My first Edison...Amberola 30

[estott]

No, that's not a Gem motor. Edison did a lot of cost cutting in the cheaper Amberola line (using Gem and Fireside mechanisms) before the factory fire but with the 30, 50, 75 models he gave them all very reliable direct drive motors. They are comparatively plain machines to look at but perform splendidly.

[Andersun]

Congrats!!

Your Amberola 30 is an earlier version too. It has a black and metal finish nameplate on the bedplate rather than on the case which was gold colored left side interior lid. I cannot see but it may have a speed adjustment know on gear cover.

The grill looks original. It used to have a brownish gold (nylon looking) cloth glued to the back. Make sure it has a spring attached to the underneath bed plate to horn. Many times they are missing and many don't even know there used to be one there.

I have worked on many of these so if you have any questions post them.

You got a great deal and it is a great little machine.

If you have to take the speed governor apart for cleaning, make sure spring is completely unwound!!!!

Steve

[antique1973]

No, that's not a Gem motor. Edison did a lot of cost cutting in the cheaper Amberola line (using Gem and Fireside mechanisms) before the factory fire but with the 30, 50, 75 models he gave them all very reliable direct drive motors. They are comparatively plain machines to look at but perform splendidly.

The motor is great, it was sitting dormant for who knows how many years and it
was fully wound all that time. Nevertheless it still runs with plenty of power
to spare.

[antique1973]

Congrats!!

Your Amberola 30 is an earlier version too. It has a black and metal finish nameplate on the bedplate rather than on the case which was gold colored left side interior lid. I cannot see but it may have a speed adjustment know on gear cover.

The grill looks original. It used to have a brownish gold (nylon looking) cloth glued to the back. Make sure it has a spring attached to the underneath bed plate to horn. Many times they are missing and many don't even know there used to be one there.

I have worked on many of these so if you have any questions post them.

You got a great deal and it is a great little machine.

If you have to take the speed governor apart for cleaning, make sure spring is completely unwound!!!!

Steve

Thanks Steve! I am fortunate that the spring is still intact on the horn. I have not located the
speed control if it has one yet. Is it a screw by chance? I played an Uncle Josh cylinder today
and his voice seemed right on key so I am pretty sure its running at the right speed. I will likely have more questions in the future since the Edison is quite different than the Victor machines I am used to.

[estott]

I think your speed control will be like the one on mine- hidden underneath the gear covering on the left. Since this machine was intended to play only 4 minute records the user didn't need to adjust the speed.

[Valecnik]

No- the grilles in the cheaper table Amberolas were metal, Edison cut a few corners in the line, especially the ones he powered with Gem motors.

Ah, thanks for setting me straight Estott. That's good news its original. So my motor
is a Gem motor also? It runs great with plenty of power but has the usual "bumps" due to
old grease.

I don't think it's a Gem motor. The works was designed for and only used in the Amb. 30 as far as I know. I think only the Amb. VIII, and X might have used a Gem motor.

[gramophoneshane]

As estott stated, you'll find the speed control under the gear cover. It's a knurled wheel at the back of governor. This indicates it's a later model, and not an early model as stated above. Early models had the speed control protruding though the top of the gear cover, a nickel plated reproducer, and the ID tag was located in the horn compartment, at first on the right side & then on the left.
As far as I know, the ID tag was then moved to the left hand lid panel towards the front, before finally being attached to the bedplate, as on your example. The earliest 30s also had grille cloth, but these later machines did not.
They're a great little machine, and the second smallest cabinet model Edison ever produced- the smallest being a 30 variation in a slightly smaller cabinet with the word "Edison" spelled out in the grille, that was only sold in New Zealand . They're very reliable & they sound fantastic considering the size of the horn. You dont get the noisy gear problems that some of the earlier Amberolas have either.
Congrats!

[estott]

They're a great little machine, and the second smallest cabinet model Edison ever produced- the smallest being a 30 variation in a slightly smaller cabinet with the word "Edison" spelled out in the grille, that was only sold in New Zealand . They're very reliable & they sound fantastic considering the size of the horn. You dont get the noisy gear problems that some of the earlier Amberolas have either.
Congrats!

I don't believe you can count those New Zeland machines as being genuine Edison products- they were modifications made by a dealer, like Babson of Chicago who built special cabinets for the 30.

[gramophoneshane]

I thought they were produced at the Edison factory for export to NZ (much like the Amberola 80s made for the Australaisa market), but I really dont know for sure. The horn bell would have had to be modified (shortened) to fit the smaller cabinet, which seems like a big job for a dealer to pull off successfully. That would also mean the dealer cut down the entire front of the cabinet & lid?

[Valecnik]

Shane do you or anyone else own one of those NZ 30s you could post some pictures of? I've never seen one except in Frow's book.