The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Pick up only if you're near (or care to travel to) Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.

https://shopgoodwill.com/item/138779131

I'm stunned that Goodwill could wind up with something like this! How does that happen?

fran604g wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 6:03 am I'm stunned that Goodwill could wind up with something like this! How does that happen?

Ignorance. Probably someone clearing a house in a hurry who would not recognise a gramophone if they tripped over it.
It is disappointing that the Goodwill Store, or Charity Shop as we call such places in the UK, also seems unaware of what they have.
Most UK charity shops now have volunteers with sufficient knowledge to identify potentially valuable items.

epigramophone wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 7:33 am

fran604g wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 6:03 am I'm stunned that Goodwill could wind up with something like this! How does that happen?

Most UK charity shops now have volunteers with sufficient knowledge to identify potentially valuable items.

More's the pity many don't have the time, patience, inclination or skill to properly pack an item for shipping via a courier.

I've given up trying to buy that Electrola 106 now, even though I could give the charity shop more than they're asking instead of it languishing there unsold for months. That's not helping anyone.

We must always remember that these people are volunteers who give up their spare time in a good cause.
My next door neighbour's wife used to oversee a chain of local charity shops, and would call me in if a gramophone was donated.
A collector friend who also lives in my village is a volunteer at a charity shop, one of the few which still accepts records as donations.
We vet the records which come in and donate any of our own which we no longer want. They sell cheaply but steadily.

I understand they're volunteers but their aim is to turn items into money. They know I'm a serious buyer and can hand that money over to them. All they had to do was wrap some bubble wrap around it, tape it up and put it in a cardboard box. I could have arranged the rest and got a courier to collect it for me. They said they would on two occasions but then never got back to me.

If I know it has some protection and can confirm the box size etc I can arrange one of the normal couriers online for £10-15. If not I'd have to use something like Shiply and the cheapest courier there wants a minimum £50, hence no sale! I even told the charity I was happy to donate the difference to them but alas there it stays.

Is the arm broken or has it just come off? What if it is broken, would it be repairable?

CharliePhono wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 12:06 am Pick up only if you're near (or care to travel to) Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.

There was a time when ShopGoodWill was a well kept secret, I guess the cat's out of the bag now

I'll have to start looking for the next well-kept-secret!

The tone arm looks fine but the elbow for the horn, which is very uncommon, is in poor condition.

Yes I agree the elbow is toast and very hard to find. But overall the condition of the machine is great! It even has the original hold down. How much is a plane ticket to Minnesota? It is the one Rigid Arm Victor I don't have.