The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

No association with The Mad Picker. No vested interest in any of the items listed.

The URLs contain brief if not overly informative (or always completely accurate) descriptions of the items. Hover cursor over link and look at the URL preview area of your browser. In Vivaldi, this would be the lower left corner of the task bar.

The Mad Picker is located in Aldergrove, BC. It is reasonably close to three border crossings with Washington State. Getting there would be doable if there were something you just had to have.

Mostly, it is just interesting to look.

https://www.icollector.com/Vintage-Rowe ... _i49308620

https://www.icollector.com/Victor-Berli ... _i49309145

https://www.icollector.com/Early-Columb ... _i49309154

https://www.icollector.com/Vintage-Edis ... _i49309173

https://www.icollector.com/Large-Box-Of ... _i49309174

https://www.icollector.com/Large-Box-Of ... _i49309175

https://www.icollector.com/Edison-Home- ... _i49309182

https://www.icollector.com/Early-Vintag ... _i49308373

https://www.icollector.com/Vintage-Horn ... _i49309258

https://www.icollector.com/Edison-Floor ... _i49309272

https://www.icollector.com/Early-McLaga ... _i49359196 (very pretty)

https://www.icollector.com/Misc-Phonogr ... _i49359220

https://www.icollector.com/Vintage-Phon ... _i49359219

https://www.icollector.com/Early-Mason- ... _i49359222

The off brands look very interesting... That Mc Lagan, and the other from Toronto...

Inigo wrote: Sat Jun 24, 2023 3:25 pm The off brands look very interesting... That Mc Lagan, and the other from Toronto...

McLagan is the king of Canadian off-brands: https://www.capsnews.org/capp/mclagan/mclagan.html

They custom-made a wide variety of machines under other names, as well, for various distributors and stores.

And the other one: https://www.capsnews.org/capp/mason&ris ... risch.html

Thanks for the Mac Lagan connection... they're big and beautiful machines indeed... precious!
I wonder how does it perform with that curious Fletcher soundbox with these tiny holes and the second air chamber. I've seen Fletcher soundboxes before, but I wasn't aware of such special technology, never noticed the six holes etc.

Inigo wrote: Sun Jun 25, 2023 6:21 am Thanks for the Mac Lagan connection... they're big and beautiful machines indeed... precious!
I wonder how does it perform with that curious Fletcher soundbox with these tiny holes and the second air chamber. I've seen Fletcher soundboxes before, but I wasn't aware of such special technology, never noticed the six holes etc.

The Fletcher arm design is quite innovative, too. It has some sort of ring weight at its base which is turned to adjust tracking force for different form-factor records. However, this mechanism is plagued by faulty materials engineering--self-destructing/crystallising pot metal. As you know from your A-V machine, this sort of materials engineering problem is all too common.

Yes, it's a pity to see it degrading and being incapable of helping it...

I have two of these Fletcher tonearms and reproducers. Now I know what the six holes and air space behind the diaphragm are supposed to accomplish. I never thought they were designed for fibre needles...

Aren't you curious about restoring one of them and try how it sounds when adapted to different machines? I would try one or the big horns (let's say, a Credenza) and also one of the medium-sized horns, as a tabletop Victrola VI or an external horn Victor with a good morning glory horn ..