The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello! Can anyone explain or point me to where I can read about how many Victrola reproducers there were, when they came out, and what machines they are correct for? For example - my VV IX from 1915 has an Exhibition, but would a 1917 IX be correct with a No 2 OR an Exhibition?! Is there a complete list of reproducers (Victrola only)? My Google skills have failed...

Thanks!!!

This should help...
http://www.gracyk.com/reproducer.shtml

James.

It depends on what you mean by "historically accurate".

The original owner of a Victrola might have chosen to upgrade it when the newer reproducer became available: that certainly reflects the instrument's history.

Bill

Excellent - thank you for the replies!

You could buy the excellent books, "Look for the Dog" and the "Victor Data Book" if you want to learn more.

If the ORIGINAL OWNER of a machine updated the reproducer, once or several times during his ownership to keep the machine current, wouldn't they all be "historically" accurate? I'm sure lots of folks that kept their "teens" era machines may have upgraded to an aftermarket "orthophonic style" reproducer to play electric records. After all, many, many folks modified their Edison cylinder machines as newer harder wax, longer play and celluloid cylinders became available.

Perhaps a more accurate way to phrase the question would be "What reproducer did Victor (for example) ship from the factory with a certain machine during a specific year?"

I understand the OPs question, and the answer is not so clear as others have noted. The most vague Victor reproducer originality comes with the Exhibition and the Victrola No 2 because those were available at the same time.

I'll add, that once these machines hit the secondary market, all bets are off as far as originality. Some dealers are the worst offenders of screwing up originality by swapping out reproducers or other parts to make a machine whole. Same goes for horns. This is why you'll see a super nice machine with a nasty reproducer and/or a beat-to-crap horn.

And I'll agree with AZ*, those books have information regarding what reproducers came on which victor machines. The books are well worth their small cost.