EDISON DISC A-60 vs. B-60.Really Much Difference?

[uncle-jimmy]

I have been kicking around the idea of pursuing one the Un-lidded Edison Diamond Disc models and I thought that I would ask you guys if it really makes any difference which one I buy? I have never really seen any side by side comparison photos , so they both look the same to me. I assume the B motor is an improvement over the A model , but I don't really know that.
So if any of you have any preference , please share the reasons why , with me.
Thanks a bunch.
Jim

[FellowCollector]

There is a HUGE difference between the A-60 in metal cabinet (see picture below) and B-60. The A-60 metal cabinet Diamond Disc model is very different and incredibly uncommon. If you find this early model A-60 grab it quickly - in ANY condition. The A-60 and B-60 in wood cabinet is not common by any means but do turn up occasionally.

If you were referring to the A-80 versus B-80, these models are very similar. The A-80 surfaces less often.

But I suspect with your picture that you are referring to the 60.

Here is a video of my A-80:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD2zZ1KZs1w[/youtube]

[uncle-jimmy]

WOW Doug,
I had No Idea. I have never seen a decent photo of the A-60 , either Metal or Wood. I had only seen , what I now know was a terrible quality image of the Metal case in Frow's Edison Disc book. Only after seeing your photo of the metal case A-60 ,can I go back and get a better idea ( using all my imagination skills )of what the A-60 looked like. Does the Wood case version of the A-60 look like the metal cased version or does it look more like the B-60?
If I had seen a photo of the Metal A-60 without the Tell-Tale Edison tonearm and reproducer , I would have Bet the house that it was a French made phonograph or at least European. Certainly Not American and definitely Not an Edison.
Well from what you say about rarity , it looks like my only realistic bet is to look for a B-60.
Thank you Doug for your help.
Jim

[FellowCollector]

Well from what you say about rarity , it looks like my only realistic bet is to look for a B-60.
Thank you Doug for your help.
Jim

My pleasure Jim. I've never seen a model A-60 Edison Diamond Disc phonograph in the wooden cabinet - only the metal cabinet as seen above. I'm reasonably confident, though, that the model A-60 (as well as the C-60) in the wooden cabinet would resemble the model B-60 as you had pictured in your initial post above. I've also never seen a model C-60 but again I'm reasonably confident that it resembles the B-60.

The model B-60 does surface at estate auctions on occasion and will likely be the model 60 that you will find. Like the model A-80 and model B-80, the B-60 is very heavy and is belt driven.

All of the belt driven Edison Diamond Disc phonographs are fascinating to look at and own but even when new they were and continue to be very prone to playing at an inconsistent speed due to the primitive belt driven motor. Couple this with the awkward design of positioning and operating the tonearm using a small knob on the elbow (of all places!) it's easy to understand why the 60 series and 80 series Edison Diamond Disc phonographs were pretty much a flop.

Imagine a customer walking into an Edison phonograph dealer store back in the days when the 60 series and 80 series Diamond Disc phonographs were new and watching a sales person demonstrating the operation using that awkward tonearm knob... And then the customer decides to purchase this new and exciting novelty. Then getting it home and trying to play records. I'm confident that a LOT of customers were pretty disappointed with trying to navigate the reproducer properly to play the record especially after the later revised tonearm designs were released that also had nice, steady playing speed.

I have a nice B-60 in my collection as well as a couple of A-80's (one of which is featured in my video above) and in spite of how nicely my A-80 in the video plays, I rarely play it - preferring instead to play my DD's on one of my floor model Edisons.

Good luck in your search!

Doug

[Victrolacollector]

I am not sure if you have considered the tabletop with a lid.... Edison B-19 Chalet. This is the only type that I own and it is a very nice machine. The motor is a strong direct drive motor which does not use the belt.

[Lucius1958]

There is a HUGE difference between the A-60 in metal cabinet (see picture below) and B-60. The A-60 metal cabinet Diamond Disc model is very different and incredibly uncommon. If you find this early model A-60 grab it quickly - in ANY condition. The A-60 and B-60 in wood cabinet is not common by any means but do turn up occasionally.

If you were referring to the A-80 versus B-80, these models are very similar. The A-80 surfaces less often.




But I suspect with your picture that you are referring to the 60.

Here is a video of my A-80:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD2zZ1KZs1w[/youtube]

Hi, Doug!

