polish technique for sprucing up the exterior finish.

And I would love to start doing these things, but there’s one small glitch: I can’t identify which model it is.

I’ve googled information about Columbia portable grafonolas till the cows DID come home, but I can’t find any way to accurately and correctly identify it, along with any corresponding information like what type is the reproducer, what sound box number is it, when were these things made. You know, the usual bits of trivia.

Ohh ... I suppose I *could* get a copy of the Columbia Phonograph Companion, Vol. 2, but I can’t wait that long.
I need to know Now, NOW, NOW!!!!!!

I’ve found one reference to it on YouTube from some Brit named The Colonel: but you know what they say about the Brits: they’re Mad Dogs and Englishmen!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDUHRmZIzNM

From this video, I garner that the unit I have is a Model 10A, wood case and all.

And since information about it is soooo hard to find, I figure it’s for one of two reasons:

1.) The unit is the pariah of the gramophone community, and even more so that the crap-o-phones.
It’s a prime example of how-not-to build a talking machine. Its manifestation brings nothing but ill will and misfortune to its owner.
The name is never to be spoken aloud by common agreement, and is only referred to as “Oh, that piece of ... of ... #@$&” accompanied by head tremours and bulging neck veins.
If you do say it, goggles must be worn to prevent those nearby from being splattered with your exploding eyeball-goo.

2.) The unit is the golden goose of portables.
It’s rarity and manufacturing quality is unsurpassed.
Like the Holy Grail, few have ever seen one in the flesh, hence the lack of any concrete information about it.
Rumours have been spread that lucky owners have been able to purchase a Caribbean island with its proceeds, and uttering such phrases as, “You ... You there ...Yes, Miss Palm Frond Girl. Wave that thing faster.”

I, of course, fully expect Explanation #2 to be the most likely scenario, and so I’ve been preparing myself by practicing the double-hand summoning clap in front of a mirror.

And now for your viewing pleasure, some photos:

[Sir Wind-A-Lot]

Here are some more characters of text I have to add because it told me so.

[Wolfe]

Why'd you take it apart? Now you'll probably never get it back together again.

[wjw]

Well, you won't get to buy Marlon Brando's Tahitian isle with the proceeds from selling this one but it's still a cool little machine. As for removing the reproducer from the arm, I think you twist and pull as it's held on with a spring button (visible in your photo). Don't attempt this 'til you hear from someone else on the board as I've owned but one grafonola and it wasn't just like yours. Thanks for sharing the photos. Enjoy.

[bostonmike1]

The way I got started with the gramophone hobby is reminiscent of a poorly managed game of Ker-Plunk! By removing the wrong straw, one marble is nudged ever so slightly; creating a cascading effect that leads from one hobby to another.

And for me it all started with the need for a sturdy truck.
But it had to be a van (preferably a 4X4) that I can sleep in and haul supplies up the cottage property.
But who makes stock 4X4 vans?
Nobody, of course.
Unless it’s a conversion from a hairy-knuckled, cowboy booted, gap-toothed, backyard local-yokel’s idea of an engineering masterpiece, inherent with all the questionable building practices that went into making it.Forget for a moment the topic of phonographs and just allow your mind to wander into a world of reality. At first glance, I was convinced that this posting was an attempt at a joke, but after reviewing his writings I came to the opinion that at some time in his educational life,he rode the little yellow bus to school ---wearing the required helmet on his head for his own well being.
I personally hope that I am present on the day you call someone a "HAIRY-KNUCKLED- GAP-TOOTHED- LOCAL- YOKEL to their face and then see you run back to your mothers basement where you evidently reside, so she can wash your urine soaked pants!! I have hairy knuckles and a space between my two front teeth, so send me a P.M. and I would be more than happy to have you to my home to show you my collection of phonograpghs and yes, as an added treat, my hairy knuckles.

So I would bid my time; something, somewhere ... would fit my needs.

And one day while leafing through the Truck Trader, I saw it!
An old army 1955 Dodge M43CDN ambulance.
Oouuhh Baby, I was hooked.
Especially since a queen-sized mattress fits snugly in the back.
No more cold, hard ground camping for these getting-older bones of mine.
Have lava-lamp and travel ... chicks are gonna dig me now!

Thus began my involvement with the vintage military vehicle hobby.

And as with any antiquated oddball hobby that makes people quirk their faces at you, one is slowly and measurably immersed into the whispered underground network of support, services, conjecture, truths, and otherwise unknown cabal secrets not meant for the common man.

And in the progress of the mil-veh hobby, you show up at the mall’s cruise nights, meet other collectors, form get-togethers, participate in parades, meet heads-of-state, royalty, et cetera, et cetera.
Then you get invited to living history displays.
And reenactors offer you pieces of kit and clothing to make your vehicle look more period-looking.

Thus began my involvement in the military reenactments of WWII/Korea.

Understandably so, having an ambulance meant I would do a “medical impression”.
So I gave myself the rank of Major in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (or is it Corpse?) and began the hunt for various odds ‘n sods of medical tools and quackery.
It’s kind of funny: some adolescents wouldn’t go into the ambulance because it creeps them out that “dead people were in there”.
“Oh, and those darks stains on the walls? That’s blood (aka wood stain).”

So the display looks fine and dandy from an army/medical point of view.
But it’s missing the personal touch. Adding a few straight razors, ration cans, period books and magazines appear to liven it up a bit.
And then a fellow mil-veh collector asks me if I would like a portable gramophone to go with the display.
Well *heck*, that’ll be the perfect item to add a little bit of panache to everything.

