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https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/194779858736 ... %7Ciid%3A1

The HMV97 was catalogued in Black, Blue, Green and Red but never Brown, yet here is one described as such.
What makes me suspicious is that the seller has posted 12 pictures, none of which show the HMV transfer.
If the machine has been repainted it has been done quite well. What do others think?

It hasn't been painted but where's the winding handle clip vanished to? Note they are using a tungstyle needle tin clip to secure it! That's suspiciously the same location as the 102 lid clip.

It looks to me as though the horn opening has been rather crudely lined with rexine and there appears to be a horizontal crease across the rexine in the lid. Also note how crudely the cloth has been cut around the motorboard apertures. It looks to me as though the ivorine plaque has been refitted too; one of the nail heads is significantly bigger than the other. I'd ask for a photo of the lid inside.

I think the whole thing has been recovered possibly but certainly not in recent years. It has plenty of age to it. Without a picture of the lid I wouldn't touch it though. That is unless I was desperate for another Meltrope III soundbox!

It looks as though a piece of the covering material has been stuck over the internal base of the lid, and then the whole thing has been re-painted. The internal horn opening should be painted card, and not covered with material, as this one seems to be, and the outer covering on the lid appears to be very cracked. Given all that, plus the absence of the handle storage clip, possibly the HMV trademark, and the substitution of the proper soundbox with one of those 'orrible (only my opinion!) Meltrope 111s, I agree with Steve, and wouldn't touch it.
Barry

Yes, if I was interested in bidding I would certainly want to see more of what is inside the lid.
The 97 winding handle clip should be inside the horn mouth on the left, but it appears to be missing.
I have yet to see a 97 with a Tungstyle needle clip as original equipment.
Nothing wrong with a Meltrope III soundbox. A good one will outperform anything this side of an EMG or Expert.

epigramophone wrote: Sun Jan 30, 2022 7:13 am .
Nothing wrong with a Meltrope III soundbox.

We'll agree to differ on that one!

Barry

I'm with you, Barry. I can't get the enthusiasm many have for the cheap little Meltrope III. I've had quite a few and they don't sound all that wonderful to me. They arguably have the one advantage of the compressible rubber isolator to the backs but the rest of the assembly with cheap face plate securing the ball bearing fulcrum and stylus bar arrangement leaves much to be desired.

I've never heard one beat a well restored HMV 5, 5a or 5b anyway.

My own Miii sounds good on a small horn instrument like the 127, but on the big reentrant doesn't sound so good to me neither. There is a lack of treble that the big horn makes more relevant. I agree with you about the 5a/b being much better.

Inigo wrote: Sun Jan 30, 2022 8:29 am My own Miii sounds good on a small horn instrument like the 127, but on the big reentrant doesn't sound so good to me neither. There is a lack of treble that the big horn makes more relevant. I agree with you about the 5a/b being much better.

I agree with you. If you have a cheap portable machine with a mica or pot metal off-the-shelf Swiss soundbox with aluminium diaphragm or perhaps a small table model with a mica diaphragm soundbox the Meltrope III can offer a substantial upgrade in sound. Other than that it's a downgrade in my honest opinion.

Putting one on a re-entrant is akin to stuffing the horn with pillows and cushions.