The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Yesterday I saw an episode of American Restoration where they "restored" a nice external horn Alba gramophone. The horn still had most of its paint with some damage from bird droppings. The machine itself was looking good with fully intact decal, just the lid was split in half. They tried to appear knowledgable, but what they said about the machine, the motor, and phonographs and gramophones in general was utter cr*p and less than you could find out within 15 minutes in google.

"We are trying to use as much of the original wood as possible for historic accuracy. Otherwise we could just build a new case...". I could have accepted them using yellow glue on the lid, even though I would expect more from such an "experienced restorer". Like always they completely sanded down and refinished the case, new decal and everything. Then they bead-blasted the beautifull horn and gave it an airbrushed paint job like a Harley tank. Even though tonearm, reproducer and elbow were in nice condition, they sand-blasted and re-nickeled everything to make it look like fresh from India. Not sure if they replaced the needle or re-nickeled it as well?

Best restoration was the "flywheel motor"; "you crank it up and the flywheel then keeps it running through its momentum" (they meant the governor - no mention of a spring). It seems they just soaked the complete motor without disassembly and then oiled and greased it. In order to be able to demonstrate it they went to a vintage record store to buy some original 1920s records. Since they did not have a clue they bought some 45s and were happy. Strangely when they presented the machine to the owner it was with a 78 record, so someone must have told them about their screw-up along the way. All in all it cost the owner $1,800 to "restore" it to a state were it has zero historical value, when it would have only needed some carefull cleaning and re-glueing of the lid.

OMG
Andreas

Price depends on condition and where you may find it.. I got my mahogany version which was partly because its the first edison I ever saw sitting in my great grandfathers basement when I was very young.. I always wanted that machine even though given the chance I would rather have it in oak.. it sold for 25.00 minus a reproducer an in need of some fixable issues at a local auction for 25.00.. three is a nice dark oak Edison that has been running on craigs list and ebay for some time without selling and I see its now at 200 or best offer.. If it were closer I would consider it but too far for me to go after.. Often these are quite cheap if you keep your eyes open.. I remember when I fist became interested in Edisons once again about 7 years ago it wasn't unusual to see a oak edison in the C 19 bring up to 800 or more. But they began to fall and so far are still dropping it seems.. I have always been mystified at the fact that they seem somewhat unwanted by many collectors since the sound when working right is unbeatable.

Larry

Are there any websites where i can see these bodge jobs?

kirtley2012 wrote:Are there any websites where i can see these bodge jobs?

It may not be out on the internet yet:
American Restoration
Title: Down & Dirty
Season 4, Episode 12
The History Channel

I've not seen it yet.

from wiki:
"12 "Down and Dirty" June 13, 2012
A customer brings in a 1972 Honda ATC. The front tire is missing, so Tyler has to search for one online. Meanwhile, another customer wants his grandfather's rifle restored. After Rick hires an expert to analyze the gun, it is determined to be a Revolutionary War musket, and that restoration would dramatically devaluate the gun. Also, Ron and Tyler plan a bachelor party for Rick. The party has to be "PG", so Ron and Tyler rent ATVs for them all to ride. Meanwhile, another customer wants an Edison phonograph restored. The phonograph had been his grandfather's. "

All of those cable shows seem to follow the same format. They take about 5 or 10 minutes of content and stretch it to fill an hour with the constant "coming up next," fake drama and repeats of what they showed earlier plus adverts every 5 minutes. I'd rather spend my time listening to one of my gramophones, reading about them or restoring one. Just my 2 cents.

I normally prefer to do that aswell, i just want to see how bad it is!

alang wrote:Yesterday I saw an episode of American Restoration where they "restored" a nice external horn Alba gramophone. The horn still had most of its paint with some damage from bird droppings. The machine itself was looking good with fully intact decal, just the lid was split in half. They tried to appear knowledgable, but what they said about the machine, the motor, and phonographs and gramophones in general was utter cr*p and less than you could find out within 15 minutes in google.

"We are trying to use as much of the original wood as possible for historic accuracy. Otherwise we could just build a new case...". I could have accepted them using yellow glue on the lid, even though I would expect more from such an "experienced restorer". Like always they completely sanded down and refinished the case, new decal and everything. Then they bead-blasted the beautifull horn and gave it an airbrushed paint job like a Harley tank. Even though tonearm, reproducer and elbow were in nice condition, they sand-blasted and re-nickeled everything to make it look like fresh from India. Not sure if they replaced the needle or re-nickeled it as well?

Best restoration was the "flywheel motor"; "you crank it up and the flywheel then keeps it running through its momentum" (they meant the governor - no mention of a spring). It seems they just soaked the complete motor without disassembly and then oiled and greased it. In order to be able to demonstrate it they went to a vintage record store to buy some original 1920s records. Since they did not have a clue they bought some 45s and were happy. Strangely when they presented the machine to the owner it was with a 78 record, so someone must have told them about their screw-up along the way. All in all it cost the owner $1,800 to "restore" it to a state were it has zero historical value, when it would have only needed some carefull cleaning and re-glueing of the lid.

OMG
Andreas

I just caught this episode where they restored the "ALBA GRAMOPHONE" lol I caught everything you said Andreas, and totally agree. My impression on this was it looks like a "Crap-O-Phone", and to be such "professional restorers" as I thought, they failed miserably in the phonograph department. That motor should have been fully disassembled, cleaned and reassembled and lubricated. The mainsprings should have been lubricated. For $ 1,800.00 that's a joke. The gentleman could have easily owned a better machine.

Uncle Vanya wrote:Did anyone else see tonight's episode of American Restoration?

Rick, the fellow who ruined a nice original Atwater Kent Model 37 "Modernistic" a few weeks ago undertook the restoration of a somewhat tatty Edison C-19 in mahogany. The charge was $4,500.00. For this price they cleaned the motor, though they didn't appear to have dis-assembled it. The cabinet had some veneer repair, and was entirely stripped, stained a brilliant orange-red, and coated with poly slop. Brilliant green silk grille cloth and high-polished gold plated metalwork completed the job. The only really good part of the original machine was the pristine turntable felt, which was of course discarded so that the entire turntable could be brightly gold plated!

After your description, I'm almost frightened to take a peek

I saw that episode about 6 months ago. A good example on how that show is a bunch of rubbish! A guy brings in a $40 Diamond Disc, it gets pimped up to a $75 Diamond Disc and the so called customer pays $4,500 for the restoration. As I recall they gold plated the upper works! The C-19 is probably the most common Edison listed on Craigslist (or anywhere else for that matter) and you would be hard pressed to pay more than $300 for one in original VG condition full of DD records and Kent adapters!

Those jokers Rick and his crew tell me they are out of touch with restoration, Now it makes me wonder if their other "non-phonograph" restorations are correct. Hmm.. A can of pink Krylon paint with black touch up on a Victor V may look great. Oh and a early Berliner with Blue and White paint may look good too, and while we are at it we will paint a record gold. These kind of people make me sick, not even close to restoration.

His son (Tyler) became foreman on the show where they "restored" the ALBA. His son and his teenage friend walked into a record store and bought some 45's like they knew what they were doing. I guess the young generation has no clue.

Off my soapbox.