The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Which would you rather own:

A common machine in Pristine Condition?
A rare machine in Poor Condition?

If you have a common machine in Pristine Condition, or a rare machine in Poor Condition, please share a picture and your thoughts.

Thanks, Bob S.

(Ok, Ok, I know that we all want to own a Rare Machine in Pristine Condition, but that's not the question).

I’ve always been attracted to common/pristine, personally.

I’ll have to agree with common yet pristine. The machines are so beautiful when in good shape!

My main concern is functionality and sound. I want a machine that I can actually use to play music. And I'd rather have one that plays a wide variety of records well than one that just plays one kind. I think I would be most happy with a good Brunswick with a three way reproduce, a Brunswick Cortez and a VV-2-65. I have the Cortez and 2-65, so all I need it the Ultona.

I think I'd rather a common machine in pristine condition. I like all my machines to operate as they should, but as much as I would also like to own rarities, if they're in poor condition, it's difficult or even impossible to put them right, and to operate as intended.

Best,
Fran

Which Would You Rather Own?...

A common machine in Pristine Condition mainly because I use my machines (and they look so dang good).

My best advice would be to purchase the common machine that’s uncommonly nice over the more unusual machine. For example, I would recommend a clean Home over an average Triumph. You’ll never regret buying quality.
Jerry Blais

For me the answer depends on how rare the machine. Certainly any machine in pristine condition is nice to own and I would definitely pick that over a less common machine in poor condition. But the rare ones - I would take that over anything else reguardless of condition.

I prefer rare beaters

I'll always go for rare, as long as it is complete and functions. I've fallen for a few common machines that were just too pretty to pass up, over the years, but they don't stay long because boring overrules pretty in the long run I guess.

But then I factor in usability and appearance and space considerations. Each item in a collection has a role that ranges from purely for show to purely for use, and each item finds its spot (or the door), accordingly.

Best of all is when you find a quasi-special item, which you also will use frequently with satisfaction, that is pristine and doesn't take up much space. We have an Amberola V and a big G&T backmount with a speartip horn that fit those criteria.

An example of one here that doesn't fit the criteria is a super clean branded-case Gem, with the crappy Gem-only reproducer. Essentially unusable, but tiny and cute and kinda rare, so it gets to stay. And the other extreme is our Credenza, in excellent shape and eminently usable and frequently used over the 25 years we've had it, but also pretty common and quite big...so it's now sold, and soon on its way to its next cool and sophisticated owner.