Ron, Visit a commercial janitorial supply house and pick up a jug of enzyme carpet/upholstery deodorizer. It will eat the proteins that are causing the mildew smell, but be careful not to get it on areas that have been hide-glued or else you may end up regluing them.
> From: steve_nor...@msn.com > To: phono-l@oldcrank.org > Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2010 16:43:16 -0500 > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Original or restored? > > > Ron said it very well. I would favor a mint machine over a restored one but > I would not discriminate over a restored machine as that is the only way most > people can own a mint looking machine. I would also love to have a 1795 > silver dollar in uncirculated condition, but I had to settle for one with a > hole that was filled in that was in average condition. > > I recently got a gold Exhibition in the deluxe hinged box, the mildew smell > was horrible. I sprayed the inside with Lysol and I will have to treat it > once more to get rid of the smell. Some people would likely be upset I got > rid of the original mildew, but if you cannot enjoy what you have why > collect? I cringe when someone cleans $20,000 of the value of an Idelia by > polishing the copper oxidation off, but some people cringe when you restore > an all brass horn to original look. > > Most people would prefer mint machines, but the reality is if you want to > enjoy a machine that looks perfect it will most likely be restored. The only > two machines that I have that are excellent is my VV-IV and my VV-VI that > came in an aftermarked console which protected it. > > My Triumph E is one I had restored. Someone varnished over the whole thing > and ruined the case, made the pin striping run, and the machine was in > excellent shape until someone ruined it. > > I had the bedplate refinished, now it looks better than new. I enjoy the > machine because it looks so nice, when I want to play records I go to my > crappy looking A in a B case Triumph. I have seen people with machines that > look new, unfortunately there are not enought to go around. > > One year a radio collector brought a Triumph A with a wooden horn and an iron > and brass O to show it to people. The finish was so alligatored it acutally > felt like the reptile when you touched it. The O was rusty and when I told > the guy it would restore nicely he was horrified and told me he did not buy > it to listen to or restore, he liked to keep things just as he found them. > > Steve > > > I agree with Steve. It depends on condition and the machine itself. It can > > be subjective and dependent on the collector or individual as well. Do you > > want a common but pristine original Vic -IV, for example, or would you > > rather have a refurbished and refinished Edison Opera brought back to > > showroom beauty? Also rarity might be a consideration. Would someone wait > > for a near original Edison Idealia or take one that was redone? It > > depends...cost, rarity, the collector themselves are only a few of the > > considerations. > > I think most of us would take the rarest machine in the most original > > condition at the lowest cost (speaking in general terms). Cost, especially > > in todays economy may be a key determiner in the utlimate decision made. > > > > Ron > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
