The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have seen a few of these Paillard made portables in black and even a blue one. I have never seen a "red" one. So, I decided to buy it. Not sure it fits very well into my collection. However, it is a cute color. At the moment it is in "as found" condition. All the nickel fittings need to be polished still. I like the heavy duty coil spring in the lid. It's supposed to hold down your stack of records onto the turntable.

Also available in brown. Here is my dual powered example :

I think there was a green model made also. Although, I have not seen one. This is the first "red" I've seen. It was found in Hawaii of all places. I have seen a brown in a 302. After a little cleaning.....

After cleaning up the motor and new governor springs (thanks to a friend)......I thought I would test it out. Who knows how long it's been sitting dead..???.Hope you enjoy the video..... .
http://youtu.be/KeQpN-zRdvM

For me, the most rewarding moment of a restoration is to hear the machine play for the first time after decades of silence.

Thankyou for sharing your moment.

With just the trough for a horn, it sounds really good.

Clay

FloridaClay wrote:With just the trough for a horn, it sounds really good.

Clay

I'm surprised at how much thought was put into the sound chamber design.First a metal "horn", followed by a bent wood passage.

I have an non-branded deluxe Paillard portable, sold in the states by department stores, music stores, etc.--based on what I've learned--which is described here -- http://www.phonoland.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1941

The horn fitted into this model is all sheet metal and nearly three feet long. With the tonearm, the tone chamber is four feet, or the same size as the Orthophonic VV-2-55, though it has the same sound box used in the ones you have.

Judging from the length of the tone chamber used in the red portable, it probably has the potential to pump out quite a strong mid-range, with more than just a hint of bass, if a little sealing were done using a thin bead of non-hardening (window) putty on the edges where the parts come together. (Such a modification would be totally reversible.)

One thing about the sound box I found is that it is somewhat tunable by tightening or loosening the screws holding the pivot "plate" in place. I did a little experimenting with mine, easing the tension on the plate somewhat, and was surprised at the improvement.

Joe

Joe wrote: "if a little sealing were done using a thin bead of non-hardening (window) putty on the edges where the parts come together. (Such a modification would be totally reversible."

Not sure I would recommend this. Since glazier putty has linseed oil in it. over a short period of time the oil will bleed into the wood/paper construction and stain the outer covering. This damage would "not" be reversible. Paillard used a sponge material on the end of the metal tone chamber. Surprisingly the sponge has held up (although dry and brittle) rather well given the age.

The best way to tell if your machine was made by Paillard is to check the marking on the motor. Yours may have been made by Thorens. Which in fact both companies were joined through marriage of the two family's eventually.

gramophone78 wrote:Joe wrote: "if a little sealing were done using a thin bead of non-hardening (window) putty on the edges where the parts come together. (Such a modification would be totally reversible."

Not sure I would recommend this. Since glazier putty has linseed oil in it. over a short period of time the oil will bleed into the wood/paper construction and stain the outer covering. This damage would "not" be reversible. Paillard used a sponge material on the end of the metal tone chamber. Surprisingly the sponge has held up (although dry and brittle) rather well given the age.

The best way to tell if your machine was made by Paillard is to check the marking on the motor. Yours may have been made by Thorens. Which in fact both companies were joined through marriage of the two family's eventually.

Many thanks for your input. I'm wondering if there is any other type of non-hardening sealant available that wouldn't cause long-term damage. Perhaps, depending on how tightly the cardboard sides mate with the motor board, it wouldn't be needed. It's kind of a shame, considering the quality of the case and components used, that Paillard didn't "go the full monty" and provide a one-piece metal horn, as HMV, Columbia, Decca, etc. did. Still, in all fairness, the red portable does sound very good.

As for my chrome plated portable, the motor is, indeed, stamped Paillard. The sound box, while identical to the ones shown in the photographs, is not branded. These have been turning up quite often on sites such as Craigslist and on eBay, so they must have been popular in their day.

Joe