HMV Table-top Gramophone: worth buying

[amrcg]

Hi all

Unfortunately, there is not much offer in Portugal. What would you say about this one? Worth buying?

http://lisboacity.olx.pt/grafonola-gram ... -327106415

Regards,
António Grilo

[gramophone78]

I think you are showing a Portuguese form of Craigs List. Unfortunately, the machines there can be very different here. This also applies to price. Perhaps making inquiries on a European forum may serve you even better then this form. At said, there are a few European collectors here on this forum. None that I know of forum Portugal.

[amrcg]

I think you are showing a Portuguese form of Craigs List. Unfortunately, the machines there can be very different here. This also applies to price. Perhaps making inquiries on a European forum may serve you even better then this form. At said, there are a few European collectors here on this forum. None that I know of forum Portugal.

Yes. The prices here can be higher due to the fact that there is not so much offer. Portugal was poor during the 1920s and 1930s and not many families could buy a gramophone.
Anyway, I'd like to get some opinions about these table-top HMV models. Is the sound acceptably good?

Regards,
António

[gramophoneshane]

I'd pass on this one also personally. The overall condition is not great. The turntable felt is not original & needs replacing, the soundbox is wrong, as are the door knobs, and I cant say I've seen a HMV crank like this before either.

I think this one is a much better machine. It's mahogany, & appears to be complete & original Model 109. The No.4 soundbox sounds great on acoustic & electric recordings, and it's cheaper than the other table model you posted.

http://lisboacity.olx.pt/gramofone-hi-s ... -342710134

[amrcg]

I'd pass on this one also personally. The overall condition is not great. The turntable felt is not original & needs replacing, the soundbox is wrong, as are the door knobs, and I cant say I've seen a HMV crank like this before either.

I think this one is a much better machine. It's mahogany, & appears to be complete & original Model 109. The No.4 soundbox sounds great on acoustic & electric recordings, and it's cheaper than the other table model you posted.

http://lisboacity.olx.pt/gramofone-hi-s ... -342710134

Well, but this one is electric... =(
I prefer an wind-up one... =P

[gramophoneshane]

Sorry about that. I didn't realize it was electric (although GRAMOFONE INGLÊS ELÉCTRICO should have offered me a clue)
In that case, the spring motor has been removed and an electric motor was used to replace it. These small table models were never offered with electric motors originally, so it too is far from being an original machine.
It's a shame because these are a great little machine for general use.

[Steve]

Leave well alone, it's not worth a fraction of the asking price.

[Swing Band Heaven]

Looks very similar to an HMV table top model I have had in my collection for many years..in fact it was my first.

S-B-H

[amrcg]

Looks very similar to an HMV table top model I have had in my collection for many years..in fact it was my first.

S-B-H

No crank?

By the way, which HMV model is this? 107, 108 or 109? I still don't know how to distinguish them.

You say it was your first. Why didn't you keep it? Any special reason?
The seller has sent me a video file with the gramophone playing. The sound was not as clean as in other videos I saw from YouTube. Still, it was also not too bad and could be an effect of the microphone. I'm going to make a visit to him just for sake of curiosity. But the price is too high, I agree.

Regards,
António

[Guest]

Seriously speaking, I wouldn't even waste your time going to look at this. As Shane has already said, it's probably been remotored and has a replacement motorboard, turntable, speed control, brake, soundbox....

What you're getting is a Frankenphone in an HMV table-top cabinet. It's a 30 Euro machine for spares at best!