The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

This totally nuts. either you had two out of their minds bidders who really wanted this item or you had one nut who really wanted it no matter what the price and an unscrupulous shill for the Seller working his magic, to take advantage of the "out of control" spender ! You can buy a perfectly good repro at any of the major suppliers.

and remember it is a non-essential part! a machine can work perfectly well without a hold down so for someone to spend that much on a non essential part is insain!

I don't think the seller had a shill, he's a well known and honest phono dealer. More likely the second bidder knew who was bidding and decided to make them pay handsomely for the piece.

kirtley2012 wrote:and remember it is a non-essential part! a machine can work perfectly well without a hold down so for someone to spend that much on a non essential part is insain!

I beg to differ. The part is very essential. Without that part the record will just sit as the table rotates under it from the weight of the reproducer, arm and horn assembly.

gramophone78 wrote:

kirtley2012 wrote:and remember it is a non-essential part! a machine can work perfectly well without a hold down so for someone to spend that much on a non essential part is insain!

I beg to differ. The part is very essential. Without that part the record will just sit as the table rotates under it from the weight of the reproducer, arm and horn assembly.

The later ones didn't come with hold-downs, and they work fine. Is there a difference between the two types?

gramophone78 wrote:

kirtley2012 wrote:and remember it is a non-essential part! a machine can work perfectly well without a hold down so for someone to spend that much on a non essential part is insain!

I beg to differ. The part is very essential. Without that part the record will just sit as the table rotates under it from the weight of the reproducer, arm and horn assembly.

I have a Pre dog M and it plays just fine without a hold down and it has a threaded spindle so it must have originally had one.

phonogal wrote: I have a Pre dog M and it plays just fine without a hold down and it has a threaded spindle so it must have originally had one.

And for a mere $1000, you could have a replacement!

I really don't see the necessity of the hold down at all. I wonder if the just slightly earlier one sided records were more prone to slip or??? Still Victor kept the one sided operatics well into the teens, no hold downs, no significant differences in the design of the machine...

Valecnik wrote:I really don't see the necessity of the hold down at all. I wonder if the just slightly earlier one sided records were more prone to slip or??? Still Victor kept the one sided operatics well into the teens, no hold downs, no significant differences in the design of the machine...

I've played stacks and stacks of both 7" and 10" early single-sided discs on my Victor R (sans hold down) and never had an issue with slipping. There must have been a reason for the hold down, but it's not apparent to me.

Brandon wrote:

phonogal wrote: I have a Pre dog M and it plays just fine without a hold down and it has a threaded spindle so it must have originally had one.

And for a mere $1000, you could have a replacement!

No thanks. I think I'll pass.