The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I just purchased an ambrolla A-1
It is fumed oak with a black bed plate.
I do not like the fumed oak.
Would it hert it to refinish it in a liter oak.
Thanks Mark

Mark,

In my opinion you'd cut the value at least by half if you strip off the original finish and change the color. I would not recommend it.

Not to mention you shouldn't destroy the historical integrity of these things just to suit your taste. The bedplate shouldn't be black on this machine. Gunmetal is correct, maybe brown.

If it is fumed oak, which is described here -- http://www.victor-victrola.com/oak.htm -- then definitely DO NOT REFINISH IT as mentioned above.

If you can't live with it, then you should sell or trade it. (Start by posting some good quality photos in a follow-on message to this string so we can help you confirm that it is, indeed, fumed oak.)

Maybe you could arrange to swap it for something like this one -- http://www.thoseoldrecords.com/phonosale.html#amberola1


DS

You mentioned in another thread that you used to have a phonograph store. If that's true, it's a bit difficult to understand why you'd have to ask this question, let alone that you'd even consider actually doing what you mentioned.

Man I apologies for asking any questiong.
I guess I will go back to my own little world and do what I want !!
Yes out store was in Bristol PA were we buchered up lot`s of phonographs

modelt,

From what I could see, the posters who replied to your post were trying to help. I have found that most people on here are very helpful and enjoy the hobby. I believe that the response to your question may have included some dismay since first an Amberola A-1 is rare to begin with and second, I believe that a fumed oak finish is rare too. I think that most people here would cringe at the notion of stripping and refinishing a machine to something not original. If a machine is in a bad state and needs to be refinished, I believe most would like to see it done to as original as you could make it. It is your machine however, and you may do to it as you wish, but you did solicit opinions for a reason, and one would hope it was to educate yourself. I have learned a lot about the hobby from this site and the people on it.

I think David posted some good suggestions and links in response to your question as did others.

If you post some pictures of your machine, I'm sure you would get some solid advice and suggestions.

modelt wrote:Man I apologies for asking any questiong.
I guess I will go back to my own little world and do what I want !!
Yes out store was in Bristol PA were we buchered up lot`s of phonographs

I don't know who you are but I remember Charlie and that store in Bristol, the place, quite well. I can also say with confidence that Charlie, while ever open to and patient with just about any question you could imagine, he likely would have just laughed at the notion of stripping and refinishing a machine with a solid finish, but particularly one as rare as an amberola 1a, just because you want something different. So you can get defensive and overreact all you like, but essentially every response you got was basically honest and candid and valid.

Charlie was my business partner for 11 years.
In fact he is flying out here next week.
A wonderful man and my best frend.
It wasn't what you said it is how it came across.
I have spent most of my life preserving phonographs.
I am actually restoring two other A-1 machines that were cut up and broken up for scrap.
The phonograph I have been asking about was filthy I have started to clean it. It is coming up pretty nice. It is not fumed oak. It is Edisons famous green oak. The bed plate is black on the top and bottom and looks like it has never been painted.
If I know who you are I will tell Charlie you said Hi.
I moved The Place out here several years ago.
I wish Charley could have continued but his knees were going bad.
I usually make Bound Brook and set up with him in the fall.
I haven't really been in the loop on phonographs since the 90`s
This fellow has a keenophone a premier that looks like an upright organ, a Babson brothers cabinet with a Amberola 30 in the cabinet. I know the market has changed. How can a guy figure out what to pay without bothering others.
I apologize Mark Freimiller

That can be the problem with written texts and blog messages... sometimes one can misinterpret the tone or intention of what one writes.

As far as prices go, my opinion is that the phonograph market as well as many collector markets are depressed due to the state of the economy. Ebay has been my gauge for many years, but you can't set your price based on one particular sale or listing. Some items are very overvalued or priced and stay on the site for months and months and never sell. Sometimes you can find a bargain, other times something goes for a much higher price than expected because two or more people want a particular item very badly and bid each other far above the fair market price.

I have purchased phonographs recently for much less than they were selling 5 - 10 years ago so thats why I say that values seem depressed right now.