Gilbert Model No 53

[CarlosV]

Whilst I take on board, and agree with your comments regarding the varying quality in relation to cost, Carlos, I really can't let your criticism of the HMV 102s go without comment."Cheap cardboard cases"????? They are solid timber, not plywood, dovetailed at the corners, and the interiors are finished to a much higher degree than the Gilberts are.

My point was not to compare HMVs with Gilberts, Phono, but to reflect the adaptation of product quality to market price. I have a number of 102s, including a very nice colonial model made of solid teak. The quality of its case is much higher than the Essex board/fabrikoid ones, and its cost would most likely make it prohibitive for HMV to mass-produce it in the domestic market and sell it at a competitive price, reserving the higher quality product for the niche of exports to colonies where there was very restricted competition.

[Phono48]

Point taken, Carlos.

Barry