The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I was given three Blue Amberols for my 18th birthday. I would like to know which Edison machines can play these records, how hard are the machines to find, and an idea of a price I should expect to pay for one. Also I would like to know whether or not Columbia cylinder machines can play Blue Amberols. Thank you in advance for any and all information you can provide.

The variety of Amberola Phonographs are many, and the prices run from relatively inexpensive for the ones that need a little help, to very expensive for the more uncommon and desirable models.

I suggest as a beginner that you buy George L. Frow's "Edison Cylinder Phonograph Companion" it is the best resource for the Amberolas.

Also, watch eBay, it's a great way to understand the prices of the more common Amberola models.

The Amberola 30 and 50 are constantly listed, as they're very common and are great machines, simple to repair and reliable. Just make sure that the Diamond Stylus is in good shape, or a cheap machine can get more pricey, fast.

Remember, the "Amberol" records are 4 minutes recordings and the "Blue Amberols" are slightly different (Celluloid) from the "Black Wax" Amberols.

And most of all, don't hesitate to ask questions, some of the people here are the finest experts you'll find anywhere.

Best,
Fran

Sounds like an excellent birthday present to me. Your Blue Amberola can be played on a variety of machines as long as they have the four minute gearing. When Edison introduced four minute cylinders (the first were wax Amberols) he made conversion kits available for all Edison owners. So your Edison could be played on any machine with the conversion kit or any machine made from the D series forward. I always suggest a 2&4 minute Standard or Home. You get the good looks of a horn machine and the versatility of being able to play almost any cylinder you find while antiquing. I personally like the Edison Model B Standard with 2&4 gearing or the Model D Standard. The D series of machines did not have the end gate making them more convenient. On the down side, the D series suffer from a pot metal bearing supporting the mandrel shaft. It's about a thirty minute repair for replace the pot metal bearing but once replaced it's good for many generations. A 2&4 minute Standard or Home with a little 14" reproduction horn should be available for about $350 ready to enjoy. If you like working on machines, a project machine could be found for less depending on condition. Some machines with a diamond in the reproducer can play ONLY Blue Amberol cylinders. An example would be the great playing series of Amberolas 30, 50, & 75. These machines start at about $275 for the entry level Amberola 30. Some Columbia Graphophones have four minute gearing but they are less frequently found and generally cost a bit more depending on model. I hope this helps.

Happy Collecting, Jerry Blais

All I ever get are socks

GrafonolaG50 wrote:I was given three Blue Amberols for my 18th birthday. I would like to know which Edison machines can play these records, how hard are the machines to find, and an idea of a price I should expect to pay for one. Also I would like to know whether or not Columbia cylinder machines can play Blue Amberols. Thank you in advance for any and all information you can provide.

In addition to what has already been suggested you will find lots of good information on the web site of the Antique Phonograph Society. The following link goes to an introductory article that explains the differences between the different formats and players. Also check out all the other articles there, they contain a wealth of information. http://www.antiquephono.org/basic-antiq ... onal-tips/

Andreas