I want to buy a typewriter.

[Connemara]

Please advise on reliable and classic models that are pretty inexpensive. Doesn't need to be portable; I would actually prefer a stationary.

There are some nice Smith-Coronas on eBay.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by Connemara

Please advise on reliable and classic models that are pretty inexpensive. Doesn't need to be portable; I would actually prefer a stationary.

There are some nice Smith-Coronas on eBay.

Just curious, why do you need one?

 

[JustinW]

Originally Posted by Connemara

Please advise on reliable and classic models that are pretty inexpensive. Doesn't need to be portable; I would actually prefer a stationary. .
here's a clue: Well, I pawned my ______ ________ And I went to meet my man He hangs out down on Alvarado Street By the Pioneer chicken stand

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

Just curious, why do you need one?
Why do you need an old turn table to listen to music?

 

[Connemara]

Originally Posted by JustinW

here's a clue: Well, I pawned my ______ ________ And I went to meet my man He hangs out down on Alvarado Street By the Pioneer chicken stand
"Carmelita" is one of my fav Zevon's and I think that was the first time I heard of a Smith Corona. Problem solved

 

[JustinW]

Originally Posted by Connemara

"Carmelita" is one of my fav Zevon's and I think that was the first time I heard of a Smith Corona. Problem solved

I like the 1950s portables, but more for aesthetics, history and romance than anything else. They are remarkably well made machines.

I had a friend who was also a writer, who collected vintage typewriters - he could tell you what all the great works of the 20th century were written on and had a particular interest in war correspondents of the world wars.

 

[Connemara]

A Smith-Corona Silent looks to be in order.

 

[JustinW]

Originally Posted by Connemara

A Smith-Corona Silent looks to be in order.

+1 in aqua-green

 

[StephenHero]

Get a monogrammed wax letter seal.

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by JustinW

Why do you need an old turn table to listen to music?

I don't think that's a good analogy.

 

[JustinW]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

I don't think that's a good analogy.
No? I like the aesthetics of an old typewriter and the typeface pressed into a sheet of heavy paper. I like the romance, history and heavy dose of nostalgia, though the technology may appear archaic & anachronistic to the digital youth of today.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by JustinW

Why do you need an old turn table to listen to music?

To listen to music in higher fidelity which sort of leads to the reason why I asked the question. I could not see the benefit from older keyboards. I know some writers still prefer them.

 

[Dakota rube]

Yes. Get a typewriter.
Craft your correspondence.
Then scan the pages into your computer.
And email the resultant .pdf

Dontcha love technology?

 

[v0rtex]

I once had the thought that it would be wonderful to write my correspondence on a typewriter. Maybe the machinery would inspire me to write my first novel.

I scoured vintage stores and ended up buying an old manual typewriter. Carried it home. Set it up. Wrote a few glorious lines. Made a mistake. No backspace, so time to start again.

After about 20 minutes my fingers hurt and I had a sheet of paper covered in corrections and creases.

Went back to Microsoft Word. Put typewriter on a shelf where it remained until I moved out.

Moral of the story: Buying a typewriter is not as great an idea as it sounds. There's good reasons why no-one uses them any more.

 

[Connemara]

I don't make mistakes.

 

[hamish5178]

Originally Posted by Connemara

I don't make mistakes, I am a mistake.

FTFY