The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello everyone, new to the site and new to "Talking Machines"! Picked up a Victor VV-XVII at a garage sale for very cheap, and I don't think anything is missing on it outside of one wheel. Sadly most of the carvings have damage and the base for the one wheel is broken. I currently have it in pieces cleaning and taking stock. I don't know if the turntable works, I did crank it up a bit to see if it spins but seems to be catching on something. Any help or hints you all can pass along would be of great help. My goal is to get it looking as good as possible without re-finishing it, and keep it with some other furniture I have refinished from this era.
Brian

Welcome to the TMF. If you haven't already done so, please check out Paul Edie's website. It has a lot of useful info about Victrolas. It's a great place to start.

http://www.victor-victrola.com/

BrianG23 wrote:I don't know if the turntable works, I did crank it up a bit to see if it spins but seems to be catching on something. Any help or hints you all can pass along would be of great help.
Brian

Does it still catch if you remove the turntable? It should lift right off. If it doesn't catch when the turntable is removed, it is probably the brake assembly incorrectly set up or it could be bent.

If it still catches when the turntable is removed you might have a damaged gear - the one that connects the spring barrel to the spindle is usually the culprit. If one or more of the teeth are damaged on that gear, it will catch every time it comes around. Another thing to look for is damaged teeth on the gear that connects the spindle to the governor. That one can have the same issue.

Nice machine! Should look good when it is cleaned up! Congratulations on a good buy!

Cliff

Congratulations! A Victrola XVII is a nice start.

AZ's recommendation for Paul Edie's Victor-Victrola website is a good one. There are also two excellent books on Victor/Victrolas (indispensable if you're collecting this brand): Look For The Dog by Robert Baumbach, and (for production details, more specific timeframes, and lots of additional information)) The Victor Data Book, also by Robert Baumbach.

As a new collector, you might want to visit the website for The Antique Phonograph Society:

http://www.antiquephono.org

There's a tab on the Home Page for "Articles." They're all helpful, but you might want to start with "Introductory." Most of them are short, and contain a number of photos.

Have fun...

George P.

Paul Edie's website contains a wealth of information on Victor products, but the site can be a bit daunting to explore. Here's a direct link to the VV-XVII: http://www.victor-victrola.com/XVII.htm

By your serial number, the machine was produced in 1917 (same year as my XI). I can't tell from the one photo whether yours has the slim taper tube with Exhibition or the "fat" tube with no. 2 sound box. Whichever, it will surely need rebuilding, and there is lots of experience on the board to help, should you decide to tackle this yourself.

Hi Brian
If your sticking problem is motor related rather than turn table, be careful as you work on the motor. The springs and gears will be under tension as you have already wound it some and maybe people before you also. You will need to get the tension released before working on, or taking the motor apart.

Best Regards, Larry

Welcome Brian. The XVII is a really nice machine and well worth the effort to put right. Best of luck on the project!

Clay

Since no one has mentioned this yet......if you go to our "search" and type in Victrola XVII or even XVIII, You will find a couple past threads on some restorations other members have done on their machine's.I mention the XVIII and although a model up from yours; there was one that was in really rough shape the member restored to showroom condition.
Hope you find them helpful. You also have a incorrect reproducer on your machine. Not a big deal.

Isn't it funny that only 18000 XVII were made, but everyone has at least one. I think that number is wrong?

Amberola wrote:Isn't it funny that only 18000 XVII were made, but everyone has at least one. I think that number is wrong?

That is what the internet does - items we used to think were scarce will start popping up like dandelions.