The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Yes it is written in red ink. As for the decal, good advice, I'll wait and while and then reassess.

I dig this zon-o-phone model,let it sit,if it was mine id fix the horn get it sounding good and just enjoy it as is.

I plan to send the horn off to John Duffy on Thursday and the Reproducer out to Steve Medved the same day. I'll leave the decals alone for now and maybe forever. I would like to eventually find the correct reproducer for this machine. Can anyone tell me which reproducer is correct for the 1903 Zon-O-Phone Home?

mattrx wrote: I would like to eventually find the correct reproducer for this machine. Can anyone tell me which reproducer is correct for the 1903 Zon-O-Phone Home?

The V Concert would be correct.

George P.

Thank you to John D for rolling and polishing the horn. The dent in the bell is gone, and all that is left is a small crack/crease. Jerry sent me some old felt to replace the velvet and it looks much better.

I picked up the body of a Zonophone Concert reproducer, but it s really nothing but a shell. I am considering having it rebuilt and installed on the machine. Once the Columbia repro is replaced with a Zonophone reproducer, I think I'll be done with the machine. For now, I think I will forgo the new Home decal for the front. Any advice for the reproducer rebuild? I called Ron Sitko, but he does not machine the part that is needed.

Thanks for all the help and advice guys.

Matt

It looks very nice, Matt.

Zonophone sound boxes are virtually impossible to find/rebuild at the moment. But that means before too long, someone will step into the vacuum and supply the need. If I were a machinist with the necessary skills & equipment, I'd reproduce Zonophone closed-face and V Concert sound boxes. As long as the quality was high and the price was reasonable (originals of either command more than $1000 these days!) a fellow could sell a lot of them!

Be patient and keep your fingers crossed...

George P.

phonogfp wrote:It looks very nice, Matt.

Zonophone sound boxes are virtually impossible to find/rebuild at the moment. But that means before too long, someone will step into the vacuum and supply the need. If I were a machinist with the necessary skills & equipment, I'd reproduce Zonophone closed-face and V Concert sound boxes. As long as the quality was high and the price was reasonable (originals of either command more than $1000 these days!) a fellow could sell a lot of them!

Be patient and keep your fingers crossed...

George P.

I'm currently taking a machinist course and I'd be up to the challenge. if no one already makes repros it would be worth it. if someone could help me with accurate measurements to make plans or lend an original reproducer I could start working on it. but expect it will take several months.

Nice machine, Matt! John does beautiful work!

Now, what about those reproducers? What part is missing?

Fran,
Unfortunately most of the parts are missing. From pictures I have seen of these on eBay and other sites, the throat, needle bar, retaining ring, mica, gaskets are all missing from the Zon-O-Phone reproducer, but the Columbia is complete and working. It appears to have been rebuilt sometime in the past. The person I bought it from did not rebuild it and he had had it for a few years.
Thanks,
Matt

I would just like to give a shout out to Ken Danckaert. He recently finished my Zon-O-Phone concert reproducer pictured above. My machine now has a complete Zon-O-Phone concert reproducer instead of the Columbia it had when I bought it. I am very pleased with his work.

Thanks also to Jerry B. for sending me some old turntable felt to replace the horrible velour stuff that was on the machine when I got it. It may not be the prettiest Zon-O-Phone Home out there, but by golly is it complete with the correct parts. The only reproductions are the needle bar, retaining ring and throat on the Concert reproducer. Thanks to all the forum members who gave me help and advice!