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I just made a score at a local farm auction. There in the barn were an Edison S-19 (complete but with huge sheets of venier missing from its sides and a loose lid hinge) and a Victor floor model Victrola VV-XI (with excellent --Can it be walnut?-- cabinet but missing all its guts, including horn, tonearm board, motor board, motor, crank, and even the crank escutcheon; but it has all its doors and door knobs).
I thought I would bid low to get the Edison reproducer so I can experiment with the various diaphragms I have been reading about on this forum.

My bid was $25, bidding ended, and I discovered that I was bidding on BOTH phonographs, for which I paid a mere $25.

Naturlly now that they are home, I will not be using the Edison reproducer as a spare but will most likely restore the whole machine, since the motor runs wonderfully, silently, and the reproducer sounds better than the one I am using on my Edison Laboratory model, which supposedly has new gaskets, work done at least 20 years ago by an outfit that I now believe is in the business of being underhanded.
So much for the Edison. This cabinet too, by the way appears to be walnut--it's way lighter than the usual dark 1920s mahogany.

But now I also own a VV-XI empty cabinet.

What would you do?

I probably can obtain parts on eBay but in doing so I will reward the shysters who disassemble perfectly good machines for profit. Can any of you advise me of motor, motor board, and tone arm board interchanges with other Victrolas (if any) and possibly with table models as well? I kinda love that walnut look of the cabinet.

Oh yeah: there was a Diamond Disc on the Edison turntable as well !!

Posting pics would be best. You can also run a wanted ad for the parts you seek in our "Yankee Trader". You also find great info in our "Tips & Tech" section.
Hope this helps you along.. .

OK I'll get some pictures--one way or another. I still use film so I will need to exhaust a roll and have it developed, then scan. (MEBBE IT'S TIME TO PICK UP A DIGITAL CAMERA.)

I'm a bit concerned about my previous remark about "shysters who take apart perfecftly good machines to sell the parts on eBay." I now realize that I may have offended many of you on this forum. I still believe it to be an objectionable practice but will live among you if necessary.

John

Pictures would really help, it maybe time to pick up a cheap digital for what it's worth.

I don't think you'll have a problem finding the parts for the Victrola, they pop up on the internet
all the time and there are many sources for used parts (not all of them shysters ). If it's Walnut
my guess would be it'd be worth it, if Mahogany I'd sit on it a lot longer until I found the parts for the right price (space permitting) or trade it with someone who could use it.

Regardless, it sounds like a great deal and some fun adventure coming your way!

Just out of curiosity, would a walnut machine have a walnut veneered horn as well as sound slats?

VV-XIs were perhaps Victor's biggest seller, with 800,000+ made, so there are tons of them around and it might not be that hard to find one somewhere with a wrecked case, but good internals, you could pick up cheap. If the case is not in that good shape or not one of the rarer finishes, though, you might be better off just selling it and picking up a good, complete example somewhere.

Clay

P.S. If I am reading it right, "Look for the Dog" doesn't show a walnut XI, although there were tons on different oak finishes. Some good pictures will help resolve what you've got.

OK.....here is where I learn to upload some photos.
First the Edison S-19, all complete but with horrendous finish:

....and now the VV-XI. It's possible the wood is mahogany but it is light, not the usual 1920s dark dark red. As you see I am missing everything internal. I am thinking of just waiting until the opportunity arises to pick a junk cabinet machine with all the guts I need. By the time I buy all this stuff on eBay I will be in for more money than buying a complete machine, I am sure. Thanks for looking.

EDISON SERIAL NUMBER S-19 ... 56647
VICTOR SERIAL NUMBER VV-XI ... 289229G

welshfield wrote:....and now the VV-XI. By the time I buy all this stuff on eBay I will be in for more money than buying a complete machine, I am sure.

Maybe, however you've saved the XI from its probable destiny as a bathroom sink cabinet. As another once said, "These machines deserve a second life."