The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

No association with seller.

I don't really know what an Edison Diamond Disk is, yet. Vertically cut?

https://vancouver.craigslist.org/van/at ... 03317.html

Yes, vertically cut ¼" thick discs with a mechanically driven reproducer feed and discs cut to match that feed (much like cylinders). With a rebuilt reproducer, they sound great.

The A-100 is a common machine that would be $100-$150 in most cases in the USA. The spindly legs break easily, so this model is often found "amputated".

52089 wrote: Tue Feb 01, 2022 12:02 pm Yes, vertically cut ¼" thick discs with a mechanically driven reproducer feed and discs cut to match that feed (much like cylinders). With a rebuilt reproducer, they sound great.

The A-100 is a common machine that would be $100-$150 in most cases in the USA. The spindly legs break easily, so this model is often found "amputated".

Cool. Thanks for the information.

In US dollars today, the sellers asking price is $256 or reasonable offers.

I do not have enough experience to say what the conditions of the collector's market are here. But I, myself, would not be prepared to make any kind of offer coming anywhere near what the seller's expectations seem to be here.

I am interested in the machine only in what I can learn from it. Diamond Disks are not a rabbit hole I am prepared to go down at this time. LOL.

Lah Ca wrote: Tue Feb 01, 2022 1:31 pm Diamond Disks are not a rabbit hole I am prepared to go down at this time. LOL.

But it's such an interesting rabbit hole...

- Bill

The correct spelling in this contact is ‘Disc’, with a ‘c’.
The A-100 ‘Moderne’ has spindly lathe-turned legs that fit into the carcase of the heavier upper portion with dowel joints. These dowel joints are notoriously weak and we’re prone to breakage even when new. Edison dealers jokingly referred to the A-100 as the “Amputee-100” because of the high breakage rate in shipping. The joints get wobbly from cranking the machine, as well. The cabinet of the $150 A-150, by contrast. has legs that are one piece and form the corners of the carcase, making for a much more sold cabinet.

Lucius1958 wrote: Tue Feb 01, 2022 10:57 pm

Lah Ca wrote: Tue Feb 01, 2022 1:31 pm Diamond Disks are not a rabbit hole I am prepared to go down at this time. LOL.

But it's such an interesting rabbit hole...

- Bill

I bought my first Diamond Disc machine a few months ago I think; it was an A-200 (which has Queen Anne legs at the bottom of a more conventional cabinet.)

Thankfully it came with fifty or so good discs.

They're incredibly easy to use and the sound is great; I think if you can figure out the kind of music you want on Diamond Discs then go for it. The cost of the records keeps me from buying more at the moment but they will turn up somewhere. It's a nice phonograph if you want to own & display the peak of acoustic technology at that time.

Nauck auctions (named Naucktions for friendly use) have usually a big DD section with thousands of them. The hot ones are more expensive, but there bulk has a minimum bid of 4 or 5 bucks... I acquired two, many years ago, only for curiosity. One is the ubiquitous Auntie Skinner Chicken Dinner, by a small vocal group...

I also have two or three Diamond Discs and no means of playing them. They are just curios and cost me nothing.
I am happy with my Blue Amberols, and have neither the space nor the inclination to start collecting yet another format.

Most Blue Amberols made after the introduction of the Diamond Disc system were dubbed from Diamond Disc records. The sound is superior to BA’s.