The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

estott wrote:

Ortho_Fan wrote:Shane:

I don't think you could have gotten a better deal! If you decide to tackle the horn, could you post a few photos of the work in progress? I've seen a couple of photos of the full size horns used in the Columbia 800-series Viva Tonal phonographs, but never those from the 700-series models.

JDS

yes- post photos. There is little or nothing about these machines out there.

I will once I tear into it, not a problem!

Sean

Really beautiful, Sean. You will have to make room for it! I love the perfectly preserved painted green accents and flower in combination with the gorgeous mahogany veneer.

Friends, I got one like that but it's missing the lift-up door.
Can anyone help me with the door?

Thanks!

Just ran across this UK version of the Viva-Tonal, it isn't half as nice as the American ones:
http://www.theclockgallery.com/item12.htm

Nice machine Sean,

You should leave it in the van and take it out to the local Friday night cruise street and compete with the 8000 watt boom boxes on wheels. You will be the one getting the attention!

Certainly not as nice as Sean's, but here is another for sale in the wild.

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/atq/1470826651.html

Brad wrote:You should leave it in the van and take it out to the local Friday night cruise street and compete with the 8000 watt boom boxes on wheels. You will be the one getting the attention!

...at least until you hit a pothole and the needle skips, gouging your nice shellac...

All joking aside, though, Sean—this looks like an excellent acquisition, and if it sounds as good as it looks, I’m sure it’s a great addition to your collection.

I assume we’ll see it on your YouTube channel in the future?

— MordEth

Sean played it for me over the phone- even with an unrebuilt reproducer it had a nice crisp sound that would give any Orthophonic machine some serious competition.

phonophan79 wrote:Certainly not as nice as Sean's, but here is another for sale in the wild.

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/atq/1470826651.html

I bet that one would clean up just as nice as the one sean recently found. too bad it isn't closer, I'd try to convince one of my friends to buy it (I'm living vicariously at times now, for purposes of most of these machine purchases).

Sean,

Yet another machine I once owned and in similar condition. It was the first electrical recorded type acoustic machine I had owned. A man I worked for had it sitting in his basement and once he knew I was interested in old record players he offered it to me for sale. 40.00 if I recall right. That was a long time ago. I believe that it had quite good sound and certainly held its own with other machines of the era. I am not so sure why Victor always gets the top billing, when reading old reviews of the times I think I recall that many felt the Columbia system to be better in some ways? I wouldn't pass one up either if it were near and affordable..

Larry