The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

My least favorite is an Edison B-80. I still can't figure out why I bought this monster. Hard to work on, strange design and whoever decided to mount the dial that lowers the reproducer on the horn had a strange sense of humor.

Aren't the different perspectives interesting? The goal for some collectors in quality reproduction. My goal is to have a machine perform as good as it did when it left the factory. If that wasn't particularly good, I can live with that. It's a great hobby. Jerry

I am with most of the folks who "don't have a machine they don't like"... with the possible exception of a Pathéphone VII that was given to me as a basketcase. The cabinet is pleasant enough, much resembling an S-19 Diamond-Disc player, but I've never been able to get the Heinemann "Flyer" motor to run evenly... I gave-up on it and it's been languishing in the cellar ever since.

Now, in terms of looking at machines in the various coffee-table books and on-line, I think my "least favorite" machines would be the Columbia "furniture" Grafonolas - desks, occasional tables, etc.

My ultimate criteria would be:

1) Aesthetic design and appearance

2) Mechanical & acoustic performance ( If it can't play a record well, I don't much care how pretty it is...)

3) Historical significance


All that said, as I've grown older, my tastes have changed somewhat... while I still have great respect for Victor Talking Machine and their fine products, I am a little less interested in for my own collection, mostly because I have quite a few of their better models, and aside for an external-horn Victor ( or two ? ), I would rather have some other machines...

With apologies to all who own and like them, my least favorite are the various lamp phonographs and the ungainly Kalamazoo Duplex.

In fact, "least favorite" is not quite the correct term as it implies that these machines are on my favorite list, albeit at the bottom. Not so.

I like them all, I have yet to find one that I just didn't care for. No matter if they have big outside horns, come in small wood boxes, play discs or cylinders I have fun with all of them. Take them all apart, figure out what makes them tick, clean them up and make them play again, nothing but fun.

Amberola wrote:I can say without a doubt the Edison Standard tall case B is my least favorite phonograph. I have only owned one in 20 years. I just think they are the ugliest phonograph ever produced. I don't know why, and probably will get hate mail over it, but just my opinion.

The one I search years for and buy on Ebay only to have it arrive in two (or more) broken pieces...

Well....... Lol the Babson brothers Edison conversions.

My least favorite phonograph? It depends on the proportion of pot metal parts. The other quirks make them interesting.

I also don't like the Victors without lids. But a tall case Standard, I will never ever own one. I wouldn't take one if you gave it to me. Well, I would take the reproducer and crank out then throw it away.

My least favorites would be the Victor Schoolhouse, any external horn disc machine, and those leatherette suitcase models. I do not own any of these.

My least favorite that I own is the Pathé Model 60 (discussed in other threads on this forum). The machine runs great but Pathé just does not do it for me.