The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Thanks to all and a merry Christmas to you all. I do own a copy of Eric l Reiss complete talking machine book a lot of useful information is in it. I'm 18 and my collection is growing all the time I have 6 machines at the moment 4 victrolas and 2 other portables I'm more into the internal horns machines because I find them interesting. I'm gonna start my reproducer collection with simple but still cool soundboxs and then make my way up to tougher ones to get. Thank you to all and yes to mention it does quite look like the one on the Peter Pan minature version quite interesting actually. I wonder if it sounds goods? Uhh lol well any way thanks to all of you once again I've found this forum to be the best with connecting with the best of all of you thanks once again from the bottom of my heart. Have a good day

"…spend some money on good books first and read."

But now you are asking him to spend money on items that are rare and EXPENSIVE!:-)

victorIIvictor wrote:"…spend some money on good books first and read."

But now you are asking him to spend money on items that are rare and EXPENSIVE!:-)

I assume you were joking when you made this comment??. I was going to wait for George P to chime in. However, since I own most (if not all) the Paul/Fabrizio books published......they are readily available and for the price (s), far from expensive. A wealth (if not priceless) of information that I can say have saved my a** many times from buying wrong.

These many volumes are on line and can be bought used for even less on places like Ebay.

You can also find many (older) phono books on Ebay that family's sell when a collector dies.
Young Morgan will never go wrong "investing" in the right "tools" for this hobby......if he wants to learn. The rest is up to him... .

I was attempting a humorous tone, but I was not joking. However, I was thinking of different books entirely (Frow, Columbia Volume II in print form). It's true you can find many older phono books on eBay, but the prices are usually beyond what I (at least) could have afforded when I was 18 years old.

Your last sentence is solid advice, regardless of what I wrote above.

Thanks guys I totally agree I'm getting expercied with the motor and stuff not that hard to know when it comes to the simple gramophohe motor. I just had a guy with a gramophone that needs to be fixed but he said could be over wound that means I'll have to tinker with the motor take out the spring barrel and see if the spring broke lets hope not. Looks like to me that this is a British machine of some sort. I told the guy if I did try to fix the motor I charge $50.00 for fixing it I think that's reasonable enough to charge considering how much of a challenge it could be.

gramophone78 wrote:With regards to your initial question......"rare and inexpensive". There is no such thing. Unless you are very, very lucky at finding that "rare" piece that comes your way. The other is being well read. Knowledge, allows you to know more than the other guy and makes you able to buy "quick" with confidence. Rare items with a low price on line will last "minutes"........not hours.
Plain and simple.

Gram78, I agree with most of what you said except for the point re. correlation of rare and expensive. While this is also generally true, there are some items out there that are very rare and just do not demand high prices. Edison Long Play councils could be one example. Certainly very rare, rarer than Operas, Victors, V & VI among others but can be had for a fraction of the price. If one is lucky enough that his interests lie in such a niche, collecting the rare and inexpensive is possible.

Certain rare reproducers could be another such niche but most of the ones I collect, would like to have, run at least $1,000 and on up...

rgordon939 wrote:I collect Edison reproducers. There are so many models and variations it is endless. Steve Medved told me it well over 100. There are Standards, A, B, C, D, E, H, J, K, L, M, N, O, R, S, AND Diamond Dics reproducers.

Still looking for a nice Standard for my collection.

Rich Gordon

This for me is a very interesting area and if you are into the details, there's a huge amount of variation within many that you listed above. The standard Diamond Disc reproducer has at least four major variants as I recall. Then there are the Dance and Edisonic in various incarnations. The related literature is also fascinating to me.

Of those you list above, I have multiples of the A, B, C, H, K, L, M, O, Standard Discs, Edisonics, and Dance. As you mentioned Steve Medved definitely is the authority in this area of the hobby.

Valecnik wrote:

gramophone78 wrote:With regards to your initial question......"rare and inexpensive". There is no such thing. Unless you are very, very lucky at finding that "rare" piece that comes your way. The other is being well read. Knowledge, allows you to know more than the other guy and makes you able to buy "quick" with confidence. Rare items with a low price on line will last "minutes"........not hours.
Plain and simple.

Gram78, I agree with most of what you said except for the point re. correlation of rare and expensive. While this is also generally true, there are some items out there that are very rare and just do not demand high prices. Edison Long Play councils could be one example. Certainly very rare, rarer than Operas, Victors, V & VI among others but can be had for a fraction of the price. If one is lucky enough that his interests lie in such a niche, collecting the rare and inexpensive is possible.

Certain rare reproducers could be another such niche but most of the ones I collect, would like to have, run at least $1,000 and on up...

Thanks Bruce. I should have clarified the "rare & inexpensive". I was of course referring to the thread topic of "reproducers". As you pointed out......there are many "rare" items that don't necessarily mean expensive. Supply and demand. Unless (as stated) you get very lucky.

A good example...... Young Morgan has posted a "want" for a Vic. Concert. Now, unless he is really lucky (and a member does not know the value).......he will have to be willing to shell out $200+ for one that is complete and in OK condition. Any of the P/F books can be bought for under $50 per book. I have seen many "used" sell for a great deal less.
Therefore, a ton of knowledge could be bought for $200.

gramophone78 wrote:

Valecnik wrote:

gramophone78 wrote:With regards to your initial question......"rare and inexpensive". There is no such thing. Unless you are very, very lucky at finding that "rare" piece that comes your way. The other is being well read. Knowledge, allows you to know more than the other guy and makes you able to buy "quick" with confidence. Rare items with a low price on line will last "minutes"........not hours.
Plain and simple.

Gram78, I agree with most of what you said except for the point re. correlation of rare and expensive. While this is also generally true, there are some items out there that are very rare and just do not demand high prices. Edison Long Play councils could be one example. Certainly very rare, rarer than Operas, Victors, V & VI among others but can be had for a fraction of the price. If one is lucky enough that his interests lie in such a niche, collecting the rare and inexpensive is possible.

Certain rare reproducers could be another such niche but most of the ones I collect, would like to have, run at least $1,000 and on up...

Thanks Bruce. I should have clarified the "rare & inexpensive". I was of course referring to the thread topic of "reproducers". As you pointed out......there are many "rare" items that don't necessarily mean expensive. Supply and demand. Unless (as stated) you get very lucky.

A good example...... Young Morgan has posted a "want" for a Vic. Concert. Now, unless he is really lucky (and a member does not know the value).......he will have to be willing to shell out $200+ for one that is complete and in OK condition. Any of the P/F books can be bought for under $50 per book. I have seen many "used" sell for a great deal less.
Therefore, a ton of knowledge could be bought for $200.

Yes, I agree. One is normally not going to be able to purchase, "rare, desireable AND normally expensive reproducers, like a Concert for example for a cheap price. I mentioned some other examples in the Edison Line above. Ms typically run well over $1,000!

Also, high quality books such as those mentioned are an excellent investment.

Yes I know what I will be willing to pay I have money in my pockets. I know must reproducers now are not rare unless I get lucky but hey I thought I post a ad for a concert and see what pops up. I appretaite every one helping me I'm getting to know a lot thanks to everyone. Have a merry Christmas and a happy new year most of the stuff of the I see is just crap but I'm on the look out for cool stuff and I'll let you guys know what I come up with thanks.