News 2017
23rd June 2017
Things can certainly change quickly! It's been barely two weeks since I added the blue, crocodile skin HMV101 to the website and at that time I mentioned that the record storage tray had the wrong grain on it. Since then I've managed to find a correct, crocodile pattern record tray which has now been fitted. I'd also suggested that the spring would probably need replacing but it seems to be improving the more its used. Today I've added a new video clip of it playing "Back To Those Happy Days" performed by the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra.
10th June 2017
Last week I mentioned another on-going restoration project which has just come to fruition. Many of you will appreciate that, to me, originality is an important factor in my gramophone collecting which is why I have a natural aversion to machines that have been made out of parts. This is mainly because they are usually cobbled together from a nasty miss-match of bits and trying to pass themselves off as some long lost Edwardian horn gramophone. However . . A few months ago I was contacted by someone who wanted to send me pictures to see if I could help identify their ‘rare’ HMV portable. I took a look and replied that, although very nice, what they had was a standard, black HMV model 101 and that it wasn’t particularly rare - I've got 4 of them. In fact, on checking, I discovered that I’ve actually got 5 of them (2 in my collection, an extra frontwind that I’ve been intending to put on Ebay, and 2 old parts machines). Around this time the empty case from a SB101D blue crocodile came up for sale. This set me thinking - did I have enough parts between it and the 2 spare machines to assemble a working gramophone? You can read about the outcome on the collection page.
5th June 2017
Two new video clips have been added to the site today. “Someday Sweetheart” performed by Artie Shaw and His New Music, played on the Columbia Model 113a, and “Driftwood” performed by The Caroliners and played on my G&T New Victor.
31st May 2017
Time for another update as it’s actually been about 8 weeks since I posted anything in this news page. Over the Bank Holiday weekend I managed to get down to some general maintenance on some of the machines – lubrication being the most obvious requirement but a couple of auto-brakes (Decca model 10 and Columbia 113a) needed attention too. After that I decided to do a couple of more videos which I’ll add to the site soon. I also have another restoration project on the go which I’ll give more details of a little later.
22nd March 2017
More of the latest Youtube videos have been added to the website today; 'Way Down Yonder In New Orleans' performed by Victor Silvester's Jive Band and played on my Decca Model 120 and the March 'Lancelot' performed by The Bohemian Orchestra and played on my G&T Monarch Senior.
21st March 2017
It seems ages since I last added anything to the site . . I can't even believe that its been 4 months since I posted any news! Life has been hectic during the Christmas and New Year period but life with the gramophones goes on; new records still magically appear in mysterious plain packages together with needle tins and assorted gramophone paraphernalia. All of the machines also continue to get regular use and maintenance to keep them in full working order. I have realised that I'd put some clips on Youtube that hadn't been linked to this site so I've just added a clip of my HMV110 playing 'Samum' performed by Bertini & His Band to the videos page.