The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi All,
There is a Victor VE 7-26X on e-bay in the Victor section that is less than 10 minutes away from me. I would post pic from e-bay but still do not know how to do that(no laughing please. Anyone have any experence with this machine and what do you think of his asking price.
Thx Abe

It looks like a nice machine to me, although I don’t know if that’s a good price or not. See below for the description and the pictures.

Hopefully someone else can give you a more informed opinion.

— MordEth

[hr][/hr]

RCA Radiola Electrola Victor Victrola Phonograph Radio

Vintage antique - RCA Radiola & Victor Victrola in one cabinet.

Model VE 7-26X

** UPDATE 3/17/09: I received a question regarding the hood for the radio dial lamp which I responded to below. I have confirmed with the owner that the hood for the radio dial lamp is missing. If this is an issue, the owner has offered to configure a new one out of brass although I have been advised that having a reproduction is probably not something a collector would want. (In my response below, please note that it's the HOOD for the radio dial lamp that is missing.) **

I am selling this item for a good friend of mine that has been collecting for over thirty years. All the items he is selling were working when he put them on display in his home twenty years ago. The items are being sold as “complete” — they have all the parts, knobs and tubes. In the case of any wind up type talking machines they will be oiled and adjusted before they are packed for shipping.

Please contact me before bidding for any additional details or questions you may have about this item.

Local pick up is always welcome. If you are interested in having it shipped, we can build a custom crate for $100 plus the actual shipping cost. Through North American Van Lines, we can get an estimate for shipping based on your zip code or if you have a preferred shipper please let us know. Please do not pay until we have arranged for the shipping and calculated the actual shipping costs.

Hi Abe:

A brief description of this model can be found on this page: http://www.victor-victrola.com/7-26.htm

I'm 99 percent sure that the tonearm you see on this is not the original one. All of the ones I've seen -- two in person and about a half dozen in various states of disrepair in photos -- were equipped with the "turn back" type arm used on the standard Orthophonic acoustic Victrolas:


7-26X Tone Arm

Other images of the 7-26 appear on this page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kb1awv/set ... 266524999/

The tone arm fitted to this particular 7-26X you are interested in is from a later period, and is generally referred to as a "cobra style" tone arm.

SEE: http://www.phonoland.com/viewtopic.php? ... 958&p=6070

The "cobra arm" actually replaced the short-lived straight tone arm, used when RCA acquired the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1929, on such models as the RE-45.


The RE-45's straight tone arm.

Whether this retrofit was done by the seller, or years before, I don't know.

BTW, the straight arm was discontinued because it had a tendency to twist on loud passages, or so I've read. ("From Tinfoil to Stereo," Welch & Read) Rather than lay the magnetic reproducer, which was the cause of this problem, flat, RCA, instead, decided to install cobra type wings--fitted with small weights-- on either side of the reproducer! While this stabilized the tone arm, it also made it heavier.

Funny, he says all the items he is putting on for a friend were working when they were first put on display 20 years ago, but he doesn't say if they are working now. I am not an expert on these types of early electric phonographs but that seems like a very high starting price and he may have problems moving it because of his inadequate description as well. He also has one of his friend's Edison Phonographs on there as well, with a Horn that he describes as a speaker!!The horn is a nice original but it is far from perfect, and he also has a starting price far to high for a common Standard model Edison, although he may sucker some starting collector in because of the Flowered Morning Glory horn.

Thank you for a great reply-I am really looking for a Crendza-but here in Arizona we do not see many of the larger machines-depending on what happens on the auction the price may change. I just cannot see shiping one of thses large machines unless they are very good condition and the price is right. Everytime I ck freight just blows things out of shape.
Abe

I bought one of these about 1 ½ months ago off of ebay. It was in excellent operating condition, but I was the only bidder who paid the reserve $300.00!
In my opinion the electric playback of this machine doesn't compare favorably with the nice acoustic sound of a nice orthophonic machine.
Bob

This version of the 7-26 using the 100A cone speaker is not a great sounding piece. If you like the style look for the version using the dynamic speaker, they were in units with serial numbers above 12,000 or look for a 9-18, larger, better looking, best radio (Radiola 64) and sounds great.

This one is overpriced, no tonearm/pickup, & no albums.

Chuck

Thanks Guys,
I took the advice and told seller that I would pass-one of these days a really nice Crendza will show up in these parts Thx again Abe