Because I definitely do not have enough to do in my life, I found myself a new project today. This was, of course, after repairing the dining room table (yes, a leg fell off. Really) and replacing a light fixture in the kitchen (and discovering some really nasty wiring in the process - four black wires, four white wires, and three ground wires coming into one fixture - where is the other ground wire you ask? I am asking that, too). Those "projects" needed to be done. This one is one I am willingly taking on.
I present to thee, the 1918 Edison Disc Phonograph!
I have been looking for an old Victor Victrola for quite some time because, y'know, it's a Victor! But this was only $60 and it was very close to me, and so it became mine.
I have had only a couple hours of research into this beauty, but what I have found is that it's, first of all, very old (over 100 years!) and that, surprising-to-me, it does not play Victrola discs. Really, I had no idea. That just means I'll need to keep an eye out for another Victrola.
This particular phonograph is in pretty rough shape. The case has been wiped down with some Old English wood cleaner so it looks good, but the rest of it needs some serious TLC. It does wind, it does play, but it's out of tune and does not keep a standard speed. It's also seriously dusty.
Unlike a lot of the old phonographs that people are familiar with, this does not have an external, elegant horn to diffuse it's sound into the room. Instead the horn is internal to the cabinet. This phonograph does not have it, but when it was first built it would have had a felt and nice wood lattice covering.
Lookit all that dust in there. And @jayna! Lookit the basket to the left of the picture!
At a quick glance I am going to need to clean out the dust, clean off the felt, and then remove the turntable to be able to remove some rust and get some oil into the gears and springs. I suspect the needle will need to be replaced, too, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
Man this thing is filthy.
It did some with some records. Four of them, in fact. According to Internet Research, each album side can play 4.5 minutes of music. Want to hear how it sounds? Of course you do!
(c) All images and photographs, unless otherwise specified, are created and owned by me.
(c) Victor Wiebe
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Amateur photographer. Wannabe author. Game designer. Nerd.
General all around problem-solver and creative type.
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That's a really neat project! Looking forward to see it done! ;0)
Thanks! I'm really looking forward to getting this one running and playing. If I can find a place that will press a custom disc I'd be beyond thrilled, too.
COOL!!! Sounds better than I would have imagined. At first I thought the speed was off or it was playing backwards, then my ears captured the magic! hehe. Have fun with it 😁
Thanks! What it really needs is a witch to sit beside it. 😉
I Know! We have to make plans. It's been something every weekend for us this summer, and when we do have free time we are hustling to attend to the unattended. hehe.
Haha, yep, I know that very well. I'm a really spontaneous person, too, which can make planning things out rather interesting.
Nice old piece of kit, 78rpm vynyl? guess you wont find many of those lying around, nicely shot snaps