The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

My Victor R.

Machines this size really aren't usable to me as I'd never play a 10" record on one and I really don't
enjoy the music on any of my 7" records. Even if I did enjoy the music , I would probably play them
on a modern turntable as other members have mentioned.

gramophone-georg wrote:

OrthoSean wrote:Thumbs up, Steve. I don't play any of my 7 inch discs acoustically. Mine all get played on modern equipment with custom styli.

Sean

Wimp.



My least used machines are my cylinder players. I just don't much care for them.

Well, I don't want to cause further undue wear by using steel needles with records that are 110+ years old. I was very fortunate a couple of years ago to get 80 or so super clean unworn 7 inch Berliners, Zonophones and Pre-dog Victors at an auction for almost nothing. I've never seen such clean and excellent examples.

I do have a couple of later Victors that were well loved already when I got them that sound lousy electrically, no matter what size stylus I use, so I have played them!

I'm a bit of a preservationist when it comes to scarce (dare I say RARE) discs.

Now, what machine do I use the least? Probably my Brunswick Parisian portable. It's fun to set up and look at since it's neat and I don't think the previous owners used it more than once or twice, but it's more of a novelty to me.

Sean

The Mikkiphone - and the dog model - both are strictly to be seen, not heard.

Edison Standard D. It's the only Edison machine that I have and I don't own many cylinders for it. It's not very exciting so it sits there for looks only. (sorry Edison Fans)

There are other machines that I have that almost never get played, just part of the collection.

I don't play my Edison Gems, Berliner, Toy Phonographs or my Miniature Portables, very much. To me, they are good for an occasional record to keep them running.
Harvey Kravitz

Probably my least used one is the BZH.

Bill

Least (never) used machines

Busy Bee front-mount disc and Columbia Eagle (I never play them) = record eaters
Edison Gem = too much cranking, too little sound
Standard rear mount (½-inch spindle), and United (1-inch spindle) = lousy selections of music on their discs (I wonder whether Columbia let them use their poor selling selections for these discs)

John

welshfield wrote:Least (never) used machines

Busy Bee front-mount disc and Columbia Eagle (I never play them) = record eaters

I must take exception to the assertion that a Columbia Eagle is a "record eater." It may have its shortcomings, but unduly damaging records isn't one of them - unless a particular reproducer is at fault. With its floating reproducer design, the Eagle is no harder on records than other Columbia products of the period - and certainly gentler than an Edison Model C reproducer.

George P.

My "Puck" of 1897-98, because it is missing some essential parts: http://grammophon-platten.de/e107_plugi ... .php?41299

I play with my toys. A phonograph I wouldn't want to play records on is just a dust collector to me. I have a Russian suitcase phonograph I never use. It's boxed up in the garage. I'm going to give it to the first kid that expresses an interest in acoustic phonographs.