The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

What is your favorite Edison Cylinder Machine?
This would be the machine you like playing or just would be the last Edison cylinder machine to go if you had to sell your collection.

It is hard for me to really give a answer of which is my favorite Edison cylinder machine. I would have to say my Edison Home "B" with 2/4 minute conversion. I also like my Edison Amberola 30 but my Home "B" allows me to play both 2 and 4 minute cylinders, and even record on wax records.

I wish my Home "B" had the speed knob on top.

My #1 favorite would have to be the Clarence Ferguson Amberola 1-A I purchased from the Donley’s Museum a few years back. Plays both 2 & 4 minute Indestructible or wax with a great mellow tone thru the fiber horn. Also has great storage.

Bob S.

A 1-A would be ideal….

But, lacking that, I would say my Home A with the 2/4 minute attachment…

Bill

I wish I could give a straight response here, but...I just can't! Although, I do have a soft spot for the dolls. Pictured is one of our complete, unrestored Edison Talking Dolls. Arguably, we consider the complete dolls an example of some of the rarest remaining Edison artifacts that survive to this day. And to imagine that such an item has survived for nearly 125 years never ceases to amaze me.
It is difficult to over-look the early lyre-grill Amberola 1-A and Opera that have matching serial numbers of "66".

In the future it might be an Amberola 1A, which is on my "one of these days" list. But right now it would have to be my Triumph Model D, with Model O reproducer. It is a great machine and sounds really good. But it was also a real adventure working to bring it back to life. It was not in terribly good condition to begin with and the case was almost destroyed when it was shipped to me; all recounted in another thread here on the Forum. I really became attached to it during that process of seeing it come to life again.

Clay

Wow... That's a really tough question!

Playability vs. Collectability..


I agree, The Amberola 1A is hard to beat... and I don't have one!...lol...

I have a few Home models, but my Standards definitely get the most play..for 2-minute machines..

For 4-minute, It's definitely my Amberola 30's!! My Amberola 75 and my Amberola 50's feel abandoned because I give my Amberola 30's so much attention! You could not pry my Amberola 30's from me.. I just love them! There is just something about the Amberola 30 machines. ...and they made thousands of them too! They were obviously a high seller in their day due to their quality/price ratio, portability, and loudness. I love them....and can't get enough of them!

My all time dream machine would definitely have to be an Idelia. Though, I would not mind some really nice Triumphs and Class M's and Spring Motor machines either!

)

Tony K.

My favorite Edison to play records is my oak Opera - with its smooth silent motor, rebuilt reproducer and open wood horn, nothing beats the sound. For playing wax cylinders, my second favorite Edison is a Home Model "F" modified to play 2 & 4 minute records, with a Model "O" reproducer and oak cygnet horn. I actually like Homes better than Triumphs, they sound just as good and are easier to move around.

damn... I really like my Triumph A with the banner decal but my Triumph B is in amasing condition with the smoothest motor on earth...

for display I prefer the Triumph A

Le0 wrote:damn... I really like my Triumph A with the banner decal but my Triumph B is in amasing condition with the smoothest motor on earth...

for display I prefer the Triumph A

I'm glad you're happy with the Triumph B! It hurt to sell it...

George P.