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VV-XVI turntables
Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 3:06 pm
by oliver
Hi Everyone,
Please forgive my ignorance but are VV-XVI's supposed to have a gold plated or a nickel plated turntable edge?
Most, if not all, of the ones I met had a nickel plated turntable edge.
Thank you.
Re: VV-XVI turntables
Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 7:51 pm
by Ripduf1
Nickel turntable is correct.
Re: VV-XVI turntables
Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 9:06 pm
by Zwebie
Every VV-XVI after the L-Door had a turntable with a gold plated edge.
According to the Victor Data Book
Bob S.
Re: VV-XVI turntables
Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 9:26 pm
by gramophone-georg
My understanding always was that a bullet brake got a nickle TT because the brake contacting the turntable edge wore the gold finish quite quickly. When the brake pad went to the inside of the TT the edge became gold to match the other hardware.
Re: VV-XVI turntables
Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 10:09 pm
by Lucius1958
gramophone-georg wrote:My understanding always was that a bullet brake got a nickle TT because the brake contacting the turntable edge wore the gold finish quite quickly. When the brake pad went to the inside of the TT the edge became gold to match the other hardware.
There must have been a transitional period: my 1912 L-door has the tab brake (no traces of a bullet brake), and the nickel TT.
-Bill
Re: VV-XVI turntables
Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 10:53 pm
by Zwebie
gramophone-georg wrote:
My understanding always was that a bullet brake got a nickle TT because the brake contacting the turntable edge wore the gold finish quite quickly. When the brake pad went to the inside of the TT the edge became gold to match the other hardware.
According to the Victor Data Book, even though the VV-XVI type C and VV-XVI type D L-Doors came with friction brakes under their pressed steel turntables, the edge was still nickel plated.
Every VV-XVI after the L-Door had a turntable with a gold plated edge.
Even the Victrola-120, (virtually the last VV-XVI), had the gold plated edge.
Bob S.
Re: VV-XVI turntables
Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 12:59 pm
by martinola
Lucius1958 wrote:
There must have been a transitional period: my 1912 L-door has the tab brake (no traces of a bullet brake), and the nickel TT.
-Bill
Bill,
I'm pretty sure there was. My very early non-L Door XVI also has a nickel edged turntable. I'd bet that Victor was just using up old stock.
- Martin
Re: VV-XVI turntables
Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 2:26 pm
by mick_vt
Zwebie wrote:Every VV-XVI after the L-Door had a turntable with a gold plated edge.
According to the Victor Data Book
Bob S.
Not according to my XVI - series G
Re: VV-XVI turntables
Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 2:52 pm
by gramophone-georg
"There is an exception to every rule, including this one." That's what keeps this hobby interesting. The really exciting part of it is finding out things like everything you thought you knew for 40 plus years could be wrong.

Re: VV-XVI turntables
Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 2:09 pm
by oldphonographsteve
My type E XVI from early 1913, which is the very first redesigned version after the L-Door, has a nickel-plated turntable. I'd agree with Martin that Victor was probably using up old stock. I think it is very possible that this particular information in the Victor Data Book is inaccurate, as every version of the XVI with the type E suffix that I have come across has had a nickel-plated turntable.
Stephen