Selling service on eBay?
Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 11:54 am
First... is it even a violation of terms for a seller to sell a service as opposed to an item?
Second... here it is... what do you guys think?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0535271277
TEXT FROM AUCTION:
What you are paying for, is a reasonable fee, for me to examine your Sound Box and the return Priority Postage. I will send you an estimate, and should you elect for me to repair your Sound Box, upon completion I will send you an invoice in a private eBay listing. Please see Price Schedule at the bottom of this page.
For the most part, I can make repairs to almost any Orthophonic handed me. If your Sound Box has cracks as shown in the second picture, then it cannot be disassembled, however I can still make repairs to it. Often the results can be as good as a complete rebuild! One or two small holes or dents to the Diaphragm will not present much of a problem. Holes that are not too large can always be filled in, and small dents usually do not affect sound quality. There is however a point where it would be a waste of money and time. If you are in doubt, please send me a few good pictures. I will be more than happy to work with you in using any extra good parts you may have, in doing repairs or a complete rebuild.
I have been professionally repairing / rebuilding Orthophonic Sound Boxes since 1973. I was the first technician to be interviewed in an article on the Orthophonic by Albert Sefl in the Journal of The American Phonograph Society in 1975*. I worked on my first Orthophonic Sound Box in 1967 and my first Exhibition in 1964. With this many years of experience I am able to assure the highest level of performance at the most reasonable cost to you. Anything deemed unnecessary, will be avoided, unless it is at your request!
Some of my feedback.
Excellent! Motor starts like a turbo. No more lag. Kudos. Perfect as always!A++ February 2
Doing business w/ this extremely knowledgeable honest seller since 1968 pre-eBay. January 19/2010
Another impossible to find Edison part from a legendary phonograph repairman.A++ August 21/2008
Photos 2; 3; and 4 illustrate a simple repair on a Sound Box, that otherwise could not be disassembled. This one came in with an annoying buzzing and rattling in reproduction. The one missing ball-bearing had nothing at all to do with the buzzing, but nevertheless I did replace it. In this case the rubber decoupling ring was also replaced. The Total to my customer was $28.90. He was pleased, and there's nothing in the world that pleases me more than a satisfied customer!
In the fourth photo you see a "worst case" scenario for ball-bearings, they must be replaced with a full set of new ball-bearings. I do not charge for the ball-bearings they are included in the installation fee. A bearing rebuild is needed in only around fifty per cent of most repairs, seldom on Sound Boxes made before July 1927. After the "new design" with the "Phase Plug" (photo 5 with and without phase plug) and a thinner Bearing Shaft was introduced in late 1927, several problems cropped up. In 1926, the percentage of zinc was quite high, and as a result, these Sound Boxes lost their gold plating within only months. To alleviate this problem, the zinc was reduced to a very low level; these are the ones that "swell, contort and crack", but the plating looks great! As a result, the bushing bearing races, do tend to be loose. Also at this time, the end caps are reversed, and a rubber grommet was placed over the ball-bearings; the sulfur in the rubber did cause rust to form on the ball-bearings. At some time in late 1928, a steel washer was placed between the rubber and balls, this in many cases exasperated the problem.
In the following Schedule, at the basic Price quoted, you may indeed receive your Sound Box returned to you sounding just great! As noted above, frequently the Ball-Bearing Pivot needs little or no work done to it! It would be a good idea to have me change the old decoupling rubber, but in sound quality there is only a slight improvement, however there is a vast gain in record preservation!
Basic Repair..........................$18.95
New Ball-Bearings installed..$19.95*
*With Basic Repair..................$9.95
New Rubber Decoupler........ $9.95
If your Sound Box can be taken apart, I can replace the Duralumin Diaphragm with a good original. Prices for a Diaphragm will vary from $15.00 to $35.00. A Diaphragm need not look perfect to sound just fine.
I can usually remove a broken Needle Thumb Screw, especially if someone has not made a mess of the job before I can get to it! There will be an extra $8.00 charge for this service. An original Victor Thumb Screw will cost $12.95.
Other miscellaneous small parts, such as Dust Caps will be offered at a reasonable price.
*If you can make out the term "float" function in this article, please disregard the explanation given. It is that soft rubber allows for a little vertical compliance. I do not wish to give an impression of being sour grapes, but it was I that taught Bob Waltrip how to work on the Othophonic. This was around 1975, some ten or so years before he started expounding on his talents as the only true exponent of reproducerdom.
