The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Yesterday we had a meeting of our Pacific Northwest phono club OTAPS (Oregon Territory Antique Phonograph Society) at the home of fellow Forum member, startgrove (Russie). Everyone involved had a great time. I'd like to encourage Forum members to get involved in your local or regional club. OTAPS is made up of long time collectors as well as new ones. it's a great place to socialize and exchange ideas. We generally have a swap meet and show & tell. Phonofreak has spent time giving demonstrations of phono maintenance and repairs. It's so much fun visiting the homes of fellow collectors because everyone has a slightly different perspective on our hobby. Russia's home was a good example. He has a fine and varied collection but I was most impressed by his Gables Entertainer. He not only demonstrated the machine but also pulled off the back and talked us through the workings of the mechanism. The machine automatically changes its steel needle between each record! The needle cartridge holds 600 ordinary steel needles. The mechanism is so rugged and reliable that they frequently went through all 600 needles without needing the most minor attention. It was a thrill to see and hear such a machine.

Jerry Blais

Sounds like great fun, and I know OTAPS is a great club. I've been there once as a visitor. We down in So. Calif. also had our Golden State Phonograph Society meeting at Marc Friend's house. He is a fascinating man who is a record dealer and movie expert. He told us about seeing the great recently restored The King of Jazz (1930) in color! starring Paul Whiteman and his orchestra. He showed us a very funny 1937 cartoon showing famous 1930s black jazzmen like Fats Waller and Cab Calloway in portrayal that were definitely not PC by 21st century standards, especially the portrayal of Stepin Fecthit. Then he showed a very rare short that takes place in a restaurant with Gene Austin and his combo. It is very funny and at the end it shows Gene leaving the restaurant with a tall lady in a fur, who is unmistakably Lucy. I don't remember the name of it, but it was made about 1935 and he sings I hear you knocking, but you can't come in. In the 20s and 30s Austin sold over 80 million records, which was unmatched by a single artist for 40 years (wikipedia). This is not from the short but shows him singing the same song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_0KWfHoQdU

Marc showed more movies, but I left to look through the many bins of records and cylinders. You can't beat a good local club!

The UK has a number of regional groups loosely affiliated to the CLPGS, which regularly hold meetings. I belong to the West of England Group which covers a large geographical area, so rather than use a fixed venue we meet in member's homes on Saturday afternoons, about once every couple of months.

The host compiles a programme of records on a particular theme. My last programme was "The Weather", a favourite British topic of conversation. Everything then stops for tea (this is England) after which we resume with records which the guests have brought with them, and the meeting usually ends by early evening.

Alas, there is no phonograph club that I know of anywhere near my home in central Florida. I am a member of MBSI's Southeast Chapter and really enjoy that and many of our members include phonographs in their collections.

Clay

Wish there was local club near our area as well.

phonogal wrote:Wish there was local club near our area as well.

Yeah.. my sentiments exactly
Bet its a real blast to be able to share in person what we can only do virtually here on the forum.
Nothing like person -to- person camaraderie to really bring the hobby alive.

There's no phono club in my area of the New York Southern Tier either.I wish there was. edisonplayer

Our local phonograph club in Indiana had a get together in July. It was great to meet, share stories, and learn more about the hobby.