The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello All-New Guy here in Moline Illinois

I am known more for collecting console radios but I decided I needed a nice big credenza
too and bought one last year on that big auction site from a seller in Virginia.
He called it a model 633 but it turns out that was the actual serial number, making it a VERY
early production unit.

The seller had cropped his photos to hide a broken ball foot and minor veneer damage but I was able
to replace the foot with another one from a donor set. My set has been refinished in the distant past too,
a just so so job at that.

After receiving my set via craters and freighters, I sent the reproducer off to That guy in San Francisco
the set now sounds wonderful. I have been buying books and other info and learning about all the early
Victrolas and their completion.

Some photos of my set:






I was really surprised at how large and heavy a Credenza really is as shown in the last photo
next to a rather large Midwest CC-18 console.

Congrats on your cadenza, they are one of the best sounding orthophonics. Nice radios to

You are maybe one of the closest collectors to me, very nice machine, they sound great, lovely radios too! I live in Princeton IL off I-80.

A handsome Credenza, and great to have such an early one! I love the one I have too.

Clay

You started with a great performing machine. When I have guests in my basement and have played a few machines, I save my Orthophonic for last. I tell them it made every machine in my collection instantly obsolete when it was introduced. When they hear it, they understand. Jerry Blais

A very nice early one- the two door ones aren't common. It should have the brass bodied reproducer, if you're lucky.

Thanks all-Yes my reproducer is the early brass one with the 7 cutouts.

I got tired of changing needles after every record so recently invested
in a box of those tungstone ones that supposedly last for 100 plays or so.

I had no idea these were so heavy. My guess is they weigh about 150 lbs or more.
I took off the back and was amazed at the size of the horn in there. I need to adjust
my closing lid thingies as they let the lid slam down too fast. I have the instruction
manual but need a rainy day to get to it.

It came with the 4 shelves full of 78's but alas no Robert Johnson's in there.

Just the brass reproducers alone are brining around $400 on eBay.

Clay

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Credenzas. Be sure to stock up on some Victor scrolls and Viva-tonals!

The "closing thingees" are called dash-pots. Put some Neatsfoot Oil into the dash-pot cylinder and it will swell and soften the leather gasket inside and make them work like new again almost instantly.