The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi everyone

I haven't been on here for quite a while now, I think I had an early life crisis

I've been focusing more on my musician/ singer-songwriter side of life and the long lasting interest in early talking machines was starting to fade, I assumed I just didn't like them any more so as a result I sold almost everything, all my phonographs, most of my gramophones except two portables which sat unused for far too long, including, most regrettably my HMV 31 with EMG Mk 9 horn, I really do miss that thing now, selling it was foolish.
Though luckily, it seems that my interest has been renewed, I am starting to look at everything without my narrow mind, realising I can have interests in more that one area, and the spark for early recordings is at long last back, lets hope it will last...

Alex

It'll last !! Once yer got, yer got forever.

Welcome Back,

I couldn't tell you how many thousands of record I have purchased and then gotten rid of only to end buying many of them all over at much higher prices. Same for phonographs. If I had anywhere near the original machines I owed in the 60s I would be a pretty decent collector of rare machines, mostly of the cabinet type. But like the records once they start to seem overwhelming I tend to part with them. In a lot of ways I am glad I went though all that because it eventually got me to looking at Edison disc machines again which has been an interesting passion for the past 8 or so years.

Larry

Kirtley, your experience sounds familiar. When I was 16 I went through a period of about 18 months where cars, girls, and guitars occupied most of my spare time. I never sold off anything, but I didn't pay too much attention to the phonographs and records either. About the time I was half-way through my senior year, the old fascination had me by the throat again. Even playing in a rock band during my college years couldn't replace phonographs and records. I'm afraid you're hooked, Kirtley!

George P.

You all didn't know he was talking about phonographs.
[youtubehd]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPw-3e_pzqU[/youtubehd]

Hello Alex,
Great to see you back! There aren't all that many of us in this gramophone thing, and it's so refreshing to have a younger person's insight and input - and just a young person's presence - among us.
I'm in my 50's and got my first gramophone when I was four. The last spring broke in the last gramophone that could be found locally when I was about eight or so. In those pre-internet days we had no way of finding any more gramophones, not to mention needles and springs etc. For over 40 years I never got my hands on a gramophone again, until one day it occurred to me to google the word gramophone. I almost cried with joy when I discovered that there were some of these things still around.
Just over five years later I play six of the most wonderful gramophones on the planet on an almost daily basis - EMGs, Experts and a HMV 202. And I love the whole thing possibly even more than when I was a child.
Big long story just to make the point that if it's in your blood, you might as well just throw up your hands and surrender!
Anyway, sincere greetings from Ireland!

Well Alex, there's a life lesson for you. I have several hobbies, cars, radios, phonographs, steam engines, etc. I am not excited about more than two at any one time. Right now, I'm not so very interested in antique radios, for example. But I know from past experience, that one day I'll be very interested in them again. Like you, I've contemplated selling of some items due to low interest but, at some point, I'm always glad that I didn't. It's a good lesson for life in general. Be patient and don't make hasty decisions.

In short, welcome back!

Welcome back!

I go through cycles with my interests. Sometimes I have no interest at all in the talking machines, and sometimes it's obsessive!

Alex,
I was in and out of phonographs many times. I never sold anything as a result probably because I was to lazy. It will be with you thoughout your life and the older you get, it may become more of an important past time. You will also have corrections in your collecting as interests change. Consider your last move a correction.

It has happened to me, now I have been active for 10 years. I now own 18 machines! and everytime i think that I have limited myself... here comes another one on the block.

Edison B-19
Edison Home B (with combo attachment)
Edison Fireside A
Edison Amberola 30 (two of these)
Columbia B Eagle
Columbia BX Eagle
Columbia BK
Columbia Q (three of these; two early steel base and one later black base)
Magnola Talking Machine
Victrola VV-IV (early)
Victrola VV-VI (early)
Victrola VV-VIII (oak)
Victrola VV-XI (table model)
Victrola VV 1-70 (two of these)
Victrola VV J-80 (Japanese Orthophonic)
Victrola VV-IX
Polly Portable
Pathé Model 60 (tabletop)

I honestly think I have enough. LOL

Kirtley, that phono bug has bitten and I think you are hooked on phonos. Next time don't sell em off just hold on to them the interest comes right back. The problem sometimes is that the person that you eventually have as a signicant other must be able to at least tolerate them. I used to just hide them at my parents house that way the significant other would not complain, then eventually we broke up, and I went right to the phonos lol.