The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello I was at a shop and they had a nice oak table top machine for under a $100 with a price reuction as time goes on I think if it is still there it's going to be around $70 about now Are Silvertone machines any good or remotely collectable? It looked complete it runs tone arm may need help but complete with a couple of extras like record brush etc.
any input appreciated I don't have any pics
Dwight

Hi Dwight
Pictures always help but a oak table top Silvertone with extras that runs and plays for $70 sounds pretty fair to me. Unless the case has been painted or the finish is trashed, complete running and playing machines don't get much cheaper. Silvertones are fairly well built machines and common enough that if you need parts in the future they should be available.
Best Regards, Larry

Phonolair wrote:Hi Dwight
Pictures always help but a oak table top Silvertone with extras that runs and plays for $70 sounds pretty fair to me. Unless the case has been painted or the finish is trashed, complete running and playing machines don't get much cheaper. Silvertones are fairly well built machines and common enough that if you need parts in the future they should be available.
Best Regards, Larry

Thanks the price is cheaper enough I just wasn't sure about the desirabilty of the machines but I did some more internet searching and everyhting agreed with what you said. So if it is still there I may go and get it How do they sound?
Dwight

It will be comparable with other table top machines of the era.
Best Regards, Larry

It sounds like a very good deal- if there is anything to fix replacement parts (even entire arms) are not hard to find. One thing to check, I've noticed the grilles in these tabletops are prone to splitting and delamination.

I would say that as long as the cabinet is tight and sound, and the veneer and finish is in decent order, it is a decent deal.

Estott makes a good point about the grilles delaminating... as long as none of the face veneer is missing, you should be able to carefully re-glue any separation.


I have a oak floor model that is a nice machine; the cabinet is well-made, with lines similar to a Victrola XI, the Saal motor is very nice.


After years of avoiding them ( under the impression they weren't very good ), I have changed my mind, and would consider others...

Good Luck !

The Silvertone Table model I had at one point had the best sound of any small machine I had owned and had a very smooth motor. I just never could find a place to put it and got tired of having it sitting on the floor so I sold it. It may be that silvertone had different qualities but the ads all say that the smaller machines have the same quality motor has the larger ones. In the case of the one I had I would say it was.. They usually also came with an adapter to play Pathé records.

Larry

For $70, it's a good deal if it's all there. Some of the uppity crowd knocks them, but most Silvertones are actually pretty decent machines.

If my memory serves me the grille looked in good shape with no delamination and intact grille clothe. I don't remember seeing an adaptor to play Pathé and or edison but that would be a plus if it was there. There was a plastic bag with the machine it may be in there. I will probably head by there tues and see if it's still there my luck it probably won't but we will see. It's in kind of depressed area so I kind of doubt it sold. It also seemed quite large for a table top machine at least compared to my Victrola
thanks for the info and input also encouragement to try a different kind of machine
Dwight

If the machine had a Pathé adaptor there will be a holder for it near the tone arm. Some later machines did away with it, and the very late oak tabletop silvertones had swans neck arms.

The reproducers can be slightly tricky to get apart and rebuild, but a Victor reproducer will fit the arm nicely.