My phonograph ideology  -and-  Why I believe I'm different:
 
The Fenman said it best:  I am “not performing a master class in shiny wood finishes, satisfying though that would be.”  I am “RESTORING AN ANTIQUE to what it WOULD LOOK LIKE had it been well looked after.  Not to how it looked when it was new and certainly not to some sort of super-shiny fantasy state that rivals the paintwork on a Rolls Royce!  If your friends, on seeing your work, say, ‘that’s in nice condition’, then you’ve succeeded: if they say ‘you’ve made a good job of restoring that’ - you’ve failed - ‘cos they shouldn’t be able to tell that it’s been restored.” 

I'm an obsessive perfectionist.  All repairs and restorations performed in order to PRESERVE the character and originality of the machine, and not make it look brand new.   I believe in the inherent values of originality and how they
enhance the long term value of a mechanical antique.

I do realize that in some cases a phonograph is in such bad shape that you can
ONLY perform a COMPLETE renovation to bring the machine back to operating condition.  In these
cases the restoration should be performed faithfully to the machine's age and original build. 

We live in a time where antique phonographs are quickly becoming INVESTMENTS, much like
coins, stamps, and antique cars.  And they should be valuated as such.  An Edison HOME in all original
condition, graded  EXCELLENT should be valued MORE than an Edison HOME that has been completely
stripped, re-decaled, refinished in lacquer, and re-painted.

I get disgusted when I see a 100 year old machine (that originally had a shellac finish)
covered in polyurethane and shining like a new nickel.  GLOSSY POLY FINISHES MAKE ME SICK, and they are WRONG.
And, there is so much hacked-together-garbage out there too, one must be wary.
BUY A BOOK from Phonophan, and EDUCATE YOURSELF!!!!