News 2016
20th November 2016
Once again, spare time has been a rare commodity recently but I've still managed to find some time for catching up with odd little jobs. The replacement turntable for the HMV157 has been renovated and re-felted and is now sitting happily on the machine and at the same time I've taken the opportunity to track down the source of a persistent rattle on the horn. It turns out that most of the screws securing the metal horn to the wooden frame and cabinet weren't tight - I suspect due to the wood shrinking slightly over the years. All is now good and the rattle is no more! I'm also still adding to the record collection on a regular basis so I must get around to posting some new videos soon.
19th October 2016
I've realised that it has been several weeks since I last posted any updates on the site. Things continue along nicely with the machines getting plenty of use and occasional maintenance and I still keep acquiring records and needle tins when I see things that take my fancy. I have, during this period, found time to add a new video clip featuring Guy Mitchell & Rosemary Clooney. This was played on my HMV157 which has always (since I've owned it) had a 'wobble' to the turntable due to someone in the past forcing it to try to remove it. I've recently found a better turntable on Ebay which will be restored before being swapped.
11th July 2016
I managed to find time over the weekend to film a video clip of my Peter Pan gramophone playing "Carry Me Back To My Old Carolina Home" performed by Joseph Samuels & His Orchestra with vocal chorus by Arthur Hall. Emerson record N°10559 recorded 6th November 1922.
3rd July 2016
Having finished the HMV109 overhaul which I'd undertaken for a friend-of-a-friend It had been a relatively quiet month but I have recently acquired a Peter Pan gramophone which has had the usual routine of cleaning and servicing and has now been added to the collection and photos pages.
3rd June 2016
The recent bank holidays coupled with some extra time off work has allowed time for a bit of TLC on some of the machines:- general maintenance, lubrication and regulation. My blue HMV102, red Decca Salon 10 and Columbia 113a have all received a small amount of attention. I've also managed to add 4 new video clips in the last few weeks: Victor Type R playing 'The Black Diamonds Band', Columbia 113a playing 'The Westchester Biltmore Orchestra', Decca Salon 10 playing 'The Benny Goodman Trio' and finally the HMV102 playing 'The Coleman Hawkins Orchestra'. The 5a sound box from one of my 102's has finally succumbed to cracks in the pot-metal (both front and back) so I'll be looking out for a suitable replacement.
29th April 2016
Here's the second of this week's new video clips - "Smiling Back At The Smiling Moon" performed by The Hottentots on Eclipse N°179 from 1932, and being played here on my c.1930 HMV Model 157.
26th April 2016
I've managed to add a couple of new video clips this week, the first of which is this fun recording of "Alice's House" by Leon Zimbler & His Band playing on the G&T Monarch Senior. The track is a late acoustic recording from 1926 and, although the disc has a few surface marks and scratches, it's typical of a 1920's dance orchestra and great fun too.
19th April 2016
I decided to have an evening of gramophones last night and spent around three hours listening to various records on various machines. Also, as oil and grease can dry out or wear off over a period of time, I took the opportunity to do a bit of servicing on some of them too. My Senior Monarch in particular was sounding quite dry and was also running a bit slow so this has been attended to and regulated. I must get back to some more video clips soon.
1st April 2016
Another new video clip has been added this week, "Someone Is Losin' Susan" performed by The Broadway Bellhops on an HMV Model 100 portable.
21st March 2016
I've managed to add 2 new videos to the site over the weekend; The Decca Junior 2A playing "It Always Starts To Rain" sung by Albert Whelan, and the HMV157 playing "A Taxi Driver's Serenade" performed by Ambrose & His Orchestra with vocal by Anne Shelton
14th March 2016
After a delay of about three weeks I've finally managed to add the Decca Junior 2A to the collection and photos pages.
23rd February 2016
Today I took delivery of a new acquisition; a 1926 Decca Junior 'Trench' style gramophone. It's in very good general condition and requires very little work to get it up to standard - just a sound box rebuild and a new turntable felt. It will be added to the site soon.
21st February 2016
After a period of having very little to report I've finally got around to catching up on various things and in the last week I've actually managed to add three new videos to the site. Check out these latest Decca 120, HMV 58 and Columbia Grafonola clips.
2nd February 2016
I don't usually undertake repair work for others but recently a colleague brought me an HMV109 belonging to a friend who wanted to know if I would carry out some refurbishment on it. I agreed to give it a general clean-up, check & service the motor, replace the brake leather and rebuild the sound box. I'm leaving all the casework untouched for now so the owner can decide what they want to do with it in the future.
4th January 2016
HAPPY NEW YEAR from the gramophone collector. It's been a busy period over Christmas & New Year as usual but I've just managed to find time to post a video clip of my recently restored HMV Model 58. Hopefully time will allow for some more clips over the coming weeks.