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I've seen an oak Pathé table model phonograph on Ebay that I was thinking of buying.The seller wants $225 for it,and it's in the "Buy It Now"catagory.It's been there forever,but I'm not sure.I've never bought a phonograph on EBay before,and I have heard horror stories about buying machines on EBay.I'd like feedback on this.edisonplayer

You should have included a link, I could not find it. I will assume you are looking at a common model American-made Pathé table top machine. $225 could be a very fair price, depending on overall condition.

Apart from cabinet condition or a broken spring, there are a few other things to look for:

The tone arms are coupled to a cast-iron base by a pot-metal swivel joint - those are sometimes broken, but it will be pretty obvious. Replacement tone arms do turn up on eBay.

Ask the seller if the sapphire needle is still there - very often they are not. You can buy replicas for for about $40.

It is safe to assume the reproducer's rubber gaskets have deteriorated and will have to be replaced. That is an easy one to repair.

Success in shipping without damage depends on the skill and determination of the seller to pack correctly. It can be done! The turntable and the reproducer should each be removed and wrapped separately. The tonearm should be secured with rubber bands so that it cannot swing about loosely. Better yet, unscrew the tone arm base from the cabinet and wrap the whole tone arm assembly separately. Double-box the machine with at least 4" of foam rubber surrounding the machine on all sides, top and bottom.

VintageTechnologies wrote:You should have included a link, I could not find it. I will assume you are looking at a common model American-made Pathé table top machine. $225 could be a very fair price, depending on overall condition.

Apart from cabinet condition or a broken spring, there are a few other things to look for:

The tone arms are coupled to a cast-iron base by a pot-metal swivel joint - those are sometimes broken, but it will be pretty obvious. Replacement tone arms do turn up on eBay.

Ask the seller if the sapphire needle is still there - very often they are not. You can buy replicas for for about $40.

It is safe to assume the reproducer's rubber gaskets have deteriorated and will have to be replaced. That is an easy one to repair.

Success in shipping without damage depends on the skill and determination of the seller to pack correctly. It can be done! The turntable and the reproducer should each be removed and wrapped separately. The tonearm should be secured with rubber bands so that it cannot swing about loosely. Better yet, unscrew the tone arm base from the cabinet and wrap the whole tone arm assembly separately. Double-box the machine with at least 4" of foam rubber surrounding the machine on all sides, top and bottom.

I have a nice table model #60 Pathé that I am considering to sell. I paid $375.00 in 2005 from a collector. So I would be asking at least that plus shipping charges. The reproducer is the nice concert reproducer with screw in bezel front. The motor is a Heinemann double spring motor.

Also be aware that the reproducer swivel joint is usually frozen due to pot metal swelling. The joint is supposed to rotate to allow use of lateral cut discs. This joint may respond to freezer treatment, but it may not. Also be aware that the lid top is made in 2 pieces, and it's not at all unusual for those pieces to have split apart after this many years.

If the machine in question has a broken tonearm joint, frozen reproducer joint, and no stylus, you should probably pass. $225 for a complete, working machine is fine, but way too much for one that needs parts.

The machine looked like the reproducer couldn't turn over for lateral,and there was no sapphire ball for vertical Pathés.I think I'll pass on it.edisonplayer PS:I'm not sure of the link,but the seller's name is toykingdom

I did find the EBay item number for the machine.It's 121579881217.Perhaps someone can check it out for me.edisonplayer

Pass. The only good thing is that the tonearm appears to still be attached to its base. Other than that, all the previously described problems are present. The reproducer looks pretty beat up too.

Personally, I'm not sure I would even buy this one for parts. I paid $125 for mine in somewhat similar shape - before I knew better - and have been generally underwhelmed by its performance.

edisonplayer wrote:I did find the EBay item number for the machine.It's 121579881217.Perhaps someone can check it out for me.edisonplayer

I think I would pass on that one. The lid may be warped. The wood finish has been crudely stripped. While that type of reproducer can be rotated (if the pot metal has not swollen) to play lateral or vertical, it looks to be in terrible shape; besides non-original gaskets, the stylus bar may have been resoldered near the collet and it has been glued at the diaphragm. It is a safe bet the sapphire is missing. The seller says the machine is in "excellent" condition -- not by my definition it isn't. Better Pathés appear on eBay, just be patient.

Thanks for looking.I can wait until a Pathé like it turns up in my area.I'm sure that one on EBay will be there a while.edisonplayer