The Gramophone Doctor
Buy, Sell, Repair and Refinish all makes of spring driven phonographs
Vintage gramophone needles and parts -- Antique phonograph needles and parts
Bob Nix
The Gramophone Doctor
Email: phonodr@xcelco.on.ca
Call: 519.332.5718
Member of Canadian Antique Phonograph Society (CAPS) and the Michigan Antique Phonograph Society (MAPS)
About Bob Nix, the Gramophone Doctor
Bob Nix, a.k.a. "The Gramophone Doctor" and sometimes referred as "Dr. Bob", operates from Sarnia Ontario. Retiring after 32 years of service to DOW Chemical, Bob has been working full time repairing phonographs for ten years. Bob's interest began as a hobby when he decided to restore his grandfather's Canadian Berliner Gramophone.
Bob grew up in a farmhouse built in 1898 where his parents and grandparents saved everything which was old in their attic. This farmhouse was located in a small town called, Stevensville close to Niagara Falls, Ontario. When Bob was a young boy, his Dad would occasionally get the old attic stairs down and have to go up there for something or other and of course, Bob being the curious young fellow that he was, went up right behind him. Tucked away in a dusty corner of the attic, Bob noticed an old Gramophone with a horn on it and took to liking it right away. His Dad caught him admiring it and said, "Son, that Gramophone used to be your Grandfather's and it was passed on to me and some day it will be yours."
In 1966, Bob moved to Sarnia and married the following year. He begged his Dad to give him the old Gramophone and he reluctantly agreed. Bob cleaned the many years of dust and dirt from it, gave it a few drops of oil and presto, it played music perfectly. The machine he inherited is a Berliner Type B patented February 24, 1897, made in Montreal, Quebec. It is in perfect condition and it came with a special wood box to keep the reproducer in. His Grandfather would be pleasantly surprised to know that in 1996 he started to buy, sell, repair and refinish all makes of spring-driven phonographs thanks to the interest he took in his old gramophone. His Grandfather's phonograph appears on all of his business cards and also on his van and someday this gramophone will be passed down to his son.
Most of Bob's customers never get to see his shop, as he sells and repairs phonographs for people throughout Canada and the US. His reputation as an honest and meticulous repairman often proceeds him making him somewhat of a celebrity wherever he goes.
Founded in 1970, Bob Nix is the current President of The Canadian Antique Phonograph Society (CAPS). With some 325 plus members, CAPS represents all aspects of sound recording and its history, including phonographs and gramophones, all types of sound recordings of historic importance, ephemera and related memorabilia. There is particular emphasis placed on the history of recorded sound in Canada. Bob is also a member of the Michigan Antique Phonograph Society (MAPS).