The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

The tone arm looks very shiney, were they like that new was the wrong plating used when this was restored?

Should be gold. Looks like nickel.

Looks gold on my monitor but it's super shiny. That's one to look at in person.

Cool Victrola though!

Looks like 24K gold plating. To the best of my knowledge the correct darker yellow gold is achieved by first copper plating, then a very thin plating of gold over the copper.

Looks polished down to the brass to me.

On the VV-XVI and up, gold plating was used with the exception of the turntable. They were nickel plated because the brake rubbed on the outside edge of the turntable and a gold plated edge would wear quickly. The nickel plated turntable edge continued even though later brakes rubbed on the inside edge of the turntable. When did Victor start plating the turntable gold? Should the XVII have a gold edge?

Thanks, Jerry Blais

Our XVII has a gold turntable, appears to be stamped steel. It is a low serial number, so likely the turntable was gold colored at the beginning of production.

It does look different from mine. Different shine then mine. Nice but different.

Jerry B. wrote:On the VV-XVI and up, gold plating was used with the exception of the turntable. They were nickel plated because the brake rubbed on the outside edge of the turntable and a gold plated edge would wear quickly. The nickel plated turntable edge continued even though later brakes rubbed on the inside edge of the turntable. When did Victor start plating the turntable gold? Should the XVII have a gold edge?

Thanks, Jerry Blais

My 1917, VV-XVII, 120 and 130 all have Gold plated turntables. The plating on the tonearm is a bit brighter than any Gold plating that I have seen on a Victrola, but at least on my monitor, the color of the machine looks wrong as well. Plating can be dulled pretty easily.

Skihawx wrote:Looks polished down to the brass to me.

Agreed.