The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have an Edison C-2 radio/phonograph that is in beautiful original condition I am interested in getting restored. It came from a collector, and I am not sure if any work has ever been done to the machine. I am located in the Seattle/Tacoma area, but I am not opposed to having the mechanism shipped to a competent rebuilder. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated as it really is too nice of a machine to just sit silently.

I am including a photo of the cabinet. You can see the gloss in the cabinet even reflects the open door in the room near where it is sitting. It also includes the original books, which are also in beautiful condition. It obviously did not have a hard life.

Thank you for your input and recommendations. If preferable, I can be reached via email as well at [email protected].

A very nice, clean-looking machine! Hopefully the transformer is in good condition!

Garret

The world expert on these is Chuck Azzalina who is in the east, Penn., I think. I bought Chuck's own Edison C-2 that he rebuilt. He has rebuilt many of them. Here is a link to his website:

http://www.myvintagetv.com/aboutme.htm

Thank you for the information! I sent him an email.

When you have everything out of the cabinet, I would get someone to take the leg base off the bottom and re-glue it. They are really fragile and those little glue joints are probably very weak. I have no idea how the one I have remained standing the way the glue joints were on it. Edison should have made that skirt wider at the bottom so the glue joint was wider.

You have a really nice looking machine. They are really nice sounding when they are working properly. Chuck should be able to get yours sorted out for you. Earl.

Thank you! I reached out to Chuck, and, happily, I will be sending him the mechanism in mid-February. I am really looking forward to hearing it play, especially the electric diamond discs that I have. I have an Edisonic Schubert, so it will be fun to compare how they sound.

Thank you for the insights. It sounds like great advice.

The word "mechanism" refers more to an acoustic phonograph. I guess you could call the phonograph part on a C-2 a mechanism, but the radio/amplifier/transformer/vacuum tube part is called the "chassis" in electronic speak.

I have no intention of ever working on one. As I told Chuck, I am not mechanical and have no interest in being so. I only want to hit the switch and have it play. It can be called "cornucopia of fiddly bits" for all I care.