Columbia Viva-tonal model 710

[FloridaClay]

Hi all,

A bit of a progress report. I bought the 710 (mentioned on another thread in the context of some reproducer questions). Hard to pass up at $75. It has battle scars, was WAY beyond filthy, some cabinet pieces loose, and part of the center door hinges were missing. However, with many hours of elbow grease, some wood glue and clamping, Kotton Klenser, some Restore-A-Finish on the badly scarred top, some Kotton Klenser Lemon Oil and Beeswax polish, and replacing the rotted grille cloth, she looks pretty good.

The grille cloth for this model, by the way, is identical to the cloth used in Victor Orthophonics. Fortunately I had a remnant big enough left over from replacing the grille cloth in my Credenza some time back. As you may know, the factory that made it for years is now gone.

The motor, which only needed lubrication, runs strongly and quietly.

It does not have the base response that an Orthophonic has, but I gather that this is par for the course with Columbias. Fortunately the isolator on the rear of the reproducer, which can be problematic and was a worry when trying to decide if I should make the trip to pick it up, is sound. I may replace the reproducer gaskets if I can find a proper set.

George Vollema had the hinge parts I need and I have ordered a piece of green velvet that I think may work for the turntable. (The original is gone.) I will also be getting a replacement for the damaged (which is why it looks white) center door pull knob. I am guessing that the center door is darker because it had likely be left in the open and tucked-under position and therefore not exposed to the sun.

It had been in the same family since new, but after the seller's great grandmother died, it had just been stuck in a garage for years.

It seems a bit strange to me that a fairly expensive machine made this late (1926) has no automatic or semi-automatic stop. I see no signs that there ever was one on this machine.

Clay

[jimmantwo]

Very nice. I acquired one recently and also found it strange that it had no automatic brake. It is my 1st Columbia. Pretty machine. The sound is not to my liking (but nothing I've heard compares too well to an 8-30).

[FloridaClay]

Very nice. I acquired one recently and also found it strange that it had no automatic brake. It is my 1st Columbia. Pretty machine. The sound is not to my liking (but nothing I've heard compares too well to an 8-30).

I agree about the Credenza/VV 8-30. My Credenza is my favorite disc machine and gets played most often.

Clay

[ImperialGuardsman]

I got one a little while back that alos had the tone door knob broken and the door must have been sat on while open because the wood around the hinges is busted, but all the parts are still there. I really do love the sound it puts out, though I find that a medium tone needle really does it more justice than soft. I don't know why, I use soft on my other (non-orthophonic) phographs exclusivly for the most part.

Mine does have a very acurate semi-auto break though. Easy to set, and there is little guess work on when it will stop the record.

[FloridaClay]

I got one a little while back that alos had the tone door knob broken and the door must have been sat on while open because the wood around the hinges is busted, but all the parts are still there. I really do love the sound it puts out, though I find that a medium tone needle really does it more justice than soft. I don't know why, I use soft on my other (non-orthophonic) phographs exclusivly for the most part.

Mine does have a very acurate semi-auto break though. Easy to set, and there is little guess work on when it will stop the record.

Can you describe the brake? Possibly I am just missing something, but I see no hardware for one.

The center door had suffered a similar fate on my example. The bottom edges of the door were split several ways and I had to glue them back together. The door must have been broken off with some force. The parts of the hinges that attach to the door were gone.

I have also found that a soft needle really does not do it, not giving enough volume. That might improve with replacement of the gaskets, but I have yet to find a proper gasket set for the #15 reproducer.

Clay

[larryh]

This too was my first columbia viva tonal machine. It was in good shape when I got it.. I found it a bit harsh and very loud. It may have been because I didn't know much about them and probably thought a loud needle was called for. It went a long time ago.. I later owned a 810 and to my ear it played equally if not better than my credenza. The only reason I parted with it was I had a credenza it was lighter and not as directional as the columbia which used one side of the cabinet as the horn.. I did rebuild the reproducer in the 810 and it was very clear and had a great tone.. I recall reading some reviews where some critics thought that columbia had it over victor in sound with that model.

Larry

[ImperialGuardsman]

I got one a little while back that alos had the tone door knob broken and the door must have been sat on while open because the wood around the hinges is busted, but all the parts are still there. I really do love the sound it puts out, though I find that a medium tone needle really does it more justice than soft. I don't know why, I use soft on my other (non-orthophonic) phographs exclusivly for the most part.

Mine does have a very acurate semi-auto break though. Easy to set, and there is little guess work on when it will stop the record.

Can you describe the brake? Possibly I am just missing something, but I see no hardware for one.

The center door had suffered a similar fate on my example. The bottom edges of the door were split several ways and I had to glue them back together. The door must have been broken off with some force. The parts of the hinges that attach to the door were gone.

I have also found that a soft needle really does not do it, not giving enough volume. That might improve with replacement of the gaskets, but I have yet to find a proper gasket set for the #15 reproducer.

Clay

Well, there is a bar haning down fron the tone arm that comes into contact with one side of a wide U shaped piece that contects to the brake assembly under the turntable. I wish I was at home (I'm at college) and could take a picture for you. Perhaps it was an optional feature?
As for the gaskets, I sent my reproducer to Wyatt Marcus and he found that everyting was in great shape. The gaskets were still compliant and all. I've also made sure the joints on the tone arm were close yet free and I sealed the horn with wood glue. Great sound quality with a soft tone, but it really pops with medium tone.

[ImperialGuardsman]

You can see a glimps of the mechanism to the left of the tone arm in this video (not mine):
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRI2eWkifto[/youtube]

You get a better view, albeit blurry, here: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sTFrj-Q1UQ[/youtube]

Another angle of the first machine: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFme6gEQARg[/youtube]

These are not 710's, but they seem to have the semi auto brake.

[FloridaClay]

Thanks much Guardsman. That hardware is not present on my 710 and no indication it ever was, e.g., no place on the tone arm where the bar would have been attached. Perhaps (?) the auto stops were added as an improvement at some later point during the production run.

Clay

[FloridaClay]

A postscript. An illustration of the 710 in the July 17, 1926, edition of The Music Trade Review shows the finish on the center door darker and a photo of another example found on the net shows the same, so the center door on mine may have always been darker than the side doors.

Clay