The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi, my name is Josh and I've been messing with records, tapes, record players etc. since I was old enough to walk. Now I'm 27 and have been reading posts on this and other acoustic machine sites, and I just bought my first old phonograph from a local antique/junk shop. I haven't been able to find much info on it. I don't have any pics yet, but it is a Silvertone Tru-Phonic. It is about 4 ½' tall and has two doors on the top for record storage and two on the bottom for the sound. The wood is a lot lighter in color than most machines that I see in posts, maybe oak? It appears to be in VERY nice condition for the age. I paid $150 for it today, but wasn't driving our truck so, I couldn't bring it home with me. The guy says it plays pretty well, but didn't have any needles for it. I have probably 400 or so acoustic 78s and probably another 400 or so electric 78s in my collection. I also have an crapophone that plays pretty well for what it is that I play occasionally. I also have many LPs and 45s too. I like almost all types of music and have a lot on my computer too.

Any info/feedback is welcome!

Josh

A Silvertone isn't the best of machines, but then you payed a decent price for it. A few simple rules for playing 78s. Only buy good quality medium tone steel needles. Browsing this forum you will find a lot of dealers who sell them. Use a needle only once for ONE side. NEVER re-insert a used needle, because it will completely ruin the record in one playing. Don't play post 1940 records on an acoustic machine. They are too loud and the soundbox cannot cope with them. And for the rest: enjoy.
Welcome to this very friendly group of international lovers of machines and olde worlde music.
My own son is 26 and has started collecting too. I started around your age, but didn't have a fraction of what you already have amassed. 78s are much harder to come by here in Holland. And back then computers were huge things in air conditioned rooms. The pc was just about to be invented.

Hi Josh:

Welcome to the forum.

Tru-Phonic phonographs were mentioned in this post string about Off-Brand Orthophonics -- http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... 4&start=30

They were sold by Sears, staring in 1926, and were designed to compete with the Orthophonic Victrola--all acoustic models designed to play the recently introduced electrically recorded records with greater fidelity. I used to have a copy of the 1927 Sears catalog, and if I remember correctly, there were about 25 different Tru-Phonic models available ranging in size from small table models to large radio/phonograph combinations. (One was built to look like a writing desk/secretary.)

It would be great if you could post some photos of the one you have.

The major problem with Tru-Phonic phonographs is the fact that pot metal was used for key components such as the sound box. Over time, pot metal parts can crack and swell. This makes a proper restoration difficult, if not impossible. Unfortunately, in order to get the best possible sound quality (and the least amount of record wear) the sound box HAS to be overhauled with fresh rubber diaphragm gaskets, and adjusted properly. Normally, a new rubber back flange (washer) for the sound box's "throat" is also needed for proper coupling of the sound box to the tonearm.

I know that a few of this site's members have owned Tru-Phonic models, so perhaps they will share some of their restoration tips.

OF

Yes, I already knew about how often to change needles. I mainly use soft tone on the crapophone I have, but I am also stocked with medium and loud tone needles. I will post pictures when I get it home which will hopefully be tomorrow. Luckily my parents took me to flee markets since I was little and I have been picking up records since then. They are always something I have enjoyed. I probably would have never bought a crapophone, but I never thought I would find an authentic machine in my price range (low). I've had fun with it especially when the power was out, though.

Thanks

beat_truck wrote:Yes, I already knew about how often to change needles. I mainly use soft tone on the crapophone I have, but I am also stocked with medium and loud tone needles. I will post pictures when I get it home which will hopefully be tomorrow. Luckily my parents took me to flee markets since I was little and I have been picking up records since then. They are always something I have enjoyed. I probably would have never bought a crapophone, but I never thought I would find an authentic machine in my price range (low). I've had fun with it especially when the power was out, though.

Thanks

Hey beat_truck, welcome!

Yes, they are fun when the power goes out aren't they. It does not happen often enough nowadays but I remember a few of those hot summer days/nights after a nasty storm playing records by the light of only a kerosene lamp, in my case an Aladdin Mantle Lamp.

Hello Josh, welcome to the Forum. As has been said, Silvertone machines were not the best, but they are very far from being the worst. They were popular when they were being sold, so I guess that says something in their favor. Don't know if anyone has mentioned that they were the brand sold by Sears and Roebuck.

You mentioned yours was a Truphonic. This was Sears' entry in the wave of machines produced to compete with Victor's Orthophonics and Columbia's Vive-Tonals in the late '20's. You also mentioned that the storage doors are above and the sound doors are below, not familiar with that configuration on a Silvertone.

When you are able, please post some photos. Silvertones tended to come in very attractive cabinets, and I'm sure we would all like to have a view of it.

Hi Josh

Sound like a budding collector to me. I think we all share most of your interest. Yes Silvertone was made by Sears, but in its day Silvertones held their own with many of the major brands. I owned a wonderful table model Silvertone from the early 20's. That machine was one of the clearest playing machines I ever owned and ran quiet and trouble free. However something seemed to happen in the orthophonic era when the TruPhonic was built. The cabinets are made a bit less well and as mentioned the quality of the pot metal used seems to have been rather poor as well. I have seen a number of otherwise interesting TruPhonics, perhaps because I live in the country where the catalog reigned supreme till the 50's. I have attended several sales where one was advertised but so far every one of them has been found to have broken arms or reproducers due to the pot metal issues. My guess is that when they were new they were able to hold their own with other brands, but the quality just didn't hold up over time or severe conditions as found in many rural homes without heat or electric. It may have been too that with Radio making strong inroads into record sales in the early thirties and late twenties that the producers of phonographs were forced to downgrade quality to compete causing some of the issues seen today. Silvertone is certainly not alone in that problem, as the thirties progressed most portables which were the major part of production of what remained of the mechanical machine era become mechanically and quality wise much less desirable than the earlier versions.

Larry

Josh, great to have you on the Forum. I am envious in a way. I have always liked old phonographs, but waited until I retired to really start learning about them and collecting. I now so wish I had begun when I was young. Wish you a long life time of enjoying this great hobby. Beware it is addictive though. There will always be that just one more machine, just one more record, just one more reference book with your name on it.

Clay

Welcome to the forum, Josh. It is a great place to learn about old phonographs.

Hi, just got it home. Sorry about the messy room. I'm moving things around so there is more room for my toys. It does play, but the reproducer definitely needs rebuilt. I took the chrome cover off and you can see the gaskets are cracked, and you can hear it buzzing when playing. Also the rubber between the reproducer and the tone arm is crumbling and rock hard. Is it unusual that this has an aluminum diaphragm instead of mica? Or is this not the original reproducer? I'm not too worried about it being all original, as I bought it to play and display. I also included a pic of my crapophone before I bought it off ebay. I know they are frowned upon, but it is still fun once in a while.

Josh