Don't bother looking here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-GRAND-B ... 1457607108
Looking for a Busy Bee in great condition?
- Curt A
- Victor Monarch Special
- Posts: 6812
- Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2010 8:32 pm
- Personal Text: Needle Tins are Addictive
- Location: Belmont, North Carolina
Looking for a Busy Bee in great condition?
"The phonograph is not of any commercial value."
Thomas Alva Edison - Comment to his assistant, Samuel Insull.
"No one needs a Victrola XX, a Perfected Graphophone Type G, or whatever you call those noisy things."
My Wife
Thomas Alva Edison - Comment to his assistant, Samuel Insull.
"No one needs a Victrola XX, a Perfected Graphophone Type G, or whatever you call those noisy things."
My Wife
- De Soto Frank
- Victor V
- Posts: 2687
- Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 1:27 pm
- Location: Northeast Pennsylvania
Re: Looking for a Busy Bee in great condition?
Well, it sure needs some love, but with the exception of the crank and the horn bracket, it looks like all the important bits are there...
Definitely a project...

Definitely a project...

De Soto Frank
- Curt A
- Victor Monarch Special
- Posts: 6812
- Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2010 8:32 pm
- Personal Text: Needle Tins are Addictive
- Location: Belmont, North Carolina
Re: Looking for a Busy Bee in great condition?
It looks like its been stored for the past 70 years in a flooded basement...
"The phonograph is not of any commercial value."
Thomas Alva Edison - Comment to his assistant, Samuel Insull.
"No one needs a Victrola XX, a Perfected Graphophone Type G, or whatever you call those noisy things."
My Wife
Thomas Alva Edison - Comment to his assistant, Samuel Insull.
"No one needs a Victrola XX, a Perfected Graphophone Type G, or whatever you call those noisy things."
My Wife
-
- Victor VI
- Posts: 3946
- Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2009 9:42 am
- Location: Western Canada
Re: Looking for a Busy Bee in great condition?
It was found in a "vintage ghost town".....Curt A wrote:It looks like its been stored for the past 70 years in a flooded basement...

- Bruce
- Victor III
- Posts: 578
- Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 9:15 pm
- Location: Vancouver, Canada
Re: Looking for a Busy Bee in great condition?
What a great looking project for those with a strong disposition and patients.
I hope that the buyer is a forum member and shows us a restoration in progress.
Unfortunately I bet at the current price the buyer is going to part what is left.
Bruce
I hope that the buyer is a forum member and shows us a restoration in progress.
Unfortunately I bet at the current price the buyer is going to part what is left.
Bruce
- Curt A
- Victor Monarch Special
- Posts: 6812
- Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2010 8:32 pm
- Personal Text: Needle Tins are Addictive
- Location: Belmont, North Carolina
Re: Looking for a Busy Bee in great condition?
Yes, it is certainly restorable... I have tackled similar projects in the past. However, it will take a lot of time, money and ability to fabricate the wood pieces that are damaged along with finding the missing parts, replacing the decal, the crank and the broken horn support.
The turntable looks strange to me, like it might be a replacement or something cobbled up? After looking again, the turntable appears to have another turntable placed on top of the original, probably because of the lug for Busy Bee records. The bottom of the case has a convenient motor access, as well.
So, after spending hours of restoration time and a fair amount of money for replacement parts, if you can find them, you end up with a mediocre machine that cost more to restore than to buy a good example... just sayin'...
The turntable looks strange to me, like it might be a replacement or something cobbled up? After looking again, the turntable appears to have another turntable placed on top of the original, probably because of the lug for Busy Bee records. The bottom of the case has a convenient motor access, as well.
So, after spending hours of restoration time and a fair amount of money for replacement parts, if you can find them, you end up with a mediocre machine that cost more to restore than to buy a good example... just sayin'...
"The phonograph is not of any commercial value."
Thomas Alva Edison - Comment to his assistant, Samuel Insull.
"No one needs a Victrola XX, a Perfected Graphophone Type G, or whatever you call those noisy things."
My Wife
Thomas Alva Edison - Comment to his assistant, Samuel Insull.
"No one needs a Victrola XX, a Perfected Graphophone Type G, or whatever you call those noisy things."
My Wife