Our Sales and Operation Philosophy
- Selling phonographs is not my source of livelihood. Victor-Victrola remains focused on historical research about Victor products, maintaining this public-resource website, and supporting the machine-survival database for current and future research.
- I maintained a large phonograph restoration service from 1997-2015, and had an excellent reputation. Many machines were restored for families with inherited heirlooms, serious collectors, museums and even theme parks. My interests in customer satisfaction are long-standing.
- The vast majority of machines being offered here are directly from my large personal collection. Many were purchased years ago at the 'top of the market', but it is time to downsize, as space has become a limiting factor. This means I will be incurring a loss on many items, which is the reality of the hobby today—many prices have dropped significantly from 30 years ago. These machines aren't being 'given away', but are sold at realistic prices for complete, correctly operating and authentic machines, with a full functional warranty. You probably aren't going to find this kind of quality, service and authenticity on eBay or Craigslist.
- These phonographs are not for everyone. With enough time and effort, you can certainly find a lower price on a good phonograph at local auctions and flea markets. I'm not catering to hobbyists who prefer to do their own repair work, or who relish the hunt for a hidden gem. My focus is providing historically accurate, reliable, trouble-free machines in exceptional condition for those who want an honestly represented phonograph without any hassle. A "bargain" flea-market find often needs a motor overhaul, soundbox repair, and weeks of refinishing—by the time you're done, you can easily have $800 or more invested, and without the right materials and processes, still end up with a mediocre result. There are many fine collectors who do excellent restoration work themselves, and they're a credit to the hobby—I simply offer a few select machines for those who'd rather have a "turnkey" phonograph, authentic and warranted to work, without chasing down parts and making repairs themselves.
- If it isn't historically correct, or if it doesn't work as it should, we don't sell it. Period.
- These limited listings include only high-quality midrange and upper-midrange models. Most dealers who make a living selling phonographs need to move a lot of machines, typically pricing common low-end models between $300–$600 with a 40–50% profit goal. That sales model doesn't leave room for a full tear-down and rebuild of every motor and soundbox, and less expensive substitute parts are often used instead of the correct originals. There's nothing wrong with that approach—it helps the hobby grow and puts a nice antique within reach of someone on a budget. But I'm not selling to keep a business afloat: I have no showroom, no sales staff, no monthly quotas, no flea-market booths or eBay store. I'm simply dispersing a portion of my collection that's been a serious, passionate avocation for decades.
- There certainly are risks when ordering an item online, especially with the promotional hype that often appears with items for sale. eBay listings often show machines that are a hodge-podge of parts, including fakes made in India or China. Other sellers make condition assessments that are overstated by well-intentioned individuals who don't really understand what they're selling (hence "RARE" appears in about 90% of listing titles). There are certainly good deals to be had, but it can be a real gamble unless you know what you're doing. Even some well-established dealers and restoration services—including one whose antics were the basis for a weekly television program—offer phonographs restored in a historically incorrect manner with wrong veneers and mismatched parts, sometimes at a restoration cost that could never be recouped.
- If you have the financial resources to buy an extremely rare phonograph, you can find many sellers with exclusive, one-of-a-kind machines in outstanding condition. They're fantastic and ultra-rare—but that seller probably has real overhead, and you can be sure they're making a good profit. More power to them, but "the best" phonograph isn't always "the best" value; and even some high-end listings are still misrepresented. Whichever model or price range you choose from my selection, you're getting something carefully described, completely authentic, and guaranteed to work as it should.
- I occasionally offer a small selection of "non-Victor" brand phonographs. Warranty terms differ, since I don't stock a large parts inventory for other makes, but the same degree of mechanical and cosmetic restoration effort is applied, assuring the same authenticity and correct operation.
- I don't sell any bargain machines or fixer-uppers. The goal is to maintain the highest integrity in the hobby, and to achieve 100% buyer satisfaction.
- Of course, things can go wrong. Rough handling during shipment, an overzealous child winding a machine too far, a component that fails due to age, or an assembly error on my part can occasionally cause a phonograph to stop functioning—after all, these machines are over 100 years old. I pride myself on making things right when problems do occur, so that your Victor or Victrola keeps working for years to come. The goal is to exceed your expectations before, during and after the sale—support you won't find at the local flea market or from a Craigslist seller.