The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I think that public criticism of this obnoxious “restoration” is appropriate to potentially discourage anyone else from doing this, since whoever did this took a desirable machine and made it unsalable. If they read comments on the Forum that are critical and are offended... too bad. I’m offended looking at what was done to it...
(In retrospect, I shouldn't have used the word "offended", because I'm not... I really don't care and I was being sarcastic and facetious, which is hard to portray in text...)

Too many people offended over way too much these days... So, somebody did a bad refinishing job, OMG, should we track them down?! Happens all the time. I must say, it's just a little bit ironic the OP was accused of the same just a few days ago. Are we all expert refinishers who practice ONLY the original techniques? I'm not, but I do my best and I'm mostly happy with the results. I suppose the fellow who did the machine in question feels the same. Big deal... Somebody will eventually see, like it and buy it. What a travesty ;O)

(While it may seem as if I'm replying directly to you Curt A, I really am not. Just speaking to the general tenor of this conversation.)

No problem... I'm not easily offended...

Curt A wrote:No problem... I'm not easily offended...

Glad to read that.

JerryVan wrote:Too many people offended over way too much these days... So, somebody did a bad refinishing job, OMG, should we track them down?! Happens all the time. I must say, it's just a little bit ironic the OP was accused of the same just a few days ago. Are we all expert refinishers who practice ONLY the original techniques? I'm not, but I do my best and I'm mostly happy with the results. I suppose the fellow who did the machine in question feels the same. Big deal... Somebody will eventually see, like it and buy it. What a travesty ;O)

(While it may seem as if I'm replying directly to you Curt A, I really am not. Just speaking to the general tenor of this conversation.)

I've been guilty of going for the "shine" like this in the distant past, when I was young enough to think of it as an "improvement".

I still do like it, quite frankly, but the older, wiser, Germanic lobe of my brain whispers "but it's not correct", so this I must follow.

This is why I am a fan of French polishing- I can have my shine, yet still be period correct upgrade with it as lots of well-to-do folks in that era DID have their furniture French polished.

All that said... if I ran across this or one of Jon's restorations out in the wild, I'd likely snap it up while everyone else is rending their garments in sorrow, promising to put it right but secretly enjoying it just as it is under cover of night and fog. Yes, I AM a bad, bad man!

Now... if it were 'upcycled' or 'antiqued'? Ah, no.

One of my 'bucket list' projects is to rescue a complete and sadly neglected Vic VI, rebuild and replate everything (correctly!) to brand new, and install it into an Eduardo cabinet with matching record cabinet and Mahogany speartip horn, and have a ball with it.

Curt A wrote:I think that public criticism of this obnoxious “restoration” is appropriate to potentially discourage anyone else from doing this, since whoever did this took a desirable machine and made it unsalable. If they read comments on the Forum that are critical and are offended... too bad. I’m offended looking at what was done to it...
(In retrospect, I shouldn't have used the word "offended", because I'm not... I really don't care and I was being sarcastic and facetious, which is hard to portray in text...)

Well said. I have learned so much by coming to this web site and I appreciate honest opinions even if they don't comport with my own. Personally, I like to see cabinets with the original finish however flawed in areas. I'm sure that someone with the skills can reverse the damage to this XVIII and make it beautiful again. The seller will have to decide to drop the price first.

JerryVan wrote: I must say, it's just a little bit ironic the OP was accused of the same just a few days ago. Are we all expert refinishers who practice ONLY the original techniques?

as the OP, Finally, a year later and I do have a refinished 18 to compare with the post I made, trust me, this was not a Minwax Polyshades job. No muddy looking finish here.

Tell us what you did use, please?

PeterF wrote:Tell us what you did use, please?

If you are referring to the finish:
Custom color matched mohawk wood dye (not stain) to match color under lid
Zinsser seal coat shellac sealer
Old Masters wood grain filler mixed with color matched mohawk wood dye
Custom mixed lacquer (mohawk finishers choice & Old Masters semi gloss) to match gloss level HVLP sprayed in 3 coats with scuff sanding (400 grit) between coats.

The entire process (tear down to reassembly) took 3 months to complete including 2 weeks cure time before reassembly. Most time was spent on veneer repairs.

Nice job. Thanks.