Silvertone Why do we undervalue them?

[wtt11]

I have a Silverstone which is only first disc machine I ever have. Having to acknowledge that it's off brand but I just don't see why. Silvertone is a well made machine plus some unique features for example like side bottom volume control and convertible tone arm. Can anyone provide some history about this brand and what do you think?

[estott]

I have one of the fancier Silvertone models & like it very much. Still, because of the tone arm design it is never going to sound as good as a Victrola. It is still a very well built machine with a few luxury touches- someone got very good value for their money.

[marcapra]

It should be said that Silvertone was a Sears product and sold in Sears department stores, and when radios came out, the Silvertone name was put on radios too. BTW, there is an excellent history of Silvertone in book form that you should acquire!

[Victrolacollector]

Silvertone machines are good machines, if they were cared for. I ordered a tabletop on eBay years ago and sold it for parts. The cabinet was so bad it could not be saved, and the tone arm was broken. They do have very nice motors, the one I had used a Saal motor.

I believe we undervalue them, as they are just do not have the same qualities as a Victor and Edison. The tone arm and sound quality are a factor.

Cheney's were another brand sold through Marshall Fields and had really nice built cabinets, tone arms and motors.

[emerson]

One of my first machines was a Silvertone console(more then 25 years ago)----missing the horn and record shelves, I still have it and still am missing those parts, have an upright machine I was going to take the parts from---can't bring myself to do that yet. Also have a fancy upright---one of the higher end models. The console model is the one you see on the record sleeve with two other models. I collect different machines---have to collect what you like, just remember---you are not taking your favorite machine or any other thing with you when you leave the physical world. My largest collection of machines are Emerson crank-ups, always looking to add needed items to the collection---my son says, Dad when you go--I'm getting a couple of dumpsters for you collection. Best of Collecting to you, Enjoy Herb

[De Soto Frank]

I have a lovely Silvertone upright in golden oak, that is a close aesthetic cousin to the Victrola X / XI.


The Saal motor is a very stout piece of machinery, much more impressive than any Heineman product I've run across...


I think the biggest short-coming is the tone-arm, with the vertical "ball-joint" - this is a source of air-leakage and volume-loss... I view this as a design-flaw, but a necessary (?) patent dodge.

The cabinet is well-made and attractive.

If Victor and Brunswick can be compared with Packard and Pierce-arrow, then I think the higher-end Silvertones could be compared with De Soto and Oldsmobile...

[Victrolacollector]

I have a lovely Silvertone upright in golden oak, that is a close aesthetic cousin to the Victrola X / XI.


The Saal motor is a very stout piece of machinery, much more impressive than any Heineman product I've run across...


I think the biggest short-coming is the tone-arm, with the vertical "ball-joint" - this is a source of air-leakage and volume-loss... I view this as a design-flaw, but a necessary (?) patent dodge.

The cabinet is well-made and attractive.

If Victor and Brunswick can be compared with Packard and Pierce-arrow, then I think the higher-end Silvertones could be compared with De Soto and Oldsmobile...

I never understood why Magnola in Chicago did not use the Saal motors, since Saal were made in Chicago.
It would seem shipping would have been cheaper. Magnola used the Heineman, that is what is in my machine.

[VintageTechnologies]

The Silvertone models that I have examined seemed nicely made. I suppose some collectors might avoid 2nd tier machines due to concerns about finding spare parts, such as springs. However, thanks to the Internet and forums like this, finding parts is now easier than ever. The greatest concern I have about off-brand machines is the use of pot-metal for tone arms and reproducers, a problem that affected even the "Big Three" to some extent.

[Victrolacollector]

The Silvertone models that I have examined seemed nicely made. I suppose some collectors might avoid 2nd tier machines due to concerns about finding spare parts, such as springs. However, thanks to the Internet and forums like this, finding parts is now easier than ever. The greatest concern I have about off-brand machines is the use of pot-metal for tone arms and reproducers, a problem that affected even the "Big Three" to some extent.

The pot metal problem did affect Victor and Columbia for sure. By the late 1920's, most Victor reproducers were pot-metal, most Victrola No. 4 and Orthophonic soundboxes were pot metal. We also have to keep in mind that the later back brackets were pot metal. Although, there are nice replacements out there, ther1e are no portable ones and ones for the VV 1-70 and VV 1-90 table models.

I am aware of the pot metal problem with my Magnola Talking Machine. So I have 2 spare pot metal tone arms and 4 Magnola reproducers as spares.

[wtt11]

Interesting. Thanks! I know little about this brand and there isn't too much info available online about the motor supplied to Silvertone. Can anyone identify mine. This is one that I'm working on currently.This motor is just wonderful and running extremely quite. No exaggeratedly to say, this design is even better than some of that used on Victor as it has one extra gear to loose the tension directly from spring barrel thus brings less wear to the thread of spindle gear bar.