The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

So I finally purchased one of these machines! I bought it at an online auction and thought I did well for buying a "completely restored and working" example.

Now for the bad news: it is not restored and definitely not working I do not know anything about repairing edisons so wanted to come get some advice on where to start. As soon as I put the reproducer down on the record it slows to a crawl. Nothing seems to be obviously out of place or broken(according to my limited knowledge). The only thing I did was clean/grease the reproducer and horn pivot points so that the reproducer glides more smoothly, which didn't help the issue.


Any advice and where to start would be appreciated.

Oh I also contacted the auction house and explained how I paid for (at the very least) a working model and he said I must have broke it traveling

Here are some more pics of the machine without the motor removed. I will probably take the motor out to look at it my next day off.

Where are you located?

Rich Gordon

Are you 100% sure that the machine pictured in the auction page is the one you received? I ask because the top board that surrounds the upper works, in your photo, is a light colored oak veneer in a mahogany cabinet, while the one shown on the auction page appears to have a dark colored mahogany top board.

I agree with JerryVan. I see a mixture of oak and mahogany. That raises questions. With that said, I suspect the half nut adjustment with the feed screw is slightly out of adjustment. I don't have a similar Amberola to make suggestions. Perhaps another member could help. It's a simple adjustment that could make a huge difference.

Jerry B.

I am located not too far from Pittsburgh, Rich.

I believe this is the same one that was pictured from the auction. I will include pics from the auction house and I can take better photos when I get home. To me it looks like the machine is a hodgepodge of various parts (or at least the screws and how the motor is mounted on). On the bright side, the outside cleaned up really nice.

Does anybody know of a good YouTube video on how to adjust the half nut adjustment with the feed screw?


Thanks everyone.

The auctioneers described the machine as an "Amberola Floor Model 60." There is no such machine.
The Amberola 60 (shown below) is a table model. The machine which you have is an Amberola 75.

Unfortunately most auction houses impose such restrictive terms and conditions that it is difficult to seek redress.

I had the same machine (Amberola 75) with a similar problem. As I remember it, it was a simple adjustment, like loosening the collar at the end of the mandrel which was too tight...

Something's off--the first of your photos of the reproducer shows it secured with thumb screws, as it should be; the second and subsequent show it secured by slot-head screws. Two different machines?

Very sorry you're having frustration with what should be an exciting new toy.

Ah yes, that first photo shows an oak motorboard and reproducer with thumb screws, I think that's the image that threw things off in the beginning. Could this have been downloaded earlier for reference and accidentally uploaded with pictures of your own machine?