The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

What is the value of this EMG expert? The machine recommended by a friend, looks good...

It's a Junior so anything between £3000 - 4000 Id say.

£ 1,500 to £2,500 soundbox doesn't look original if it was it would probably be more

I agree with Steve and Mike, an Expert Junior should be worth between £3,000 and 4,000 plus---more for a perfect example. This one (which looks suspiciously like the one sold recently at auction and formerly owned by someone not to be mentioned by name) is challenged in a number of areas. The soundbox (Meltrope 111 ?) is not part of the correct specification and the unattractive and inappropriate electric "household" switch has certainly been added and removal would leave unsightly scars on the deck-board. The case has had a hard life and would benefit from complete refurbishment. When seen at auction, the veneers were not perfect in certain areas. The turntable should be 12" diameter but was unaccountably smaller. There is also a difficult-to-remove dent in the swinging section of the tonearm which, to be fair, will probably not unduly affect sound quality.

On the plus side, the horn (the most difficult item to repair) looks good and straight with undamaged paper.

A four-spring soundbox could cost anything up to £1,000 these days and two-spring perhaps £500-£700 if you can find one.

Am I right in thinking that this machine reached £2,000 plus commission at auction in June ? I would not want to pay more than £2,500 in this condition.

If that is true about possible provenance on this machine it is arguably the most famous EMG gramophone in the world.

VanEpsFan1914 wrote:If that is true about possible provenance on this machine it is arguably the most famous EMG gramophone in the world.

Surely you mean infamous !

I understand, thank you everyone, I basically gave up the idea of ​​taking over this machine, and I look forward to finding a better one here.

At the same time, there is another one recommended, I think there are more questions, maybe a different configuration of the machine

Now I know it's provenance I'd suggest burning it!

Whilst I agree with Graham's assessment overall I still think there are buyers out there who would pay slightly more, even in its current condition.

I must admit I must have slept through the soundbox price increases.

Steve wrote:I must admit I must have slept through the soundbox price increases.

They've been quite extreme - several have sold for well over £1000.

The second Junior looks nice. It looks to be an earlier one, with the slightly more attractive case, and it's great that it has its original stand and a 4-spring soundbox. Hard to be certain from the photo, but the horn looks as though it may have a bit of a droop. The face of the horn should be only very slightly forward of vertical.