Edison Model C200 Good Deal?

[XCaptBill]

I found an Edison C200 for sale for $150.00. It's supposed to be in good working order with a decent mahogany cabinet. Includes some DD's, I don't know how many. Would this be a good buy for this machine and are they considered to be a good performer? It would be my first Edison and It's a little bit of a drive for me to go see it. I don't want to make the trip if this is not a desireable machine?

Opinions or information are welcome.

Bill

[phonophan79]

Someone else recently asked about the C-200.

you can read at
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... f=2&t=4708

also some good info at
http://www.edisonphonology.com/c200.htm

IMHO, if everything is as you described... good working and cosmetic condition... I think $150 is a good price for a C-200. These are not rare machines... but they are not common either. I think they are eye-pleasing and should give you a nice sound.

[estott]

The C200 "Adam" is one of the smaller uprights but can perform very well- the larger machines offered a bigger horn and bigger cabinets with more record storage but otherwise the mechanics are standard, as with any DD machine the condition of the reproducer is important. If it is clean, undamaged and works well $150 is not bad. It is a more desirable machine than the cheaper H 19 "Hepplewhite" because of the fancier cabinet.

[Valecnik]

It all depends on condition of course but $150 for one in very good condition is a good price imho, especially if you're lucky enough to get a few records with it.

[Guest]

It sounds like I should at least go take a look. Thanks for the input!

[Guest]

I went to see it. Turns out I misidentified it from the photo. It is a C-150. I bought it anyway and the seller let it go for $125.00, The cabinet is in fair shape and it plays well. Evidently there had been a little veneer delamination around the bottom edges of the sides as a previous owner added some trim to cover it. I will probably refinish it but it's OK for now. It came with 14 black etched DD's. Some have what appears to be a little mold or white residue on them. I'll clean them up with some alcohol.

Thanks for the input from those who replied!

Bill

[gramophoneshane]

I'd love to know what that "white mold" actually is, and how to successfully remove it.
I've experimented with all sorts of products, but to no avail.
On some of mine, it almost appears to be some kind of salt leaching from the condensite or core.
Condensite cancer??
Alcohol can remove most of it at times, but other times does help much at all. With some heavy spots I've had greater success scratching it off with my fingernail, but it will usually have etched into the disc surface. And after a while, it comes back.
I've only found maybe 5 or 6 that are effected like this, and most of those came from an original owners collection, so I'm a little sceptical that it is mold & was caused by storage conditions, as I'd presume the entire collection of records have been stored under the same conditions since new.

[XCaptBill]

That's interesting regarding the white residue. I would expect if it is some type of material reaction many collectors would see this phenomenon? I work with chemical scientists. I'm sure I can get them to give me an opinion and a recommendation to clean it. If it does return, I guess there would not be much to do to prevent it except clean it again?

Bill

[XCaptBill]

Shane,

The scientist I spoke to said that is likely caused by lead salt leeching from the lead resonate finish used to make the surface look shiney.He said it could be lead salt or lead carbonate. He did a little research on the materials used to make DD records and said they are like Bakelite. He said that they could probably tolerate some level of water for a very short time?

He suggested trying this formula to clean it off. I'll try it on a record that I don't care much about.

50% Isopropene (Isopropyl Alcohol) I have pure stuff from the labratory.
50% Deionized water.

add 0.10% concentrated labratory grade detergent for cleaning glass leaving no ionic residue. I use Cole parmer Micro-90.

He suggested rinsing afterward with DI water, wiping clean immediately and blowing dry with compressed air.

The average person doesn't have ready access to all this and it may be just as easy to use regular rubbing alcohol as others have suggested.

I'll give this method a try and see if it works, and doesn't destroy the disc.

Bill

[gramophoneshane]

Using any type of water on diamond discs is a bad idea.
The problem isn't so much the layer of condensite, which is similar to bakelite, but the problem is the core the condensite is laminated to.
It contains wood flour & lots of other stuff, and as soon as water hits it, it sucks in the water which causes the core to swell. This of coarse can cause the condensite surface to warp or even crack.
It might be worth experimenting with the formular you were given, but I'd avoid getting anywhere near the outer edge or spindle hole, just in case.
I'd also try and and leave it on the disc surface for as little time as possible, and perhaps rinse using several cloths dampened with the water?

Thanks too for going to the trouble of asking a chemical scientist. I'm not really surprised that it could be a lead salt or something similar. I've never known what is actually was, except that it looks weird.
Interesting stuff.