Selectaphone gramophone - good buy?

[@Timothycan]

I have a Selecta cabinet gramophone which has been in the family since my grandfather bought it new in the early 1930s. Mine has a Garrard motor and a Selecta soundbox with a tin diaphragm.

[@mrrgstuff]

That's interesting to hear. I have a later Selecta soundbox with a bakelite back and a pot metal front. I think I have seen some of the later machines, but don't own one. Thanks 😀 👍

[@tiga4180]

Nice that you share the joy of checking out/briefly servicing the new acquisition. Interesting logo on the motor, guessing its one of the many cheap, but everlasting Swiss ones. Love the pressed pattern of the horn & the way they fade the blue spray paint. Despite the wonkiness of the horn bracket, tracking looks reasonably ok. Speaking of such, I once bought a 1920's crystal radio that was incorrectly wired. Would have worked ok, but if the original owner had fitted a loading coil (a means of changing waveband back then) it would have proved ineffective. Could tell it was an original factory mistake, as all connections were sealed with sealing wax.

[@mrrgstuff]

Thanks 😀 👍. The motor, I think, is Paillard, which is the same make as in my Apollo gramophone. I have seen other logos as well as at least one motor with no branding, but all presumably Swiss in origin. Not sure if the machine was made in Switzerland or England using Swiss parts. It is interesting seeing factory mistakes. This machine is relatively untouched, though the rubber motor mounts were inconsistent so I think there has been some work done on it at some point in the past. I do need to spend more time 'convincing ' it to play whole records, though! 😅.

[@tiga4180]

@@mrrgstuff Might be a weak mainspring, or a clean & lubricate of same.

[@mrrgstuff]

@tiga4180 Yes, it's probably a weak main spring. Due to the inherent danger of working with springs I am looking at other solutions rather than having them changed. I have just shot a video where I try a couple of simple ideas to get it playing longer, with some success. Thanks 😀 👍

[@walkingtheboogie]

Lovely looking horn.

[@mrrgstuff]

Thanks 😀 👍. Glad you liked it 😀

[@walkingtheboogie]

@mrrgstuff I am suddenly reminded of this quote from an Americam Blues musician, who was being interviewed by Paul Jones. "It's all about the horn." Different kind of horn, I grant you, but it still applies.

[@mrrgstuff]

@walkingtheboogie I'm not familiar with that quote, but interesting certainly. It's interesting to think that there are probably only 20 years between the design of this machine and the HMV 157 I have (and the Selectaphone could be physically as little as 10 years older). What a difference, though, in sound quality and largely down to the amazing horn in the 157! 😅. Thanks 😀 👍

[@AdrianCalvo-h3e]

Love the gramophone i have a duotone from 1875 it has two sound micas apparently very rare piece!

[@mrrgstuff]

I've never seen a machine myself, but I know some Duophone records had a picture of their double mica soundbox arrangement, and the machines must be rare. These records came in about 1925, and the machines started a little earlier. 1875 seems too early anything like this though 🤔. Thanks 😀 👍

[@amirsyazli1621]

Quite a nice machine, of course it’s impossible to get it country so hopefully I could try to get one, and at 9:20 I saw there’s a whole lot of empty space! Do you think people back then would unscrew the bottom and put their valuables inside? I one time watch a restoration of the Edison cylinder machine, and while restoring it, he saw a whole lot of empty space and made the same joke which is putting ur valuables in a machine so u can hide it. Anyways, I am also reaching 1K subscribers! So I might also make a 1000 subscriber special! Anyways great of you getting 5000 subscribers!

[@mrrgstuff]

@amirsyazli1621 Thanks 😀👍. Looking forward to you getting 1000 subs. It's a real milestone! Machines like this are not often found here in the UK, though I'm sure many were imported and sold here 100+ years ago. Very pleased to be able to buy it, though it is really very similar to my Apollo, and some of the parts probably came from the same factory. Apparently, people do find all sorts of things hidden in gramophones, including money and other valuables, though I haven't found anything yet 😅

[@Kevin-yi8fd]

Hello again very nice original Horn Gramophone i especially like the horn i guess it was made about 1914 to 1924? Thankyou again always interested in what you have picked up. 😊

[@mrrgstuff]

Yes, the horn certainly caught my attention! All very comparable to my Apollo, but different enough to be interesting. I would agree. It's going to date to just before or just after WW1. Thanks 😀 👍

[@Moneyfromzero]

Very interesting😊

[@mrrgstuff]

Thanks 😀 👍

[@jhonwask]

I've noticed one thing: You need better tools. LOL. I really like your videos.

[@cindytan9516]

You should fix the would worm

[@tylee3440]

I think she means by you should fix the wood worm 🐛 and I agree with her

[@mrrgstuff]

Yes, I treated the wood with a chemical to kill any woodworm. I just didn't show this part in the video. Thanks 😀 👍

[@radiogramgramophonetoons5802]

Do you make money from that total now then from KZbin ?

[@mrrgstuff]

After 1000 subs, it makes no difference how many you have. KZbin don't pay for subs, they pay for watch time, as more watch time means more opportunities to serve up adverts. In order to demonstrate to KZbin that they should be paying, you have to have 4000 hours of watch time in 1 year as well as reaching 1000 subs. There are things that get turned on at 500 subs, but that has been fairly recent and didn't affect me. As it happens, KZbin has decided the record I play at the end is copyright, so I will make less money than otherwise. Hope that helps. Thanks 😀 👍

[@walkingtheboogie]

I wonder if KZbin takes into account the fact that a song might be out of copyright in some countries when deciding how much to deduct.

[@mrrgstuff]

Essentially, the company claiming copyright will have rights in some countries but maybe not others so it can have an effect. It can also cause a video to be completely blocked in some countries. With this video, the copyright holder takes a share of the revenue for the whole video. It's not the actual recording that is the problem, but there is copyright on the melody.

[@radiogramgramophonetoons5802]

@@mrrgstuff ……. I had one only a few days ago that was completely blocked

[@radiogramgramophonetoons5802]

Five thousand 😳😳😳😳😳 Huh 😏