The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Scott,

I think you did really well on the C250
purchase! I wonder why the seller was so
hardcore set on his somewhat high price for
the C19, but let the C250 go for a much more
reasonable price?

You and Miker are really cleaning up on buying
good machines up there in your Northwest area.

I lived up thatta way back in 1979, and 1980.
Lived in Auburn, WA, and worked in Kent, WA.
I remember very distinctly all of the towns
and locations you guys are mentioning where
you've found good machines recently.

Lived there when Mt. St. Helens blew its
top, and actually heard it the morning it blew.

Back when I lived there, there was no internet
and the only way I had then scouting for
machines was a subscription to a newsprint
rag called "The Antique Trader Weekly"

I remember reading in it of good deals on
things such as Edison Triumph machines
in distant locations such as FL.

Now, all these years later, I am in FL,
and you guys out there in WA are having all
the luck!!

Good score on the C250!

Chuck

Scott wrote:Everything is up and running fine and the only thing I don't have is the cabinet key. I searched ebay for an Edison "E" key and it appears that the sellers are very proud of their keys. I also looked at the Double Dolphin keys (the one with the single groove) but would prefer and Edison key. Are the prices that they are asking the norm?

Thanks,
Scott

Unfortunately, $60-$80 is about the going rate for an E key. If you are lucky, sometimes you can find them for $30-$40 but you have to be patient. Patience is not one of my many virtues, so I bought a nice one from George Vollema at the upper end of the price range.

Scott,

I don't think the Dolphin key works in the locks that the C250/19 used.

And I agree, the prices that I've seen on eBay for them is absurd, IMHO.

Fran

Chuck wrote:Scott,

I think you did really well on the C250
purchase! I wonder why the seller was so
hardcore set on his somewhat high price for
the C19, but let the C250 go for a much more
reasonable price?

You and Miker are really cleaning up on buying
good machines up there in your Northwest area.

I lived up thatta way back in 1979, and 1980.
Lived in Auburn, WA, and worked in Kent, WA.
I remember very distinctly all of the towns
and locations you guys are mentioning where
you've found good machines recently.

Lived there when Mt. St. Helens blew its
top, and actually heard it the morning it blew.

Back when I lived there, there was no internet
and the only way I had then scouting for
machines was a subscription to a newsprint
rag called "The Antique Trader Weekly"

I remember reading in it of good deals on
things such as Edison Triumph machines
in distant locations such as FL.

Now, all these years later, I am in FL,
and you guys out there in WA are having all
the luck!!

Good score on the C250!

Chuck

Thanks Chuck. I've only been up here for 6 years or so (military transfer) but it's a very nice place to live. The machine market is odd though. SOme days there are tons of machines to choose from and other days, there's nothing. Finding decent deals is getting harder as well. Between Mike and I, we're definately in the mix for most active "searchers" I think.

HisMastersVoice wrote:

Scott wrote:Everything is up and running fine and the only thing I don't have is the cabinet key. I searched ebay for an Edison "E" key and it appears that the sellers are very proud of their keys. I also looked at the Double Dolphin keys (the one with the single groove) but would prefer and Edison key. Are the prices that they are asking the norm?

Thanks,
Scott

Unfortunately, $60-$80 is about the going rate for an E key. If you are lucky, sometimes you can find them for $30-$40 but you have to be patient. Patience is not one of my many virtues, so I bought a nice one from George Vollema at the upper end of the price range.

That's what I was afraid of. I'll hold out for a while and see if I can stumble across one..

fran604g wrote:Scott,

I don't think the Dolphin key works in the locks that the C250/19 used.

And I agree, the prices that I've seen on eBay for them is absurd, IMHO.

Fran

Thanks Fran. I thought I read that there is one dolphin key (single notch) that will work woth the 250/19. I'm wanting the "E" key anyhow, so I'll wait for that. I'm just hoping that I can find one at a decent price.

Just for the record, I have a C-250 that originally came with a "dolphin" key.

George P.

Scott wrote:

fran604g wrote:Scott,

I don't think the Dolphin key works in the locks that the C250/19 used.

And I agree, the prices that I've seen on eBay for them is absurd, IMHO.

Fran

Thanks Fran. I thought I read that there is one dolphin key (single notch) that will work woth the 250/19. I'm wanting the "E" key anyhow, so I'll wait for that. I'm just hoping that I can find one at a decent price.

That's good to know! What I read in an earlier post here at TMF, I either misunderstood or what I read was incorrect.

It's nice to have my misconceptions corrected, thank you.

Fran

phonogfp wrote:Just for the record, I have a C-250 that originally came with a "dolphin" key.

George P.

Very nice to know, thanks, George! The learning never ends...

Fran

George is correct, the dolphin key is correct for most C-250s. You want the double cut one, not the single cut. The single cut key, from my experience, seems to have only been used on early "A" series machines. Hope this helps clear up a little confusion.

Sean