The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

A few weeks ago someone started a thread "When Cranks Attack". In a weak attempt at humor I made a silly statement that being a phono nerd was not all glamor and sometimes it's dangerous. I got a good dose of phono karma for that insensitive statement this weekend. At the flea market I was demonstrating a nice little Amberola 30. I wound the machine, stopped, and released the crank. The crank was motionless for a moment and suddenly started furiously rotating backwards. I felt like Uncle Josh when I say a whole lot of things happened in a lot less time than it takes to tell about it. That crank wacked my thumb four or five times before I got it out of the way. Josh would say the language I used was just shameful. I was so angry with that little machine that I considered parting it out but then I thought better of parting out a complete machine. Can you imagine the phono karma resulting from profiting from dismantling a complete machine and selling the parts? That's where I stand on that subject. Jerry Blais

Ouch! Maybe that machine was trying to tell you something -- "Don't you dare play Gladys Rice ever, or I'll whack you again!"

Ouch. Good thing it wasn't one of the big ones that bit you !

(It hurts just to look at your photo ! )

Ouch. Just....ouch. Sorry that happened to you.

Yea drubbed that finger thoroughly Jerry. I know it should not be funny but still

Yes, I started when cranks attack. I had the same injury only it split the top of the thumb wide open and sprayed you know what everywhere. Been paranoid ever since...

Ooch. You should change your signature at the end of your posts to Jerry Bruises

I suppose you could take a certain perverse pride being whacked by an Opera or Idealia, but an Amberola 30? How humiliating!

VintageTechnologies wrote:I suppose you could take a certain perverse pride being whacked by an Opera or Idealia, but an Amberola 30? How humiliating!

Yea that's sort of like getting beat up by a girl in 7th grade.

It's the small machines you have to watch.