I first met Bob Waltrip when he was living here in San Francisco in 1968. It was also in that year, that I worked on the Sound Box from his "cheap" little VV-7-11. Before he moved to Levelland Texas, he lived in Parker Arizona for a number of years, where he refinished Grand Pianos professionally (he did the most beautiful work). In 1975 or '76 on a visit back to San Francisco, to return a Piano Case, he came over to my shop with our mutual friend Frank Bourquin**. He asked if I could not do the work on an Orthophonic Sound Box that afternoon . I did the work with him standing over my shoulder, and him playing the game of forty questions.
In all fairness, over the years, he taught me much about the best techniques in good refinishing. With his short little stature (he verged on being a dwarf) he needed to do something a bit less strenuous to make a livelihood! The one thing that mostly ticked me off was when he borrowed (stole) my term "Floating Gaskets" some ten years after I first used it. In the last picture you can see what remains of the first one I did around 1977.
**This character can be Googled up, check up Frank Bourquin Cockette. Among business partners, friends, record and phonograph collectors and sundry rouges* that figured into my early years in this business are: Edward L. Linotti; Charles Siegfried; Albert (Al) Sefl; Thomas Pollard; Gregory J. Walsh; Arthur (Art) Wilmoth; Dominique McBride; Jon Lundburg; Perry George; Stephen Bedola*; Dr. Phillip Peterson*; Cecil Dancer; Peter Minton; Ihen Ingham; Jennifer Ellison; Carl DeFronzo; R. (Robert) Crumb; Terry Zwigoff ; Al Dodge; Bill Knorp; David Banks; Dave Rocco; Ron Pendergraft; David Cash, and in more recent years, Tim Gracyk; René Rondeau; Dade Thieriot; Bill Davis; Robert (Bobby Lee) Yarbrough, and that interloper Carsten Fischer.
Over the years, I have done reproducer work for everyone on the above list, with but one exception, R. Crumm, I cooked him a fried chicken dinner! Al Dodge and Terry Zwigoff were present at that meal, but yes, I have worked on Dodge's Victrola and Zwigoff's sound system!
As always, thank you for looking!
Second... here it is... what do you guys think?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0535271277
TEXT FROM AUCTION:
What you are paying for, is a reasonable fee, for me to examine your Sound Box and the return Priority Postage. I will send you an estimate, and should you elect for me to repair your Sound Box, upon completion I will send you an invoice in a private eBay listing. Please see Price Schedule at the bottom of this page.
For the most part, I can make repairs to almost any Orthophonic handed me. If your Sound Box has cracks as shown in the second picture, then it cannot be disassembled, however I can still make repairs to it. Often the results can be as good as a complete rebuild! One or two small holes or dents to the Diaphragm will not present much of a problem. Holes that are not too large can always be filled in, and small dents usually do not affect sound quality. There is however a point where it would be a waste of money and time. If you are in doubt, please send me a few good pictures. I will be more than happy to work with you in using any extra good parts you may have, in doing repairs or a complete rebuild.
I have been professionally repairing / rebuilding Orthophonic Sound Boxes since 1973. I was the first technician to be interviewed in an article on the Orthophonic by Albert Sefl in the Journal of The American Phonograph Society in 1975*. I worked on my first Orthophonic Sound Box in 1967 and my first Exhibition in 1964. With this many years of experience I am able to assure the highest level of performance at the most reasonable cost to you. Anything deemed unnecessary, will be avoided, unless it is at your request!
Some of my feedback.
Excellent! Motor starts like a turbo. No more lag. Kudos. Perfect as always!A++ February 2
Doing business w/ this extremely knowledgeable honest seller since 1968 pre-eBay. January 19/2010
Another impossible to find Edison part from a legendary phonograph repairman.A++ August 21/2008
Photos 2; 3; and 4 illustrate a simple repair on a Sound Box, that otherwise could not be disassembled. This one came in with an annoying buzzing and rattling in reproduction. The one missing ball-bearing had nothing at all to do with the buzzing, but nevertheless I did replace it. In this case the rubber decoupling ring was also replaced. The Total to my customer was $28.90. He was pleased, and there's nothing in the world that pleases me more than a satisfied customer!
