The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Well after looking at it and seeing that it definitely needed some TLC
I decided to offer the seller a lower price for this machine. we
settled on 80.00 and so I bought it. It is walnut but the finish is
completely alligatored all over, but i like the effect. structurally
it is very sound and the motor does wind up and sound quiet, however
the start/stop lever and the speed indicator lever are both disconnected
as if someone was not the seller had been working on the internal parts.
it came with a bag of parts a duster and the original key. Now I just
need to get everything put back together, hopefully in the right places
and clean the cabinet up.
Gene

You'll have to let us know how it sounds compared to your Victrola(s)!

You're having fun now!

Fran

Congrats on a bargain. I expect the walnut case may be fairly rare. If you find any small bits missing, you can likely get them from George V.

Clay

Gene -

It looks like a great machine, I really like the wood inlay.

I think you got a fine deal for $80.

I've paid twice that for alligatored red mahogany / nickle Grafonola "Mignonette".


Check the governor weights: some Columbias had a tapered, "lozenge"-type lead weight that frequently deteriorate and flake, causing the machine to run "fast", but these can be replaced ( I think).

This style cabinet Columbia is on my wish-list.

I think you got a wonderful deal at $80! This is a Columbia I used to long for, and never ever saw one available. I never realized this L-2 had been available in walnut, I had assumed they were all mahogany. That makes this all the more special in my book. One wonders-----has anyone seen this model in oak?

There was a variation on this model that had (if memory serves me correctly) small doors in the back, located on either side of the speaker "throat". I think the intent was to allow for auxiliary record storage back there (for the Christmas records?) There is this irresistible temptation to think those doors hid more than records back in those Prohibition days.

As others have noted, does yours have that non-set automatic stop device?

Thanks for the comments Frank and Kirkwood, it is a nice looking machine and the lacquer finish
is all alligatored up, which I kinda like. But alas this poor machine does have issues, the
gold finish on the bedplate and tone arm and bracket is like painted on, definitely not like
the victor's I have, and the tone arm and lower part are pot metal and was broken where it screws
into the wood, but I think that can be fixed. Also the motor has broken springs and won't wind to
full tension, it is a 4 spring motor. I did get a good 3 spring motor that purs like a kitten
and replaced the 4 spring wiht it, but now the crank is too short, so I need to find a 10"
handel to reach the winding gear. I don't really want to spend alot of money on this machine
as I only paid 80.00 for it and at best it's only going to be worth maybe 250.00. I do like the
cabinet style though. But the columbia's were not made as good as the edison's and victor's, but
thats just my opinion.This machine does have the non-set automatic also.
Gene

ejackett wrote: Also the motor has broken springs and won't wind to
full tension, it is a 4 spring motor. I did get a good 3 spring motor that purs like a kitten
and replaced the 4 spring wiht it, but now the crank is too short, so I need to find a 10"
handel to reach the winding gear.

With all respect, I think you're making a mistake by switching out the motors. Your machine originally had a 4-spring motor, and for the past 90-odd years that's what it had. It was a high-end machine. By substituting a lesser motor, you degrade the machine's authenticity and value, as well as make it difficult for a future collector to put it right (find the proper motor and the proper crank).

I really think you'll someday regret doing this. Better to replace one mainspring at a time if necessary (there''s probably only one broken mainspring) until you have the motor working again. I respectfully recommend keeping the machine original and historically accurate.

George P.

I second George's advice about fixing the original motor.

A friend and I are trying to find a correct 1927 Victor four-spring motor to go in his Orthophonic 8-12, to replace a two-spring Victor that someone substituted along the way...

Have found quite a few motors but not with the mounting bolts where we need them.


At any rate, suggest keeping that L-2 as correct as possible.

Thanks for your thoughts and comments George & Frank, I have the original
motor saved in hopes of getting it fixed at some point, I guess I was just
in too much of a hurry to get it playing. I did wind it up and it does
sound good, just not as good as victor's. So I will try and get the 4 spring
fixed at some point and put it back in. Your both right I should keep it
historically acurate. Thanks guys
Gene

You may want to have your No.6 sound box rebuilt. I've had a couple of Grafonolas with this sound box, and my experience was that it blew the doors off a Victor Exhibition.

My only complaint about Grafonolas in general is the increased friction often encountered with the tone-arm joint, and the necessity of the entire tone arm's weight bearing on the record. Oh, the spring barrels are a pain to work on, with those tabs and little screws... Other than that, the cabinets are nice, motor quality is top-notch, and the volume louvers are cool.

George P.