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I just picked this Concert up yesterday, the case is in excellent original condition, the bed plate is also very nice, the white buildup around carriage standoffs comes right off so I think it will cleanup very nice, BUTTTT as you can see the machine does not have a concert mandrel and has some type of homemade attempt to make a reproducer carriage. My question is will it be impossible to find the correct parts to restore the mechanism? I only paid $125 for it but would like to get it back as it should be. Thanks Larry

It looked like someone wanted to play regular size 2-minutes on it instead of Concerts.

I hope you can find the mandrel and the original type of carriage because that is in very nice shape. The white buildup is probably related to rubber isolators breaking down, maybe?

At least this is the later one without the wooden drawer on the front of the case. For $125 I think you did extremely well.

Edison offered conversion kits to upgrade Concert machines to play standard cylinders, once the Gold Moulded records made Concert records obsolete (and too expensive). Edison dealers replaced the mandrel and shaft, and mounted a new reproducer carriage to bring the stylus down. This carriage kept the reproducer horizontal, as on the original. It looks like yours was done privately. Someone cut off the front part of the Concert carriage just below the reproducer, and mounted a jury-rigged metal bar to the front, which put the reproducer at an angle. I can only assume he somehow adapted a new mandrel as well.

It's going to be hard to find the original parts. Originally they were returned to the factory. Collectors have been hunting for these parts for years to restore such upgraded machines back to original configuration. Many years ago there were reproduction parts available but they are long gone.

Even as it is, it's a fascinating piece of phonographic history, showing how creative owners were in "modernizing" their obsolete machines. Obviously, for the price it was an absolute steal!

Wow - incredible that you only paid 125$ for this. I paid way way more for my Concert, although it wasn’t altered. But still, no where close to 125$. Congratulations! I agree, an awesome piece of history either way!

Larry,

Here are some pictures of an original upgrade to standard size cylinder Concert.




Interestingly I paid $100 for this one at a local auction about a year ago. I guess it helped that it wasn't advertised. Another plus
is it has a 2/4 minute attachment.

Chuck

Hi Larry- I almost hate to do this, but two 5" arms and a conversion arm have sold on Ebay fairly recently. But...That means there is hope. They might not all have fit your machine, but...... Maybe another will turn up.

Brad Abell


https://www.ebay.com/itm/364119662394?h ... 7675.l2557

https://www.ebay.com/itm/204249974612?h ... R7js_a3cYQ

https://www.ebay.com/itm/125760354757?h ... R7rs_a3cYQ

I just sold an Edison Concert 5” carriage on eBay 3 weeks ago $482.

Rich Gordon

Thanks for the comments and pictures , the past sales of the parts I need are encouraging, and Brad as you say there is hope I will start paying close attention to ebay listings and put a wanted ad in the Yankee Trader, Thanks again Larry

How does it play as is? I still think this is an incredible buy for 125$

Great find! It's encouraging to hear that Edison cylinder machines like yours are still coming to market at extremely fair prices.... rarely, but still encouraging, though. Even non-collectors will ask much higher in my part of the country just because of the "Edison" name. Good luck in your quest for the parts.... that's is part of the fun! - Chris