In the fourth photo you see a "worst case" scenario for ball-bearings, they must be replaced with a full set of new ball-bearings. I do not charge for the ball-bearings they are included in the installation fee. A bearing rebuild is needed in only around fifty per cent of most repairs, seldom on Sound Boxes made before July 1927. After the "new design" with the "Phase Plug" (photo 5 with and without phase plug) and a thinner Bearing Shaft was introduced in late 1927, several problems cropped up. In 1926, the percentage of zinc was quite high, and as a result, these Sound Boxes lost their gold plating within only months. To alleviate this problem, the zinc was reduced to a very low level; these are the ones that "swell, contort and crack", but the plating looks great! As a result, the bushing bearing races, do tend to be loose. Also at this time, the end caps are reversed, and a rubber grommet was placed over the ball-bearings; the sulfur in the rubber did cause rust to form on the ball-bearings. At some time in late 1928, a steel washer was placed between the rubber and balls, this in many cases exasperated the problem.
In the following Schedule, at the basic Price quoted, you may indeed receive your Sound Box returned to you sounding just great! As noted above, frequently the Ball-Bearing Pivot needs little or no work done to it! It would be a good idea to have me change the old decoupling rubber, but in sound quality there is only a slight improvement, however there is a vast gain in record preservation!
Basic Repair..........................$18.95
New Ball-Bearings installed..$19.95*
*With Basic Repair..................$9.95
New Rubber Decoupler........ $9.95
If your Sound Box can be taken apart, I can replace the Duralumin Diaphragm with a good original. Prices for a Diaphragm will vary from $15.00 to $35.00. A Diaphragm need not look perfect to sound just fine.
I can usually remove a broken Needle Thumb Screw, especially if someone has not made a mess of the job before I can get to it! There will be an extra $8.00 charge for this service. An original Victor Thumb Screw will cost $12.95.
Other miscellaneous small parts, such as Dust Caps will be offered at a reasonable price.
*If you can make out the term "float" function in this article, please disregard the explanation given. It is that soft rubber allows for a little vertical compliance. I do not wish to give an impression of being sour grapes, but it was I that taught Bob Waltrip how to work on the Othophonic. This was around 1975, some ten or so years before he started expounding on his talents as the only true exponent of reproducerdom.
I first met Bob Waltrip when he was living here in San Francisco in 1968. It was also in that year, that I worked on the Sound Box from his "cheap" little VV-7-11. Before he moved to Levelland Texas, he lived in Parker Arizona for a number of years, where he refinished Grand Pianos professionally (he did the most beautiful work). In 1975 or '76 on a visit back to San Francisco, to return a Piano Case, he came over to my shop with our mutual friend Frank Bourquin**. He asked if I could not do the work on an Orthophonic Sound Box that afternoon . I did the work with him standing over my shoulder, and him playing the game of forty questions.
In all fairness, over the years, he taught me much about the best techniques in good refinishing. With his short little stature (he verged on being a dwarf) he needed to do something a bit less strenuous to make a livelihood! The one thing that mostly ticked me off was when he borrowed (stole) my term "Floating Gaskets" some ten years after I first used it. In the last picture you can see what remains of the first one I did around 1977.
**This character can be Googled up, check up Frank Bourquin Cockette. Among business partners, friends, record and phonograph collectors and sundry rouges* that figured into my early years in this business are: Edward L. Linotti; Charles Siegfried; Albert (Al) Sefl; Thomas Pollard; Gregory J. Walsh; Arthur (Art) Wilmoth; Dominique McBride; Jon Lundburg; Perry George; Stephen Bedola*; Dr. Phillip Peterson*; Cecil Dancer; Peter Minton; Ihen Ingham; Jennifer Ellison; Carl DeFronzo; R. (Robert) Crumb; Terry Zwigoff ; Al Dodge; Bill Knorp; David Banks; Dave Rocco; Ron Pendergraft; David Cash, and in more recent years, Tim Gracyk; René Rondeau; Dade Thieriot; Bill Davis; Robert (Bobby Lee) Yarbrough, and that interloper Carsten Fischer.
Over the years, I have done reproducer work for everyone on the above list, with but one exception, R. Crumm, I cooked him a fried chicken dinner! Al Dodge and Terry Zwigoff were present at that meal, but yes, I have worked on Dodge's Victrola and Zwigoff's sound system!
As always, thank you for looking!
