The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

FloridaClay wrote:Per LFTD, they were available in Red Mahogany, English Brown Mahogany, Antique Oak, Driftwood Oak, Early English Oak, Flemish Oak, Fumed Oak, Weathered Oak, Gunmetal Oak, and (whee!) Golden Oak.

Clay

Wow. That many options?
I really need to get a copy of LFTD.
Thanks for looking it up Clay, -or did you have that memorized??

Looked it up. At my age, I only have 2 memory cells left and they only work at odd times.

It occurs to me somebody could have a whole collection of different machines--all XIs in different finishes. Some might be a challenge to find.

Oh, and by the way, while LFTD isn't clear on that point with respect to XIs, there were likely two subtypes of Golden Oak, Waxed and Polished.

Clay

Thanks for the "Welcomes".

My Victrola is not really new to me, as I've had it for a little over a year now. I was looking for a non-electric form of entertainment, without much luck. One day while looking for a one man cross cut saw, I saw Victor in the corner of a local shop. I offered $200 for it and about 20 or so records in the bottom. He took it, and so did I. So now that I have a non-electric form of entertainment, I don't think I'll be getting any more. One is fine with me.

I will try and get some pics. I had to move recently, so things here are still quite a mess. It might take me a bit.

WOW...rizbone, thanks for the offer. If I can find my tape measure, I'll check it out and get back to you...thanks

Here are a couple pics of Victor I snapped. The lighting and flash really make the wood look lighter then it is. I tried several different shots and the wood always came out looking much lighter then it really is.

Welcome to the forum! That is a very nice phonograph you have, there is a reason why the XIs were so popular.

Nice phonograph! My XI is "plain vanilla" mahogany; I'm jealous. But it's all about the sound, IMO, and I hope yours brings you many hours of listening pleasure!

I've often puzzled over the "wear stripe" in the felt at the ten-inch line on the turntable. Were so many people really that clumsy or oblivious that they would have let the needle drag over the edge of a 10" record enough times to make that groove that seems to afflict just about every felt I've seen? "It baffles science." Mine has the same issue, though not as pronounced as yours. Even so, I've thought about replacing my felt, but have decided against it for the sake of authenticity (its condition is really not all that bad). If I were you, though, I would seek out the correct shade of green felt and replace yours, I think.

Meanwhile, enjoy your beautiful oak XI!

Henry wrote:
I've often puzzled over the "wear stripe" in the felt at the ten-inch line on the turntable. Were so many people really that clumsy or oblivious that they would have let the needle drag over the edge of a 10" record enough times to make that groove that seems to afflict just about every felt I've seen? "It baffles science."

Wow, I hadn't thought about that before but it IS baffling! Many felt tables I'v seen have this line also. It's not like the needle wants to jump off the record, it is naturally pulled in towards the grooves just by the nature of movement. For the thousands of records I played thus far my needle never touched the felt.

Might these rings of scalped felt just be from years of fingernails lifting the edge of the record off the turntable?

--Bob

I have seen an ebay seller try to claim that this stripe on a 12 inch turntable was a guide for placing a 10 inch record on.

I honestly have not made this story up. You could not make it up!

Henry wrote:I've often puzzled over the "wear stripe" in the felt at the ten-inch line on the turntable.

I can give a little insight into this problem. As I live a mostly last century lifestyle, I can tell you that placing the needle on a record by the warm glow of an oil lamp can be a challenge. The turn table being down in a hole creates all kinds of dark shadows; your hand, the tube, the sound box all conspire to make it a great challenge to find the edge of a record at night. It is indeed easy to miss the edge of the record under this situation.

With the modern lighting most people have, it is hard to think about the limitations had with just an oil lamp. Trust me I know, and yes I have done it a time or two.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what type oak I have?