The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

This seems to be a General Phonograph Company Horn. Its issues are complex and wonder how you would attempt to make it presentable again.

I'm leaning to only address the breaks.
It must have been in 100% humidity to have gotten misshaped like this.
The warpage has altered the position of the ribs and the wave in the two panels could never lay flat without introducing a cut and mending it flatter. If the waves could be decreased, it would appear better. Ideas? Opinions?

As it stands, its construction solid. Each solid panel is firmly in the ribs. Only one rib has splits running its length. Its still tight. Thanks,
James

I have a similar one of these horns on my Victor IV, it has two very small little cracks in it I've always sort of expected to extend but they haven't moved at all in all the years I've had it. That said, I'd send it to Don Gfell. He does wonderful wooden horn repairs and I'm sure he could take care of this one. He's worked on a few wooden horns I have and he does a top notch job for very reasonable money.

Sean

If you choose not to send it to Don Gfell, as Sean suggested and decide to try it yourself - DO NOT make cuts to repair this. That will make it totally unrepairable without replacing the panels. To try to reverse the issues with this horn would require soaking it to make it pliable again and once that is done, reglue it while clamping it in the correct shape... Personally, I would send it to Don.

Right, if you've ever seen one of these horns in person, the panels themselves are so thin that it's hard to imagine them not self-destructing. You could very easily crack or break pieces right off just by bending them in between your fingers. I'd trust Don, but not myself to do anything with one of these. The one James has must be a bit later, the few I've seen (and the one I've got) have a rather imposing decal on the outer top. This one seems to have no decal at all.

Sean

I have the same horn on my Columbia BII. Mine has warpage but not cracks. You see the same horn with bits of fancy trim on each side of the pedal tips. I'm guessing that warpage was a problem when the horns were new. The added trim would help reduce warpage of the solid wood panels. Columbia offered three levels of wood horns and this was the least expensive. I think the suggestion for Don Gfell's help is excellent advice. Jerry B.

I think I would accept it for what it is.

JerryVan wrote:I think I would accept it for what it is.

You may be right, but I would still check with Don Gefel- though it may turn out to be less expensive to buy one of his new horns.

Certainly not. The last horn I took to Don was an Oak speartip for my Victor V that had basically turned to shards where it joins the collar. He has to take the entire thing apart, repair and reassemble everything. It was $250 or $300 at the most. You'd never know it by looking at the horn now. He repaired a hole in my XXV horn for less than $200 and it too is almost impossible to find now (I really have to look for it!).

Sean

Thanks for all of the input!

James.