Victrola VV-VI Basketcase

[Ortho4-7]

Well, it happened. Purchasing one phonograph inevitably leads to another. In this case, I spotted a Victrola VV-VI at the local Goodwill while out with a friend. We were bemoaning the lack of anything interesting when I spotted this little guy sitting on the floor in the corner, amongst discarded kitchen utensils, torn up player piano rolls, and broken camera flashes. The case and brightwork looked clean enough, but the reproducer was missing, the platter seemed frozen, and a turn of the crank resulted in a horrendous crashing noise. Classic. Seeing as it was only $40, and remembering that I had another friend who always wanted an acoustic phonograph, I impulsively took a gamble. Seemed like a great opportunity to learn how to work on these machines, and make a good friend very happy.

Well.

After getting it home, I started to take apart the motor, and my heart began to plummet. The teeth on the brass governor gear are chewed up in one spot, probably enough to jam the worm gear.

Opening up the first barrel revealed that the spring had been cut short and welded? to the inner edge of the barrel, evidently someone’s failed attempt at a backyard broken spring repair. It’s my understanding that the spring is supposed to be hooked around a sort of small lip/arbor riveted to the barrel, so I’m hoping that’s intact and the barrel’s okay. I’ve yet to attempt removing the spring, though.

The second barrel looks unscathed to my untrained eye, but I will probably end up replacing it anyway just to be safe. Spring replacement looks relatively straightforward, but the biggest challenge will be finding a new governor gear. A saner person would probably just walk away from this thing, and presumably others have, but I never claimed to be sane in the first place.

[JerryVan]

PM me with a shipping address and it's yours, free of charge. Merry Christmas!

P.S. I believe I can tell from the photo of your gear that the teeth run parallel to the spindle shaft, and not at an angle. It's the straight cut gear that I've shown above. If I'm incorrect, and you need the gear with the angle cut teeth, (helical), then let me know, I have those too.

[JerryVan]

I don't really know that I'm seeing any welding within the barrel. I tkind of looks like the normal flanged rivet, but with the ripped end of the spring hanging off of it. Before you remove the springs, take note of the direction that they wind. I guess your photos here are as good a "note" as any, but since someone has been in there already, do not trust that they are currently installed correctly.

[Jerry B.]

JerryVan, Very generous offer. You deserve "Santa" in front of your name.

Jerry B.

[Granby]

I just wanted to jump in on this conversation and thank you for saving this Victrola VI.... I, too, have been faced with similar situations and decided to take the plunge and buy a model or two similar to these. It's not always about the money!

Happy Holidays!

[JerryVan]

JerryVan, Very generous offer. You deserve "Santa" in front of your name.

Jerry B.

[Ortho4-7]

PM me with a shipping address and it's yours, free of charge. Merry Christmas!



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P.S. I believe I can tell from the photo of your gear that the teeth run parallel to the spindle shaft, and not at an angle. It's the straight cut gear that I've shown above. If I'm incorrect, and you need the gear with the angle cut teeth, (helical), then let me know, I have those too.

Thanks a million, Jerry! That’s incredibly generous of you! I checked the gear, and the teeth are indeed straight-cut. I’ll message you with my shipping info in a bit.

Merry Christmas to you all!

I don't really know that I'm seeing any welding within the barrel. I tkind of looks like the normal flanged rivet, but with the ripped end of the spring hanging off of it. Before you remove the springs, take note of the direction that they wind. I guess your photos here are as good a "note" as any, but since someone has been in there already, do not trust that they are currently installed correctly.

That’s a good point. I have a feeling that the boogered spring was installed the wrong way ‘round, since I believe double springs are supposed to be wound in opposite directions, and it looks to me like both were wound in the same direction. I could have my facts twisted, though.

[Inigo]

If you carefully examine how the springs are assembled in the motor, how you wind it up, and how they wind down to move the turntable spindle to rotate it clockwise, and note the direction the gears must move, you think carefully about it and you'll discover how the springs must go within the barrels. At the end it's a continuous movement from the winding crank to the turntable rotation; you only need to note down the movement of each element in the gear train. Be careful to examine the location of each gear in the train and take notice of their right rotation direction.
Check it twice; it's easy to get confused!

[Ortho4-7]

Just bought 2 new mainsprings and a cabinet knob from The Phonograph Shop. Currently perusing eBay for an Exhibition soundbox to rebuild. With any luck, this thing will be singing for the first time in (presumably) many decades very soon!

[Curt A]

Congrats... that was my first table top machine and a good one to learn the basics of repair/restoration (there are bound to be more). Good luck and Happy 2026.

Curt