The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Has anyone here built a Gakken wax Phonograph kit before? I am curious about how it sounds. I have seen Techmoans video on it but I feel like he didn't work with it enough. Any feedback or videos are very appreciated.

I would be inclined to use or restore a genuine Edison Phonograph. With the recorder set up correctly on the Edison, the audio fidelity is much superior. Also the the Edison hardware is much more substantial. And despite the age, the Edison Standards can still be found at very reasonable prices.

I'm curious to know as well. This could be a neat novelty piece. Hopefully, someone with some experience can chime in.

I have a made-up version of the disc machine, not the cylinder version.

I wouldn't recommend it, not because it is a Gakken but because I saw on your profile you're 15. I'm 10 years older than you and can tell by (brief) experience that money is to be spent on valuable items, not for things that'll depreciate.

Gakken kits are worth a lot sealed. People pay for the experience of building them.
Pros: they're new, parts and such are all there
Cons: they're plastic, a Columbia Q can outperform it handily, worth very little once complete, and no aftermarket parts or repairs, can't play Edison cylinders.

Get an antique Edison or Columbia cylinder phonograph.
The drawbacks: they are heavy, and very old. Parts can cost more and they're not always something you can build with one quick purchase and a few evenings.

The benefits: they are valuable, well-made antiques, they look good, can be refinished and rebuilt, parts are available, will make new records if set up to cut or will play back original ones, can be readily sold in a pinch, can be passed down to the grandkids in full working order.

I bought my first antique phonograph when I was 16. I wanted to try making one of those Gakken machines but I didn't want to pay nearly $100, so I got very lucky and spotted a decrepit Victrola through the window of a closed-down antique shop - - for which I waited nine months to research, inquire, make an acquaintance of the shopkeepers, and decide on. I then bought it. Probably paid too much.

Now I'm 25. Had I bought the Gakken I'd probably have lost interest in trying to keep the thing going, and would have lost it in a move most likely. MEANWHILE, the Victrola XIV is sitting on the other side of the room grinding out a Tommy Ladner record. It's not perfect but it got mainsprings last year and a new soundbox isolator yesterday for the Exhibition reproducer it's been wearing since 1914. I also very much enjoy my hobby of fixing up antiques.

Your call!

Charles

See Techmoan's experience with one of these here:

(Double-click the video above or click this link to go to the video on YouTube.)

Total waste of money/piece of junk... Forget this idea. Save your money for something that actually works.