The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I’ll have to post some pictures in a bit. More bad luck, UPS store apparently was responsible for packing, then they put the wrong label on it, and two weeks later, sadness arrived on my doorstep. I knew it was going to need a little love, but the were apparently extra abusive to this box. Thankfully it’s built like a tank, and I’ll hopefully be able to repair the damages to this beautiful machine. Does anyone have one of these that they can take a few detail pictures for me of what it’s supposed to look like?

I’ll post pictures soon. Needle is broken off in the soundbox, fortunately it was a soft tone, so hopefully the thinner needle didn’t snapped easy enough that nothing got destroyed in the needlebar/diaphragm department. I need a good look at the rest that the arm is supposed to go in for storage, also the brake mechanism. This only has a manual brake, and it looks bent where the felt or leather pad mounts. I’d like to make sure that it goes back correct. Hinges were added to this by some do folder, and one of those hinges came apart, from the violence the machine endured in shipping. I’ll have to take that loose to get the lid off and check for any other major damage. Sadly the original brown velvet on the platter was in nice shape when it shipped, torn up by the needle dragging around in there before it broke. I’ve had things come all the way on a slow boat from China that showed up in better shape.

One interesting thing, the three records the seller included, two shellac lateral cut discs, and an Edison diamond disc showed up unscathed. I thought surely they would be in pieces, but apparently the design of the record holder on this is very good.

Here's an old thread about a 112A.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6162

I really don't understand how UPS is still in business- those people could break an anvil. They're not a shipping company- they're a crushing and wrecking company.

gramophone-georg wrote:
I really don't understand how UPS is still in business- those people could break an anvil. They're not a shipping company- they're a crushing and wrecking company.

It's not just UPS, it's every shipping company. Last week I sent out a Laserdisc in an album mailer. The clerk took it from me and put it on top of 2 other boxes, which caused all 3 packages to fall a few feet to the floor. The clerk then picked up each box and threw - yes, threw - all 3 boxes into various larger sorting bins. Pity I didn't get it on video...

52089 wrote:

gramophone-georg wrote:
I really don't understand how UPS is still in business- those people could break an anvil. They're not a shipping company- they're a crushing and wrecking company.

It's not just UPS, it's every shipping company. Last week I sent out a Laserdisc in an album mailer. The clerk took it from me and put it on top of 2 other boxes, which caused all 3 packages to fall a few feet to the floor. The clerk then picked up each box and threw - yes, threw - all 3 boxes into various larger sorting bins. Pity I didn't get it on video...

In the last 40 years, ALL of my damaged parcels have been due to UPS... most of the lost parcels as well. Two were lost by USPS and they were international parcels. USPS made good. UPS just denies, denies, denies, even when THEY pack it.

I've never had a claim with DHL or FedEx.

You’re lucky the record holder didn’t break off due to the UPS store not taking the records out of the holder. Unlike some clown at the FedEx store who packed my 2-55... 2 years later and I’m still astonished at the “professional packing” job.

Always ask the seller BEFORE paying and shipping, how they intend to pack and ship your item... NEVER USE UPS or their "Packing Specialists". Give specific instructions to all sellers on how you want it packed and shipped - don't assume that they are competent and know how to pack anything.

These "packing specialists" just throw the items in a box and fill the voids with styrofoam peanuts... they wouldn't recognize an antique phono part from recycling junk and really don't care... UPS is the WORST, even though FEDEX and USPS come in close. USPS seems to me to be the most consistent, while UPS treats your packages like trash and tests them for durability by dropping them from second floor windows and running over them with Hi-Lows... Even padded envelopes are treated like sh%t and thrown on the floor of their trucks with packages stacked on top. They usually arrive filthy with black crud smeared on them.

Curt A wrote:Always ask the seller BEFORE paying and shipping, how they intend to pack and ship your item... NEVER USE UPS or their "Packing Specialists". Give specific instructions to all sellers on how you want it packed and shipped - don't assume that they are competent and know how to pack anything.

These "packing specialists" just throw the items in a box and fill the voids with styrofoam peanuts... they wouldn't recognize an antique phono part from recycling junk and really don't care... UPS is the WORST, even though FEDEX and USPS come in close. USPS seems to me to be the most consistent, while UPS treats your packages like trash and tests them for durability by dropping them from second floor windows and running over them with Hi-Lows... Even padded envelopes are treated like sh%t and thrown on the floor of their trucks with packages stacked on top. They usually arrive filthy with black crud smeared on them.

The sad part is that a friend who lives about 20 minutes from the guy was willing to go pick it up for me, and either ship it or carry it here next time he came to visit his folks. I didn’t want to put him out, and the seller seemed a little smarter than this. What’s sad is that the Nintendo switch that got to me by mistake because the UPS store put the wrong shipping labels on the package, it got sent better packed than this!

I assume that the postage charge included insurance, so I would take detailed pictures of the damaged machine and of it's inadequate packaging in support of a compensation claim against UPS, who packed it on behalf of the seller and are therefore liable.

Unfortunately the Columbia 112a is particularly vulnerable to damage from careless handling. The lid stay assembly raises the tonearm, which connects to a long thin pot metal horn which looks more like a tube. The far end of this "horn" pivots on lugs at the narrow end of a large sheet metal horn which then reflects the sound outwards. These lugs are prone to breakage, and repair is tricky but possible.

I hope that your 112a has escaped this damage, but if not, some of us have carried out this repair and can advise you on how to do it.

So far the worst damage is to the hinges, one of the case latches and the soundbox support bracket. Haven’t had the motor off to see if the horn got damaged. Fingers crossed that it’s not! Waiting to hear from the seller about what the UPS people have to say for themselves. He’s got pictures from when I unpacked the machine.

Well, that is really unfortunate you got your new Grafonola in bad condition. On the bright side, congratulations on picking it; Columbias are attractive and reliable portables...we have a number of members in the British & European section who really do a lot with them.

Be careful with the folding part of the horn...I don't know the name of it, or if it has a name, but this is one of the machines where the tonearm rises up out of the horn when you lift the lid. The horn has a joint inside and if that was broken in shipping you will be doing major repairs.