Well for the past year I have been wanting to not only try a desktop, standard machine but I have had my eye on specifically an Olympia SG 1. Just the other day I found one on Ebay. That same day I called around to a few places that might have one for sale around here. With no luck, I called Cambridge Typewriter back home in MA. To my surprise, Tom, said that he just got one in and that he could hang on to it for me if I would like. Well I told him I would get back to him and would wait and see if the SG1 on Ebay would skyrocket or not.
speculator said...
Of course today I checked it again, it went from $30 to $130. Screw that, not paying such a price for a machine especially if it hasn't been refurbished. So all depressed and thinking that Tom might have already had a buyer for the SG1, I called him anyways. He remembered me from the other day and I told him to hang on to it with great enthusiasm! He told me he would and took down my name and email to send me a picture. I am now so excited! I have my dream machine in the grasp of my fingers. He said it would be about a week until he got to refurbishing it and for me to plan to call him next friday. So I say nay nay to the SG1 on Ebay and can not wait for him to spruce up my future Nano machine. I keep thinking, a SG1 hot off the shelf as it would have been forty or so years ago. Oh man!!!
Ya know, James, I saw Tom working on that SG1- when I was just there on Saturday- and I thought you'd like something like that.
You'd probably save money, considering it'll be mint and road-ready, not to mention sans the shipping problems w/ eBay.
You saw my machine before I, I am so jealous!! That is just to funny man, and you are totally right about the whole shipping thing. When I got my SM9 off I was lucky to get the thing in one piece. Although it was in its case, it was not working when I got it. Nothing was tied down. Now it does silly things like it backspaces twice and the tabulator gets stuck on occasion. This SG is going to be the perfect.
So cool. Is it gauche to ask how much you are payiong for it?
ReplyDelete"paying"
ReplyDeleteThere you go, James!
ReplyDeletePlus, you will LOVE Cambridge Typewriter! How cool; I did mention you to Tom. That SG is some wicked; get ready to heft a big machine!
BTW, a few doors away, on Mass. Ave., there's a great sandwich place with awesome gyros!
I'm so happy for you! Sounds like the best way, all around. And honestly, the cost is likely comparable to what I will end up having spent in total on my own found-in-the-wild SG-1 (providing I don't chicken out), and without all the heartache.
ReplyDelete*And* you'll almost certainly have yours before I get mine back, no matter what. Color me envious.
Do you know anything about the typeface or any of that yet? Is that a picture of the machine, or a stock SG-1 picture? That's the same color as mine...a lovely, stately green.
Mike- I am only paying $195 for it which is a steal compared to Mr. T's $295. I will have to pay for shipping though which will be probably around $40 dollars give or take.
ReplyDeleteSpec- Thanks for putting in the good word. Maybe he will give it some extra love. Tom is such a genuinely nice guy isn't he? Did you happen to notice if it was that stately green color?
LFP- Now you have o get your SG 1 back in commission! The picture is just one that I got off the internet but I will be sure to post up the one he sends me in email tomorrow or when he gets the chance. And you know, I was think about the typeface as well. Unfortunately I forgot to ask if it had Pica or Elite 10 or 12 pitch. Thats alright though. I figure instead of bothering him again it will be a surprise. I am hoping for a 12 pitch like my SM9 has. I love your SG3, what is it gothic typeface??
The SG-3's typeface is called "Senatorial." Seems more Senatorial in the Star Wars sense than anything else.... My SG-1 has one of the 11 pt. typefaces that are common with Olympias.
ReplyDeleteWell...I called Blue Moon and made sure they were OK with me dropping the beast by...so...now I'll just check the weather forecast every couple minutes and consider....
Yay!!! Do it Elizabeth!! You owe it to yourself to have a writing machine that will work as good as the day that it came off the showroom floor. Think about it, it is such a good investment and will last probably another fifty years. I am sure you take good care of your things like I do which means it might outlast us. Who knows?
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you called. They are really nice over there at blue moon. When I called the other day to see if they had an SG1 for sale they told me they would email me if anything changed. I bet they'll do good work and it will be totally worth it.
He will, James, and I'm amazed at how he can restore something old and tired into newness. I'll probably be at the shop tomorrow- so I'll ask. When I saw the machine, it was in sections and being repaired, so I wasn't looking for colors. Just the carriage itself is hefty, and the chassis is cast iron!
ReplyDeleteIt's actually Ace who do the work for Blue Moon...so I still get to give them business, albeit in a round about way. It makes me feel a little better about the whole thing.
ReplyDeleteI need to get clearer pictures of mine. The one photo I have up makes it look grey, and it's not.
Aaaand I just spent the last forty five minutes following the road-level views on Google Maps from the interstate to the store in hopes that it'll help me not get lost. I'm not sure if having that much detail shoveled into my brain will be a help or a hindrance.
We'll definitely have to compare notes in a couple two-three weeks when we both have working SG-1s!
SG-1's are all the rage. Now I want one!
ReplyDeleteIt's the craze that's sweeping the nation!
ReplyDeleteIs it there yet? Is it there yet? Is it there yet?
ReplyDeleteI have an Olympia SG-1 typewriter that was given to me by my 90 year old friend, but I cannot locate the ribbon replacements or operations manual. Can anyone help with what I need? No model number is visible.
ReplyDelete