And besides ... one never refuses anything that’s been offered for free from a former CFL player (with two sons in the same league) whose eyelids can bench press 10-pound weights.
It’s a survival stratagem I’ve learned over the years: bigger people hurt you bigger.

He included 30 albums (mostly opera) or so along with the Columbia Grafonola, and people were quite happy to see and hear it.
And I played the same four albums over and over again, with the same needle.
But now I have new needles for it, and another acquaintance offered me his collection of 300 or so 10” 78’s now that he’s finished copying them onto a CD.

I haven’t done much with the machine. Gave it a light cleaning overall, and oiled the motor with 5W30 synthetic oil.

So this winter I’ve taken a closer look at it, lurked here and there for common problems and fixes, and I figure it would most certainly benefit with a reproducer rebuild and motor main spring cleaning and re-greasing.
And I hear there’s a shoe polish technique for sprucing up the exterior finish.

And I would love to start doing these things, but there’s one small glitch: I can’t identify which model it is.

I’ve googled information about Columbia portable grafonolas till the cows DID come home, but I can’t find any way to accurately and correctly identify it, along with any corresponding information like what type is the reproducer, what sound box number is it, when were these things made. You know, the usual bits of trivia.

Ohh ... I suppose I *could* get a copy of the Columbia Phonograph Companion, Vol. 2, but I can’t wait that long.
I need to know Now, NOW, NOW!!!!!!

I’ve found one reference to it on YouTube from some Brit named The Colonel: but you know what they say about the Brits: they’re Mad Dogs and Englishmen!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDUHRmZIzNM

From this video, I garner that the unit I have is a Model 10A, wood case and all.

And since information about it is soooo hard to find, I figure it’s for one of two reasons:

1.) The unit is the pariah of the gramophone community, and even more so that the crap-o-phones.
It’s a prime example of how-not-to build a talking machine. Its manifestation brings nothing but ill will and misfortune to its owner.
The name is never to be spoken aloud by common agreement, and is only referred to as “Oh, that piece of ... of ... #@$&” accompanied by head tremours and bulging neck veins.
If you do say it, goggles must be worn to prevent those nearby from being splattered with your exploding eyeball-goo.

2.) The unit is the golden goose of portables.
It’s rarity and manufacturing quality is unsurpassed.
Like the Holy Grail, few have ever seen one in the flesh, hence the lack of any concrete information about it.
Rumours have been spread that lucky owners have been able to purchase a Caribbean island with its proceeds, and uttering such phrases as, “You ... You there ...Yes, Miss Palm Frond Girl. Wave that thing faster.”

I, of course, fully expect Explanation #2 to be the most likely scenario, and so I’ve been preparing myself by practicing the double-hand summoning clap in front of a mirror.

And now for your viewing pleasure, some photos:

[recordo]

"The unit is the pariah of the gramophone community, and even more so that [sic] the crap-o-phones"

Sorry, crap-o-phones are useless, this Columbia is not. It is a good machine. It will be an even better machine if you can get it back together.

[Lucius1958]

*consults Baumbach & Lackey* Looks like a British version of the Model 150 portable (introduced 1926)...

Perhaps a bit early for a WWII / Korean scenario; but not out of the bounds of probability.... a nice little machine!

B & L's description (if it's any help):

"The stylish cabinet of this Columbia portable was constructed of wood (both solid and Plywood) covered with a black Fabrikoid finished with a seal grain. The motor board was finished in red mahogany, and the turntable had an old rose velvet surface. The trim on the outside was gunmetal, while that inside was nickel. The machine featured a single spring motor and the Columbia No. 14 reproducer. The cabinet contained a drawer below the horn which could accommodate ten 10-inch records."

[Henry]

That's a cute little machine, Your Lordship (too much Downton Abbey viewing, I fear). I'll bet it would be happier with a sound box rebuild; that front gasket looks mighty brittle. Forgive my ignorance, but what is the function of that shiny little metal projection at the back right side of the lid?

[barnettrp21122]

That's a cute little machine, Your Lordship (too much Downton Abbey viewing, I fear). I'll bet it would be happier with a sound box rebuild; that front gasket looks mighty brittle. Forgive my ignorance, but what is the function of that shiny little metal projection at the back right side of the lid?

It looks to me like a spring-loaded thingy to hold the spare needle cup lid in place when closed.
B.

[GMEMG]

That machine is a Columbia 10a of 1927 - It states in the First Proudfoot book that this was the first British made Columbia Machine - it isn't the no 10 was - that has a metal lid

They're perfectly good machines and can be can be identified as a model 10a as the truntable is fairly close to the leading edge of the case, the slightly later 110 has the turntable approx 1 ½ inches from the front - apart from that they are identical - sadly Columbia got mixed up with the illustrations and often the picture of the 10a is identified as the 110 but isn't

Columbia aren't "pariah's" its just that no - one has written a book or done much research into them - preferring the more boring HMV.

Columbia were a very innovative company and had at least 4 different improved soundboxes during the time that HMV were using the Exhibition - i am told original Gramophone buyers preferred Columbia to HMV Sadly they have one major fault - the tonearms often have pot - metal parts that break and this puts people off collecting them

The Motors despite saying "Columbia" were made by Garrard of Swindon

I'm glad my Video was of help !