1950s 3 Speed Portable Record Player

[MilitariaCollector]

1950's 3 Speed Portable Record Player

Can anyone tell me how much this record player may be worth? I am helping a friend cleanout a relative's estate and they would like to sell this record player. I haven't been able to find a similar one for sale on ebay or the internet. I know most of them aren't worth very much, but some can be. The record player is a Yankee Clipper, made by the Elso Mfg. Co. It is in working condition. Can anyone give me a ballpark value on this one? Thanks!

 

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[Kevlardini]

I don't think it's worth a fortune or anything. As long as it works, is complete, and is in good condition, I would think $40 is the maximum (like in an antique store setting). However, most people might be willing to pay $20-$30, which is probably around what you'd want to sell it for if you want it gone.

 

[ctalmadg]

I don't think it's worth a fortune or anything. As long as it works, is complete, and is in good condition, I would think $40 is the maximum (like in an antique store setting). However, most people might be willing to pay $20-$30, which is probably around what you'd want to sell it for if you want it gone.

Yep.. I've seen these on Ebay for 10-50 bux

 

[vpnavy]

Yep.. I've seen these on Ebay for 10-50 bux

That particular one? I have looked and looked and looked (on EBay and Google) and can find a ton of Yankee's but none that look like that one...just saying...

 

[Carl995]

If it has a tube amp in it, advertise it with tube amp. Some people are looking for those to make boutique amps for guitar.

 

[RustyGold]

$45-65...

 

[MilitariaCollector]

I checked underneath the turntable and it does have vacuum tubes inside.

 

[barnett25]

If it has a tube amp in it, advertise it with tube amp. Some people are looking for those to make boutique amps for guitar.

FYI, not all tube equiped record players are useful for modding into things like guitar amps. In fact most are not.
Most small record players and radios used what is called "series circuit" tube amp design. Basically, 110v wall AC is fed directly to the tubes and that voltage is spread across them in such a way that the tubes each get the voltage they want. You can usually tell these easily by looking at the designations on the tubes. The first number in the tube name (like the 50 in 50c5) refers to the voltage the tube wants to see. So if you have a 50C5, 12C5, 17C5, and 25C5, those first numbers add up to 104 (close enough to 110) which means this is a series circuit. Also, if these numbers add up to something just a bit short of 110, like 80, it is probably still series circuit, but uses the power cord as a resistor to soak up the rest of the voltage (very dangerous, the power cord is basically a heating element).

The series circuit design was very cheap because you didnt have include a heavy and expensive power transformer. However the problem is that anything you plug into the circuit (like a guitar cord) is connected directly to either the positive or neutral side of your wall outlet. You touch the wrong thing and you get shocked.

Unless you see tubes like 6V6, 6L6, etc, then this would generally not be a sought after device, and would be almost worthless. They cost more to fix up than they will ever be worth.

 

[barnett25]

Most likely that model uses 12SQ7, 50L6GT & 35Z5GT tubes. Most anything using this sort of amplifier schematic would not be considered very sought after. If it was a high end product with good sound they would have used a different set of tubes (at least 6V6 if not 6L6). The only value in this cheaper type of record player is usually in selling it to someone who thinks it must be worth something because it is old. That is why you see so many cheap ones on ebay (and many that just don't sell at any price).