Did this newbie just stumble upon an E.M. Ginn reproducer?

[Steve]

The back looks very flat to me so I would think it is OK , yes it's chrome but I have seldom seeen nickle ones for sale

FWIW, I was referring to the section that the rubber sleeve fits into not the flat part of the back-plate, which I would agree, looks to be very good. I hope nickel 5A's aren't getting too scarce as I need one!

[zepfool]

Thanks to all who posted such thorough replies - I learned a great deal about my sound box thanks to everyone's input.

I got in touch with Peter W. out in San Francisco re: overhauling my EMG. Since it's a small community I'm hoping the team here can vouch for his abilities.

He was very polite and informative over the phone, discussing the ins and outs of this particular sound box, the history of the Ginn/EMG split, etc.

He asked if I would be tempted to sell it, which I honestly can't answer. He wasn't pushy and offered to help me sell it with no commission if I was interested, but he did say I might be able to fetch a good price and use some of the funds to purchase a 5a, which would still sound very good on my unit. Since the EMG wasn't designed for my HMV machine specifically, he said it would be at least worth the idea of trying a 5a to see if the sound is comparable. I'm tempted to have the extra funds, provided the 5a still sounds good, as it would allow me to invest in further restoring the unit itself. That and stock up my 78 collection

He also mentioned replacing the aluminum diaphragm with a mica one, which he believes would interest more collectors and increase the price.

Any insight on the sell vs. keep or the mica vs. aluminum debates? Any estimates on what something like this could be worth after a rebuild?

many thanks!

[Steve]

He asked if I would be tempted to sell it, which I honestly can't answer. He wasn't pushy and offered to help me sell it with no commission if I was interested, but he did say I might be able to fetch a good price and use some of the funds to purchase a 5a, which would still sound very good on my unit. Since the EMG wasn't designed for my HMV machine specifically, he said it would be at least worth the idea of trying a 5a to see if the sound is comparable. I'm tempted to have the extra funds, provided the 5a still sounds good, as it would allow me to invest in further restoring the unit itself. That and stock up my 78 collection

Well, firstly, I would say that unless you specifically want or need the EMG soundbox I would definitely sell it and raise anything between $400-600 once it's been carefully cleaned, rebuilt and adjusted. DO NOT REPLACE THE DIAPHRAGM! In no way will this be better with mica and you should leave it as you found it. Mica is too stiff to get the best results. This problem was overcome by most manufacturers when aluminium replaced mica from 1925 onwards.

As for sound quality, you might actually be surprised to learn that the HMV 5A will probably give much better sound reproduction than the EMG and it is the correct soundbox for the 130. That EMG soundbox does not look right on that HMV Table Grand but it's worth also remembering that the early EMG soundboxes were not the best around in their day. The HMV 5A was designed to match the folded internal horn systems HMV used between 1927 and 1936. Even the best EMG / EXPERT soundboxes do not sound at their best on small internal horn machines. They were designed for the big external horns and with their own limitations, warts and all, that is where they sound at their very best. More collectors want a complete EMG / Expert machine than those who just want a soundbox. The soundboxes alone are not the reason to buy one of those machines. It's more about the synergy of all the various components and the fact that no one else was really making external horns during the 1930 -1940 period, let alone large mammoth size examples! You should manage to sell that soundbox though as there are enough collectors out there who are curious enough to want to hear an EMG soundbox or simply need one to complete early machines along with those who literally collect ANYTHING with the name "EMG" on it.

So rebuild, yes, but do not change the diaphragm and then sell the EMG to someone who wants a trophy soundbox in their collection. You can then pocket the money and after you've bought a good example of the correct 5A, with the balance of the proceeds, restore the rest of your machine, buy lots of records, go on holiday, retire etc........

[emgcr]

I doubt you would obtain a much better price having rebuilt it as most serious users like to rebuild themselves after the dangers of transport, during which time these delicate objects are particularly vulnerable. If I were you, and you do decide to sell, I would offer it as it is. Protect the diaphragm/stylus bar well when packaging. "Barn find" items have their own attraction !

[Orchorsol]

I strongly agree, don't replace that diaphragm!

Steve may be right in recommending you go ahead with the work, but personally I wonder whether it may be better sold "as is" - many collectors like to carry out the overhaul themselves, or use their preferred specialist.

[zepfool]

That's a great point that many enthusiasts like to carry out the work themselves, or at least use their preferred provider. I paid about $50 to have Peter look at it and tune it, but I have not mailed the unit to him yet. I'm willing to count that as a small loss and not ship the unit for refurb, if one thinks the reproducer would sell better as-is. To be clear, there are two very small dents in the current diaphragm (picture attached), but it does function well and the needle arm/etc are all intact and in good shape. There's some buzzing, but I blame the gaskets for that, not the diaphragm.

[soundgen]

I am sure Peter W will refund your $50 if you decide not to send it as he hasn't actually done anything , and nearly all dealers are honest !

[Steve]

Zepfool,

I think you're getting a little hung up now on the notion that you should not get the s/box rebuilt if you want to sell it. I believe that all Graham was stating (and I'd agree with him) was that a lot of collectors are happy to rebuild their own s/boxes and adjust them to suit their own specific requirements. Therefore an unrestored s/box is not especially at a disadvantage from a selling point of view. He was not suggesting that to restore the s/box would be disadvantageous to its sale price either. If you have someone already booked and paid to do this for you, in my opinion, you might as well see it through now. At least then, you can trial the soundbox and hear it (hopefully) at its best before offering it for resale. This way, if you can find a really good 5A to put on your machine, you can compare the two soundboxes side by side in performance terms. This detail in a listing description, if online, could add to the appeal of the EMG soundbox.