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horn size of Edison A-290

Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2021 12:59 am
by gunnarthefeisty
Does anyone know the horn size of the A/B-290? I can't seem to find many that have sold, and I'm thinking of getting one, but I'm not sure if I should get an A/B-250 instead.

Re: horn size of Edison A-290

Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2021 7:26 am
by phonogfp
There was some inconsistency with horn size in the A/B 275, so it's possible the same occurred with the A/B 290. But the larger question is whether you can locate an A 290. As far as I know only a couple of them have ever been found.

George P.

Re: horn size of Edison A-290

Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2021 7:55 am
by VanEpsFan1914
I woke up this morning not knowing that an Edison A-290 existed. Pictures turned up on the Internet & they are mighty handsome machines.

Did you find one, and how much of it is left?

Re: horn size of Edison A-290

Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2021 9:54 am
by phonogfp
VanEpsFan1914 wrote: Sat Nov 13, 2021 7:55 am I woke up this morning not knowing that an Edison A-290 existed. Pictures turned up on the Internet & they are mighty handsome machines.
An A 290 was pictured in Phonographs with Flair, as shown below. Click on image to enlarge.

George P.
From "Phonographs with Flair" by Fabrizio & Paul.  All Rights Reserved.
From "Phonographs with Flair" by Fabrizio & Paul. All Rights Reserved.

Re: horn size of Edison A-290

Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2021 10:18 am
by VanEpsFan1914
"Only 167 had been sold before it was discontinued in February 1915."

That's surprising; it's a very handsome cabinet. The $290 price tag must have been huge in that time.

@gunnarthefeisty if you have located one, jump on it.

Re: horn size of Edison A-290

Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2021 7:48 pm
by gunnarthefeisty
no, I haven't. I guess I sorta meant 270- thinking about pursuing one of those. I sure WISH I found a 290

Re: horn size of Edison A-290

Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2021 8:08 pm
by phonogfp
gunnarthefeisty wrote: Sat Nov 13, 2021 7:48 pm no, I haven't. I guess I sorta meant 270- thinking about pursuing one of those. I sure WISH I found a 290
I think you must mean an A/B 275.

George P.

Re: horn size of Edison A-290

Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2021 8:36 pm
by EarlH
I have an A/B 275 and it has the larger of the horns they were using in those days. I can't remember if it has the 250 medallion on the inside or not and it's been apart for a long time now. The guy I got it from let it fall out of his pickup and it really screwed up the lid and a few other things. Plus, it had been given a coat of polyurethane to heal all of those wounds I guess. Then either an A or B 275 showed up that was cut off below the horn, so I bought it for parts. I know when I got the second one that was cut off, I dropped the other mechanism in the cabinet I already had and there was enough room for either horn, but the crank hole and a few other things would have to be moved around to really swap things around. I think the complete machine I started out with is a B-275 but it does have holes drilled in the side of the cabinet for the A motor, but the screw holes were never used, and the crank hole was not drilled until the B motor was put in it. Sorry if I'm a little confused on this one, but I've had that machine for about 10 years and the cut off one came up 6-7 years ago now and I just can't recall exactly how all of it goes. And it's buried behind a bunch of stuff in a back bedroom. I know that NONE of you will understand that one. Haha!

They are very handsome machines and it's too bad that more of them didn't sell. One came up for sale up in Minneapolis 3-4 years ago, but the guy didn't follow up with me after answering the first email. Maybe that's the same machine and the one that guy had for sale was in pretty nice shape. Good luck with getting it as they are fairly scarce, but do turn up now and again. The one I have needs a lot of work, but I think it's worth doing. Re-staining the cabinet will be the worst of it as all of those inlay bands will need to be taped off.

Re: horn size of Edison A-290

Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2021 10:16 pm
by gunnarthefeisty
phonogfp wrote: Sat Nov 13, 2021 8:08 pm
gunnarthefeisty wrote: Sat Nov 13, 2021 7:48 pm no, I haven't. I guess I sorta meant 270- thinking about pursuing one of those. I sure WISH I found a 290
I think you must mean an A/B 275.

George P.
aw jeez, I did it again! Yes, I mean 275. Don't know how I made that mixup.

Re: horn size of Edison A-290

Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2021 10:17 pm
by gunnarthefeisty
EarlH wrote: Sat Nov 13, 2021 8:36 pm I have an A/B 275 and it has the larger of the horns they were using in those days. I can't remember if it has the 250 medallion on the inside or not and it's been apart for a long time now. The guy I got it from let it fall out of his pickup and it really screwed up the lid and a few other things. Plus, it had been given a coat of polyurethane to heal all of those wounds I guess. Then either an A or B 275 showed up that was cut off below the horn, so I bought it for parts. I know when I got the second one that was cut off, I dropped the other mechanism in the cabinet I already had and there was enough room for either horn, but the crank hole and a few other things would have to be moved around to really swap things around. I think the complete machine I started out with is a B-275 but it does have holes drilled in the side of the cabinet for the A motor, but the screw holes were never used, and the crank hole was not drilled until the B motor was put in it. Sorry if I'm a little confused on this one, but I've had that machine for about 10 years and the cut off one came up 6-7 years ago now and I just can't recall exactly how all of it goes. And it's buried behind a bunch of stuff in a back bedroom. I know that NONE of you will understand that one. Haha!

They are very handsome machines and it's too bad that more of them didn't sell. One came up for sale up in Minneapolis 3-4 years ago, but the guy didn't follow up with me after answering the first email. Maybe that's the same machine and the one that guy had for sale was in pretty nice shape. Good luck with getting it as they are fairly scarce, but do turn up now and again. The one I have needs a lot of work, but I think it's worth doing. Re-staining the cabinet will be the worst of it as all of those inlay bands will need to be taped off.
I think I'll pursue one- looks to me like 300-350 is about the price for one these days, although prices do change and fluctuate