Regarding the A-80, I'm still looking for a top grille for mine. Is it possible you could make a good measured drawing of the pieces (including thickness and profile of the edge moulding) that I could send to Tom Rutkowski?

Bill

[gunnarthefeisty]

Well from what you say about rarity , it looks like my only realistic bet is to look for a B-60.
Thank you Doug for your help.
Jim

My pleasure Jim. I've never seen a model A-60 Edison Diamond Disc phonograph in the wooden cabinet - only the metal cabinet as seen above. I'm reasonably confident, though, that the model A-60 (as well as the C-60) in the wooden cabinet would resemble the model B-60 as you had pictured in your initial post above. I've also never seen a model C-60 but again I'm reasonably confident that it resembles the B-60.

The model B-60 does surface at estate auctions on occasion and will likely be the model 60 that you will find. Like the model A-80 and model B-80, the B-60 is very heavy and is belt driven.

All of the belt driven Edison Diamond Disc phonographs are fascinating to look at and own but even when new they were and continue to be very prone to playing at an inconsistent speed due to the primitive belt driven motor. Couple this with the awkward design of positioning and operating the tonearm using a small knob on the elbow (of all places!) it's easy to understand why the 60 series and 80 series Edison Diamond Disc phonographs were pretty much a flop.

Imagine a customer walking into an Edison phonograph dealer store back in the days when the 60 series and 80 series Diamond Disc phonographs were new and watching a sales person demonstrating the operation using that awkward tonearm knob... And then the customer decides to purchase this new and exciting novelty. Then getting it home and trying to play records. I'm confident that a LOT of customers were pretty disappointed with trying to navigate the reproducer properly to play the record especially after the later revised tonearm designs were released that also had nice, steady playing speed.

I have a nice B-60 in my collection as well as a couple of A-80's (one of which is featured in my video above) and in spite of how nicely my A-80 in the video plays, I rarely play it - preferring instead to play my DD's on one of my floor model Edisons.

Good luck in your search!

Doug

Could you repost the photo of the metal A-60? I've seen the wood A-60 with the arts + crafts style grille.

[JohnM]

Here’s my A-60 in an oak finish case.

[JohnM]

Well from what you say about rarity , it looks like my only realistic bet is to look for a B-60.
Thank you Doug for your help.
Jim

My pleasure Jim. I've never seen a model A-60 Edison Diamond Disc phonograph in the wooden cabinet - only the metal cabinet as seen above. I'm reasonably confident, though, that the model A-60 (as well as the C-60) in the wooden cabinet would resemble the model B-60 as you had pictured in your initial post above. I've also never seen a model C-60 but again I'm reasonably confident that it resembles the B-60.

The model B-60 does surface at estate auctions on occasion and will likely be the model 60 that you will find. Like the model A-80 and model B-80, the B-60 is very heavy and is belt driven.

All of the belt driven Edison Diamond Disc phonographs are fascinating to look at and own but even when new they were and continue to be very prone to playing at an inconsistent speed due to the primitive belt driven motor. Couple this with the awkward design of positioning and operating the tonearm using a small knob on the elbow (of all places!) it's easy to understand why the 60 series and 80 series Edison Diamond Disc phonographs were pretty much a flop.

Imagine a customer walking into an Edison phonograph dealer store back in the days when the 60 series and 80 series Diamond Disc phonographs were new and watching a sales person demonstrating the operation using that awkward tonearm knob... And then the customer decides to purchase this new and exciting novelty. Then getting it home and trying to play records. I'm confident that a LOT of customers were pretty disappointed with trying to navigate the reproducer properly to play the record especially after the later revised tonearm designs were released that also had nice, steady playing speed.

I have a nice B-60 in my collection as well as a couple of A-80's (one of which is featured in my video above) and in spite of how nicely my A-80 in the video plays, I rarely play it - preferring instead to play my DD's on one of my floor model Edisons.

Good luck in your search!

Doug

Could you repost the photo of the metal A-60? I've seen the wood A-60 with the arts + crafts style grille.

Gunnar,
The A-60 is metal case only. B-60 (that replaced it) and C-60 are lidless, oak Arts & Crafts-style cases, The difference between the B-60 and C-60 is a stronger mainspring.

[gunnarthefeisty]

Here’s my A-60 in an oak finish case.IMG_5383.jpeg

Ah, so that's the metal one. My favorite is the B(?)-60 with the arts and craft grille. I would really love to own one someday but they don't come up for sale often.