The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I guess my favorite "Budget" machine is my Edison Drip Pan. It cost $7.50 when it was released and shortly after went to $10.00. You don't see a lot of them and they have such a great look.

Rich Gorfon

As I understand the question, what's wanted is "favorite machine that was cheap to begin with," not "favorite machine for the beginning collector." The only originally cheap machine in my collection is a Pathé Model 0, about as minimalistic a beast as it's possible to be. It's almost entirely for display; it is the only machine I have that will play the "salon" sized cylinders, but frankly I wouldn't trust one of those expensive records to this rather shaky device. Besides having a spring barely powerful enough to run through a record (and, being wound with a key that rotates as the machine plays, not capable of "touch up" windings while in use), the mandrel runs "backwards"--pushing the cylinder into the stylus rather than passing the cylinder under the stylus from the direction of the horn. Cute, but not really practical.

[Edit] You can see a photo of the machine here: http://www.tnt-audio.com/vintage/vintage_e.html (header for an occasional column I write for an online audio magazine).

The favorite cheap machine in my collection would be the Victor Toy.

I hope the previous post accurately describes the intent of this thread. I was about ready to jump in my a vote for a 2&4 minute Standard but we've debated that in previous threads.

Jerry Blais

My machine is not a cylinder machine. Sorry! I change my vote to my 2&4 minute B Gem. It's been to numerous family reunions, July 4th trips, etc.