Standard Talking Machine Model A - New Mainspring - Plays Regular 78s for sale

Maybe you have seen a Standard Talking Machine like this on ebay or some other venue, and you have thought that the price seemed much, much cheaper than a good outside horn machine from Victor or Columbia. After all, everybody loves a bargain. Well, here's the secret your ebay seller may not know, or may not want you to know: you cannot play regular 78rpm records on this machine as it was sold in 1909.

Except you can on the example we are selling here. That's right, our Standard Model A will play regular 78rpm records, as well as the special Standard records that this machine was originally limited to! And this is just one more example of how our machines are superior to those on a venue such as ebay, and how we try to make your purchase a complete, positive experience.

These machines were known in the trade as "scheme" machines; they were giveaway machines distributed by a company in Chicago, and offered by local merchants and businesses. You spent money with your local grocer and accumulated coupons redeemable toward a free talking machine.

But didn't your mother tell you that nothing in life is free? Of course, there was a catch, and the catch here was that these machines were fitted with an oversize center spindle which could only play records with an special, oversize center hole. And, predictably, the records were typically out-of-date titles pressed from worn matrices.

The good news for modern collectors is that these machines used stock Columbia components, motors and reproducers, which makes them easy to get parts for, and reliable as other Columbia models.

So, because we want you to have fun with your machine, and because we want you to be able to enjoy all 78rpm records of this era, we are including not one but two turntables with this Standard A: the original turntable with oversize spindle, AND a special adapter turntable for regular 78rpm records. The turntables easily lift straight up and off.

Mechanically the motor has been oiled and serviced. I have rebuilt the reproducer. It looks as if someone at one time installed a new turntable drive gear; this is a part that often wears out on Columbia motors. I had pulled and lubricated the mainspring and tested the machine several dozen times, and sure enough, the old mainspring broke so we just installed a new one. And this again is another difference between our machines and a purchase on a venue such as ebay. We want to make sure that everything works right.

Cosmetically, this example has a nice golden oak case. There is a little washout of the red decal. Someone at one time put too long a screw in the motorboard and it pushed down into the trim molding, but this isn't particularly visible. Someone also at one time drilled, then plugged and filled some small holes in the motorboard (who knows why?) -- this doesn't show, as they sit underneath the turntable.

The red horn has original paint and shows some typical scratches. The paint usually washed off these horns and the horns rusted, so it's actually pleasantly unusual to find one in original condition.

As an added bonus we are including a special Standard record, and one original coupon that was used to purchase a machine such as this.

Inquire about this item

View more from this category

Lynn Bilton
Box 435
Randolph,OH 44265
330 325-7866

We buy, sell, and repair antique phonographs and music boxes.

Pick-up and delivery possible in many parts of the midwest,south, and northeast.