The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I saw a couple small phonographs at a collector's house recently and
they looked like very early models similar to a Victor I or II. They
had internal horns however and 7 inch turntables with fat spindles.
One of which I recall was a "standard" brand. Is anyone familiar with
these types? Are they particularly rare? I would like to own one but
I would imagine finding the records would be quite difficult. Thanks
for any info about these models.

The only Standard phonos I'm aware of with 7 inch turntables have external horns.

Sean

OS is right. The only Standard Talking Machine with a 7" turntable that I'm aware of is the AA - a version of the Columbia AU with a ½" spindle. There are several other Standard models with external and internal horns, but they all have 10" turntables. Standard machines and records are quite common.

George P.

There was an internal horn standard, no lid, large spindle but with a 10" turntable. Like most Standards, makes more noise than a combine when running.

Valecnik wrote: Like most Standards, makes more noise than a combine when running.

Not to be contrary, but I've got a couple of A models & an AU, and all have pretty quiet motors. They're all brutal on records, though - so they're just for display.

My Standard model A has a very quiet motor as well. I too don't really play it since it pretty much eats records.

Sean

Its possible I have my info mixed up, sorry about that. I will try to get some
photos when I go to look at the baby console next week. Thanks for the info guys!

phonogfp wrote:Standard machines and records are quite common

I would agree that the 10 inch Standard Model A Talking Machines and 10 inch Standard Disc records are quite common. However, I have found few examples of the late model internal horn Standard Disc machines and the 7 inch Standard records are very uncommon - at least they have been for me. As a comparison, I have about one hundred and twenty 7 inch American Berliner records in my collection and no fewer than a thousand of the 10 inch Standard Disc records but just ten of the 7 inch Standard Disc records. But then, I don't attend any phono shows so all of my hunting has been in my travels, in "the wild".

Edisone wrote:

Valecnik wrote: Like most Standards, makes more noise than a combine when running.

Not to be contrary, but I've got a couple of A models & an AU, and all have pretty quiet motors. They're all brutal on records, though - so they're just for display.

OrthoSean wrote:My Standard model A has a very quiet motor as well. I too don't really play it since it pretty much eats records.

Sean

Well hearing is believing so if you guys say you have machines with quiet running motors that's great. I guess we are all in agreement though that they chew up records...

Brutal, indeed!

I went out to my workshop where my Standard model A is in hibernation yesterday afternoon and wound it up and let it run down just to be sure I remembered correctly. Very quiet for one of those motors, I think, but I seem to remember being told that there is a fiber gear that can be the cause of noise if it is worn and replacements used to be available, although mine is original, I'm pretty certain. That was probably the first time in five years that motor had run!

Sean