Picked up a Columbia Viva-tonal 710

[Dischoard]

So I noticed a Columbia 710 sort of languishing on Craigslist for a month so I wrote to the owner and offered to come down and pick it up in order to keep it from going to the dump. It turns out I just saved it as they told me it was out in their driveway under a tarp and ready to go to the dump already. I was really hoping it had just been put out the night before but it seems as though it was outside for longer than that. It had obviously been through a rain storm as it had some water damage on the top plus some water sitting inside the machine as the "tarp" was only haphazardly wrapped around the top and tucked under the lid.

I was, however, happy to find that this machine came with its original 12" albums (with some interesting records inside), the spring appears not to be broken, and the reproducer sounds surprisingly good as found without a rebuild. Here is a first play of this machine featuring the Knickerbockers playing "Happy Days and Lonely Nights": https://youtu.be/6gY4EqGmuko

Here are some photos from the day I picked it up and then after spending a little bit of time with a lot of paper towels, Gojo, and some steel wool. You can see all the white stains due to the water and even the places where the tarp appears to have stuck to the finish.

[Phono-Phan]

Great job saving this one. It would have been a shame to send it to the dump. These are great sounding Columbias.

[Hoodoo]

You saved a thoroughbred from the knacker’s yard. Well done.

[gramophone-georg]

Oooooh, nice! I had an 810 that I needed to sell to make room for a Victrola 10-50 and I regret selling it. Fine machine.

[Dischoard]

Oooooh, nice! I had an 810 that I needed to sell to make room for a Victrola 10-50 and I regret selling it. Fine machine.

Two machines on my bucket list, one is any external horn disc phonograph (I don't have a single one) and a Victor 10-50. I most likely would have sold the 810 for something like that as well!

[travisgreyfox]

Just in the nick of time. Great save, she should sound great after a reproducer rebuild.

[AmberolaAndy]

An absolute OUTRAGE someone had the gall to almost throw it away!

But now it’s in the hands of a loving owner who cares!