EMG Xa with painted horn for auction on 1st April 2025.

[JeffR1]

Transfers were very often sold in sets of the same theme, but in different sizes and configurations.

[Lucius1958]

Transfers were very often sold in sets of the same theme, but in different sizes and configurations.

Too many subtle differences in each one; I'm leaning toward hand-painted.

- Bill

[Lucius1958]

Quirky, to be sure...

I'd preserve that little bit of its history, if someone went to all the trouble of painting it. Some conservation, and perhaps the matte varnish treatment mentioned above.

- Bill

[epigramophone]

Hand painted to that level of detail in the deepest recesses of the horn? I very much doubt it.

[CarlosV]

Hand painted to that level of detail in the deepest recesses of the horn? I very much doubt it.

This is what I thought, it's almost impossible to paint in such inaccessible place.

[JerryVan]

Hand painted to that level of detail in the deepest recesses of the horn? I very much doubt it.

This is what I thought, it's almost impossible to paint in such inaccessible place.

I was only saying that they're not identical. Not suggesting how, (or even why), it was accomplished.

[Watanabehi]

As with London buses---nothing for months then one after the other !

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auct ... 8e902b9392

This one has the horn interior decorated in an unusual way, not appealing to everyone's taste, but still interesting historically I think. It has the early tonearm bearing and ebony rest which may mean it started off life as a Mk X. Only sight of the conduit would confirm or not---early examples were shorter and made of bronze although most of those had goose-neck tonearms. The horn is of interest as the final diameter is quoted at approximately 29". The Xb was 29 ½" and the Xa was 28 ⅝" so confirmation is needed. The auctioneers currently have everything in storage so are unable to measure precisely until 20th March. Judging by the thin "knuckle" half way up the casting this is a Xa horn. The electric motor certainly seems to be a replacment and the tonearm bearing may have been moved backwards although it is difficult to see from the indistinct photographs. This might have been carried out to achieve correct tracking following installation of the higher level turntable. It is good to see the four-spring soundbox still present !

It could have been improved a lot better with other decoupage paper inside like this.

[jamiegramo]

I don’t believe the cherubs really suit something as formal as an EMG.

[CarlosV]

I don’t believe the cherubs really suit something as formal as an EMG.

You're correct, Jamie, any pictorial image on such enormous horn, be it of cherubs or gargoyles, stands out like a sore thumb. Something large like that should look as inconspicuously as possible.

[JerryVan]

I don’t believe the cherubs really suit something as formal as an EMG.

I had a Columbia BII that had daisies and ladybugs painted inside of the horn. More appropriate?