The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I don't usually comment on this kind of stuff, but this one just hit me wrong.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Victor ... Sw3adeiLey

This guy is parting out a really nice Victor III, apparently in working condition--

Just a crying shame!

Brad Abell

He did the same thing with a Victor V last week.

I messaged him offering to buy the entire machine and he just said he would leave the parts listed separately. It is really too bad people like this destroy perfectly good machines. It make me sick! I am still tempted to bid on all the parts, but if I didn't win them all, then what would I do? It is really a terrible practice and he is a jerk.

I agree that is is a shame to part out a good machine. The flip side is that it allows a number of other machines to become complete. It is hard to say which is better in the long run. If one machine becomes an organ doner and several machines are completed, then maybe it’s not so bad.

It is a mixed bag for sure. I think some parts can be sold, from a not so good machine, rather than a nice complete one. However, it is nice to get parts for machines that are rare, and incomplete, or tojust complete machines you have sitting around for a long time, that need the parts. I find myself patronizing these people because I can't find the parts from anyone else, so I am getting a machine completed, that would otherwise need to be sold for parts. Honestly, it is a catch 22.

Why is it that idiots like this luck out and find machines at estate sales? He needs to stay home and quarantine...

Is the Victor III crank he has listed the same as a Victor VI crank? I need a gold Victor VI crank.

Rich Gordon

Curt A wrote:Why is it that idiots like this luck out and find machines at estate sales? He needs to stay home and quarantine...

That's the real question.

edisonphonoworks wrote:It is a mixed bag for sure. I think some parts can be sold, from a not so good machine, rather than a nice complete one. However, it is nice to get parts for machines that are rare, and incomplete, or tojust complete machines you have sitting around for a long time, that need the parts. I find myself patronizing these people because I can't find the parts from anyone else, so I am getting a machine completed, that would otherwise need to be sold for parts. Honestly, it is a catch 22.

It's a "catch 22" from a sellers perspective as well. I've never parted out a machine but when nobody wants to pay a fair price it's damned tempting.

gramophone-georg wrote:It's a "catch 22" from a sellers perspective as well. I've never parted out a machine but when nobody wants to pay a fair price it's damned tempting.

I completely agree. I have lowered the price on my gorgeous completely original early Queen Anne model VV-XIV Victrola to $300. And every person who has responded to my FB Marketplace ad wants me to give it away..."Take $150 for it?" Please...not a chance.

It has a beautiful original finish, plays beautifully, has a nice gold plated bullet brake, has its original vertical record (numbered) storage rack, early Victor 3-spring motor, yielding turntable with threaded spindle, Gold "V" key, nice Gold Exhibition reproducer, nice gold Victor female crank and escutcheon, early Victor gold tonearm, all of its original gold knobs, pull out record rest shelf with original knob, gold circular Victor needle tin AND an extra Victor needle tin. And no one wants to pay $300...

It's a stunning original Queen Anne VV-XIV and all I get are low ball offers from people. My wife would like it out of our living room and the parts alone are worth well more than my price. But as George mentioned above...it's very tempting when your wife is leaning on you to sell it and all you receive are low ball offers.

Doug