New Phonograph Purchaser: Victrola vs. Brunswick

[orthofanatic]

So I was able to see both the Brunswick and the Victrola yesterday. The guy selling the Brunswick bought it a few years ago from a local antique shop and was selling it as his parents didn't want it anymore. It played nicely and sounded very good, but the cabinet was in extremely rough shape with pieces missing and a cigarette odor. He told me he paid $400 for it, so I doubt he would have budged much on the price.

The Victrola on the other hand was a different story. The people selling it were an older husband and wife in their early 80s and they said they were planning on getting rid of some extra things as they were getting older. The cabinet was in much better shape with the original shine, but there were a few dings and scratches which was to be expected. The woman explained that her parents had purchased it new back in the late 20s and she even remembered the name of the shop in PA where they bought it. The reproducer looked in good shape with no cracks, but the support arm in the back for the tone arm to pivot was all cracked and would need to be replaced, and the grill cloth was not original. In addition the little arm that comes from under the turntable to hold up the tone arm was also missing, not sure what that's called. The woman played a few records and it sounded very good, but they must have been using a loud tone needle as it was almost too loud. The motor ran almost silently and they explained after every time they played it, they would always let the spring run out to relieve the tension. Unfortunately as the husband and wife kept going back and forth on which records to play, I believe they popped a spring or something as the switch to stop and start the turntable stopped working and they had to let the spring run down. They were very apologetic that it wasn't working anymore and said they would look at it and see if they could fix it or call somebody, but they would let me know either way. The husband jokingly said to me if he couldn't get it fixed he'd use it for fire wood .

I would hate to let this one pass up because of the history behind it, but based off what I said above, do all of those things sound like easy fixes? I haven't ever worked on a phonograph before but I would consider myself mechanically inclined. Also, a VV 8-4 recently appeared on Craigslist close,by. Judging by the pictures the reproducer and tone arm look to be intact and in good shape, but the cabinet is either extremely dusty or had the lacquer completely stripped off, the person is asking $230 for it. All the advice/guidance is greatly appreciated!

[OrthoFan]

1... In addition the little arm that comes from under the turntable to hold up the tone arm was also missing, not sure what that's called.

2...The woman played a few records and it sounded very good, but they must have been using a loud tone needle as it was almost too loud.

3... I believe they popped a spring or something as the switch to stop and start the turntable stopped working and they had to let the spring run down....

1. Was this the part that was missing?

That rod engages the automatic brake's lever, as shown.

2. The 4-40 can be very loud--though it shouldn't blast. I normally play mine using medium tone needles which give it a more balanced sound.

3. If the automatic brake mechanism shifted its position, it could have prevented the manual brake lever from engaging in the "on" position, allowing the turntable to spin freely. The fix would be to move the "scissors-like lever" to the right.

HTH,
OrthoFan

[VanEpsFan1914]

Save it before he burns it!

I love a good Brunswick now and then, but if you want a nice windup phonograph to spin a few 78s go ahead and get the Victrola.

Your 4-40 you are looking at should be 1) easier to fix, and 2) better sound on post-1925 electric recordings. If you want a machine to play the old "acoustic" records before 1925, get a simple little tabletop like a mid-1910s Victrola IX, and call it good. Most of your classical sets, your hot jazz, your foxtrots, swing, blues, etc. are going to be the good electric records.

Victrolas are some of the easiest machines to service at home. I think you'll like it if you get it.

[orthofanatic]

@OrthoFan - no it wasn't the rod coming off the tub, it was the tuning fork looking piece that comes out from under the turntable, which I now know is part of the automatic brake.

I haven't been able to get in contact with the couple if they were able to get it fixed or not. Im hoping the husband didnt already use it for firewood(!). Theres a Silvertone Tru-Phonic that recently became available nearby that looks to be in very good shape, but I know you need to watch with the pot metal on them. Based off of the 1927 Sears catalog it looks to be the Carlyle model. Theyre asking $200 OBO, any thoughts on that?

[OrthoFan]

@OrthoFan - no it wasn't the rod coming off the tub, it was the tuning fork looking piece that comes out from under the turntable, which I now know is part of the automatic brake.

I haven't been able to get in contact with the couple if they were able to get it fixed or not. Im hoping the husband didnt already use it for firewood(!). Theres a Silvertone Tru-Phonic that recently became available nearby that looks to be in very good shape, but I know you need to watch with the pot metal on them. Based off of the 1927 Sears catalog it looks to be the Carlyle model. Theyre asking $200 OBO, any thoughts on that?

It may be a simple matter of pulling off the turntable--it just sits in place--and sliding the "tuning fork" to the right and remounting the rod between the two arms.

As for a Tru-Phonic, there have been a number of posts on this forum -- https://www.google.com/search?as_q=site ... as_rights= $200 may be a good price if the finish is in excellent shape and the motor functions well, etc..

Keep in mind, as with the Orthophonic models, the Tru-Phonic reproducer (sound box) will probably need an overhaul if it's as-found condition. Carefully inspect the reproducer for signs of pot-metal deterioration.

OrthoFan

[estott]

The Sears Tru-Phonic line was not bad, but they were not built with up to date acoustic design- they may look like something from the late 20's on the outside but the horn design will be quite simple. It was an era when the first thing most people thought about was "How will it look" - and Sears did give the customer very good value for their dollar.