The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Victrolaboy wrote:

JerryVan wrote:

Victrolaboy wrote:I wouldn't even think about purchasing the 'Vita-Nola' if I were you because it's an off brand and it will not sound anywhere near as good as a Victor. And off brands are worthless anyway except for their parts. I always take the motors out of off brands and salvage the mainsprings if they are still intact and haven't lost their temper. That way you can stock up on parts. This is just my opinion.

True that off brands don't command as much money as Victors and the like but, they're not "worthless". If you don't care for them, then they're worthless to you. However, if you've looked through this forum much, several contributors have been very happy with machines such as the Vitanola pictured. It's what I like about this forum actually. There are those that show off their $20,000 machines, and those that show off their $25 weekend find, each with the same amount of pride and the same enthusiasm. Makes me wince a bit when you admit to scrapping the off brands out. We here tend to be preservationists. Something I asked myself years ago was, "Why am I saving parts for machines I'll never want?". So, if you'll never want an off brand, why would you strip them for parts? Pass the machines along, complete, to someone who would treasure it. Happy collecting.

I never looked at it that way. I'm very sorry for my negative words against off brands. I don't strip offbrands that can be restored. I only take parts from junk machines. If I find an offbrand for a decent price that I can easily restore then I will purchase it and sell it at my flea market booth. I've sold several offbrands to people who don't know much about phonographs and are just now getting interested for much lower prices than the name brands.