The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

See here:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/A-good-large- ... 1911552341?

Is it an original with some repairs or damage hidden under some over painting, or something else?

Cheers,
David.

It looks right for a Mk X or Xa, but as you say, has some fracturing/bruising and has apparently been painted.

I've always been fascinated by these machines which were created for pure audiophile pleasure, aesthetics be damned.
It always amazes me that most of the examples I've seen have had horns in decent shape. One would expect a great deal more damage from being knocked about over the years.

O.K., to be somewhat sacrilegious I suppose, I'll say that for what has to be the ugliest phonographs ever made, they must sound absolutely awesome to be so sought after today. Would love to hear one in person. (Sorry, personal observation, not meant to insult the taste of those who find them picturesque.)

Certainly a case of emphasizing Function over Form...

The horn always makes me think of instruments conceived by Dr. Seuss...

I would love to hear one in person someday...

Knowing the seller, it could be anything under that paint; from my experience he certainly won't be in any hurry to point out the obvious defects. It appears to be a very damaged / repaired original horn but it could also conceivably be a newly made horn by an amateur attached to an original aluminium neck. Why are you asking, are you looking at bidding on it?

I don't know much about these machines. Is this an original elbow? To me, it looks like an elbow for a radio horn.
Harvey Kravitz

Phonofreak wrote:I don't know much about these machines. Is this an original elbow? To me, it looks like an elbow for a radio horn.
Harvey Kravitz

Harvey, the elbow is the real one made for EMG,although it looks repainted. However, as Steve points out, the horn looks suspicious, as a minimum it has been repainted, and its authenticity can only be verified upon close observation. These horns were made of layers of newspaper sheets glued on top of each other, and finished with an external golden layer of gift-wrap type of paper (hidden by the repainting), so it is not difficult to verify if we look at any small delaminated area. The fuzzy pictures of the ad don't help.

Thanks, I only saw these in books. I have never seen one in person. Thanks for the info.
Harvey Kravitz

JerryVan wrote:O.K., to be somewhat sacrilegious I suppose, I'll say that for what has to be the ugliest phonographs ever made, they must sound absolutely awesome to be so sought after today. Would love to hear one in person. (Sorry, personal observation, not meant to insult the taste of those who find them picturesque.)

The machines made by Expert, EMG's competitor, are perhaps even uglier.