The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi folks. I have a chance to pick up a very clean VV 4-7 with probably 25 pristine Vic. Scroll records (mostly jazz) for $250. Case is nice, back bracket intact, and, believe it or not, the soundbox is intact without cracks or crazing. I've been trying to search past posts about these machines on the forum and am coming up completely dry. Is there another way to search? I know at some point in the past a member posted a pic of a 4-7 horn (at least I think it was a 4-7). Any thoughts about the price? Seems fair, as the last time I saw one of these in good shape was close to 10 years ago when I lived in New England. Also, will it sound better - obviously with proper maintenance/component rebuilding and sealing - than my 4-3? I know it has the folded horn. Thanks for any advice.

I say go for it! All the pot metal seems to be good, so you can hold off on those repairs/replacements for now. I had posted a picture of a 4-7 horn, and I do believe it will sound better than a 4-3 horn (that is, on electric era records). I know the earlier, non-electric records might sound better with the 4-3's non-folded horn though.

Also, the nice Victor scrolls are always good as a bonus.

-Connor

CharliePhono wrote:Hi folks. I have a chance to pick up a very clean VV 4-7 with probably 25 pristine Vic. Scroll records (mostly jazz) for $250. Case is nice, back bracket intact, and, believe it or not, the soundbox is intact without cracks or crazing. I've been trying to search past posts about these machines on the forum and am coming up completely dry. Is there another way to search? I know at some point in the past a member posted a pic of a 4-7 horn (at least I think it was a 4-7). Any thoughts about the price? Seems fair, as the last time I saw one of these in good shape was close to 10 years ago when I lived in New England. Also, will it sound better - obviously with proper maintenance/component rebuilding and sealing - than my 4-3? I know it has the folded horn. Thanks for any advice.

Three words:

JUMP. ON. IT.

You lucky dog...

CharliePhono wrote:Hi folks. I have a chance to pick up a very clean VV 4-7 with probably 25 pristine Vic. Scroll records (mostly jazz) for $250. Case is nice, back bracket intact, and, believe it or not, the soundbox is intact without cracks or crazing. I've been trying to search past posts about these machines on the forum and am coming up completely dry. Is there another way to search? I know at some point in the past a member posted a pic of a 4-7 horn (at least I think it was a 4-7). Any thoughts about the price? Seems fair, as the last time I saw one of these in good shape was close to 10 years ago when I lived in New England. Also, will it sound better - obviously with proper maintenance/component rebuilding and sealing - than my 4-3? I know it has the folded horn. Thanks for any advice.

Use Google to search the board for "4-7". Instructions here:
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... ite+search

The 4-7 is not a whole lot larger than the 4-3, so don't expect anything drastic. The price is perfectly fair for a very clean machine in working order.

My VV 4-7 is one of the first machines I acquired nearly 50 years ago, long before I discovered that collecting phonographs and gramophones was actually a "hobby."

AZ* wrote:My VV 4-7 is one of the first machines I acquired nearly 50 years ago, long before I discovered that collecting phonographs and gramophones was actually a "hobby."

Hobby? Really? And here I thought it was just a bottomless money pit.

I'm surprised you didn't get any returns on your search because I just mentioned the beautiful 4-7 that sold at the APS show last weekend. But the same thing happens to me when I search on this website. I search for things I know are in here, but often come up empty. And other times it comes up with way too much and it's difficult to narrow a search down on this site. It just doesn't work.

CharliePhono wrote:Hi folks. I've been trying to search past posts about these machines on the forum and am coming up completely dry. Is there another way to search?

This post string was pretty comprehensive, and shows the horn in detail -- http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =2&t=27109

Normally, I use google to search this forum. To search only for information on a specific forum, you have to do a site search, starting with "site:" and the URL of the webpage or site. So searching this forum, you go to google and type:

site:forum.talkingmachine.info "VV-4-7" OR Victrola "4-7"

(using OR -- in caps -- between words will force Google to search for one term or another. Putting a term in quotation marks forces Google to search for only that exact term.)

Another option is to use the Google Advanced Search page, which provides more options:

https://www.google.com/advanced_search (Type the site's URL in the box next to Site or Domain.)

HTH,
OrthoFan

Oceangoer1 wrote:I say go for it! All the pot metal seems to be good, so you can hold off on those repairs/replacements for now. I had posted a picture of a 4-7 horn, and I do believe it will sound better than a 4-3 horn (that is, on electric era records). I know the earlier, non-electric records might sound better with the 4-3's non-folded horn though.

Also, the nice Victor scrolls are always good as a bonus.

-Connor

Hi Connor, and thanks for the reply. Thanks to the advanced search tips suggested by others on the thread, I was able to look at your 4-7, including said horn. I love my 4-3, and it has been optimally mechanically/acoustically reburbished and sounds really great. I'm wanting the 4-7 as much to see what the tonal difference will be compared to the 4-3 as well as the fact they simply don't turn up that often! I am sitting here waiting for the dealer to call me back to see if they will accept my offer for the machine. It has been marked down from $385 to $285, and I've offered $250. I believe they will accept it, but you never know. I'm ready to go as soon as I hear from them. It's an hour's drive from me.

Oceangoer1 wrote:I say go for it! All the pot metal seems to be good, so you can hold off on those repairs/replacements for now. I had posted a picture of a 4-7 horn, and I do believe it will sound better than a 4-3 horn (that is, on electric era records). I know the earlier, non-electric records might sound better with the 4-3's non-folded horn though.

Also, the nice Victor scrolls are always good as a bonus.

-Connor

Update: Offer accepted! I'm on my way . . . will post some pics ASAP.