New to me Victor Credenza X # 4400

[JerryVan]

I'll also suggest that you reconsider your plans to sand and steel wool this cabinet. Thank about it, the problem is missing finish in areas where it flaked off. How does sanding and steel wool put finish back on?? I suggest cleaning it, staining any light areas where the toned finish is missing and adding a VERY light over finish in those areas only. I like to use a semi-gloss Deft finish, (which is lacquer), lightly rubbed on with a clean cloth, feathered in, to only the affected areas. Please don't wax anything. If you need further touch-ups or even a complete refinish later, the wax will be your enemy, especially since you propose to put it over bare wood.

All that aside, congratulations on a very nice machine!

[Pathe Logical]

Nice buy Jamie!

As you probably know, a good brass Orthophonic reproducer like yours is worth more on the open market than what you paid for everything --- so you are off to a great start from a financial standpoint when you consider the total package.

Since no one else has commented on the record albums/binders, I will. IMHO, those early Orthophonic albums with the round, factory-interchangeable medallions for the alphabet letter on the spines are not at all easy to come by. You are fortunate to have a complete set, and maybe someone here can help you upgrade albums "A" and "D".

Question: Are your early style, individual albums different colors when compared to each other (eg.: albums "C" & "D" look more maroon, while "G" & "H" look more brown in your fourth picture)? I only ask this because my walnut, two-door Credenza came from the original owners with a complete set of eight albums of this style --- a somewhat puzzling mix of several brown and several maroon. I was surprised by the noticeable color variation, and have since assumed (perhaps incorrectly) early walnut Credenzas would have come with eight brown albums, while early mahogany Credenzas would have come with eight maroon albums. I may be wrong (and a bit anal retentive), but I am curious about these albums. Does anyone else know the answer?

Congratulations on a great purchase,
Bob

[Jayl65]

Nice buy Jamie!

Question: Are your early style, individual albums different colors when compared to each other (eg.: albums "C" & "D" look more maroon, while "G" & "H" look more brown in your fourth picture)? I only ask this because my walnut, two-door Credenza came from the original owners with a complete set of eight albums of this style --- a somewhat puzzling mix of several brown and several maroon. I was surprised by the noticeable color variation, and have since assumed (perhaps incorrectly) early walnut Credenzas would have come with eight brown albums, while early mahogany Credenzas would have come with eight maroon albums. I may be wrong (and a bit anal retentive), but I am curious about these albums. Does anyone else know the answer?

Congratulations on a great purchase,
Bob

Bob, I had not noticed the color of the album binder until you mentioned it. They are almost all different colors. A,B,E and F are the same color of Maroon/Brown. G, is a dark brown. H, is a midtown brown and D and C are both individual colors of Maroon/brown. It looks like they all might have appeared to be the same when originally made and might have faded to these individual colors? A,B,C and D are smaller format. E,F,G, and H are larger format. They are very brittle and beginning to crack a lot. I will be placing them in the cabinet without records in them for display purposes only. The weight of the albums to to great and they age getting destroyed by moving them around.

[De Soto Frank]

As you mentioned, the spines on those albums become very brittle and fragile.

Nice machine !

Good advice has been offered regarding the finish.

[tubaphone]

Congratulations, you have a very nice machine. After viewing the pictures I have a question, this machine has the early 2 piece self supporting tonearm and brass reproducer but it has the 4 door cabinet. When did they introduce the 4 door cabinet? I was under the impression that the 2 door cabinets were early and at some point were replaced with the 4 door model. This machine has early parts but a later style cabinet, any ideas why?

[De Soto Frank]

This is an electric machine, and the serial number run is lower than spring-motor machines, so even though it has a relatively low serial number, it was produced after the change to the four-door cabinet. Still an early machine, with the "CREDENZA-X" model designation, and the brass Orthophonic Sound Box.

[Jayl65]

I've cleaned the cabinet with Gojo and it looks great on the sides and front. The lid and bottom moulding have to many places with no finish left. It is very alligatored and crazed to the point where there is no lacquer left. Those areas are dull and chipped and the finish is very uneven.

I think I will have to use Lacquer thinner on the top lid and bottom moulding to remove the original lacquer. I'll need to grain fill it, lightly sand and tack cloth it off. Stain and re lacquer it in the original two toned color scheme. I work about a half mile from the Mohawk finishing distributor here in Vegas so I have access to all of their finishing products and advice. My goal would be to preserve the original finish on the entire cabinet except for the top and bottom moulding in the front. the sides looks pretty good.

I also laid the machine on its back and got a good look at the bun feet. They are in pretty bad shape. Almost all of them are split at the original glue seams. I'm hesitant to glue and clamp them as they are still stable being cracked. Has anyone re glued these before? I'm almost sure it was exposed to damp at some point in its life. I don't mind that they are cracked as it is not visible from the front and cannot be seen unless the machine is on its back.

Finally, what would you guys recommend as a final finish after its cleaning of Gojo? If I don't use Howards Restore A Finish and Feed N Wax. The advice here has been no wax.