The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Very nice!

Earl Scruggs was a personal inspiration for me many years ago when I took up the banjo. He claimed to have developed his trademark 3-finger picking technique when he was only 14 years old!

How very cool that you own this icon's Victor VI...

Best,
Fran

WOW, the kind of thing I dream of!!

Be sure to keep a note with it re the provenance. Or better yet, get a letter from someone representing the estate that it was Scruggs'. That should enhance its value significantly.

Clay

Congrats on the great score. Don't ever loose the thrill of the chase and you'll be set for a life time of collecting.

Larry Crandell

Two great deals. Since Scruggs died in 2012, you should make sure the seller can verify it belonged to him or the current owner of the house. Provenance like this is wonderful to retain with any machine. However, it must be in writing by a family member or executor. If possible, a photo of Scruggs with either machine would be a real plus.

If you take your time, you can restore the spruce horn and make it solid again.

I think I have a spare crank if it's a threaded shaft. I will PM you if I can find it.

Finds like this keep us all looking. Congrats!!.

The spruce horn is cracked right at one of the seams al the way down and there are two other cracks at the seams that aren't as big. To me it looks like cracks that happened from changes in humidity over the past century. I'm kind of afraid to try and restore it myself because I definitely don't want to mess this horn up.

Nick,
Lerria and I met you last year at Union, it is great to have young collectors
excited about the phonograph hobby.

Congratulations on your fabulous find! Lerria would love to have a spruce horn
someday, we are very jealous.

Keep up the good work and come see us at Union!

We set up between Jerry Blais and Brice Paris and Gregg Cline.

All the best,

David & Lerria Rosamond

Nick,
I would definitely take the effort to get the horn restored professionally. Maybe you could bring it to the Union show and let Don Gfell look at it and give an estimate to do it for you. He does great work. For what you have in this great machine so far, it is worth it to have the horn restored correctly. The horn is extremely rare!!!!
Let me know if you need the correct reproducer for this machine. I believe I will have one at the show.
Ken Brekke

Here is the photo from the estate sale website. I hope they gave you a receipt stating it was from the estate of Earl Scruggs. I would suggest not trying to fix the horn until you at least send a photo or bring it to Don Gfell to estimate a repair. Steve

Nick, congratulations on a great find! Its hard enough to find a Vic VI unmolested, but one from a famous household and at a bargain price......great find!
Matt

I would agree you should get a receipt showing where it came from. Maybe you could also ask for any photos of the phonograph in his house. It might be worth a try. I was able to get some pictures of the late model E Idelia I found last Fall from the family members.