Regular Meetups
WIMAPS gathers three to four times a year at member homes, shops, and local venues across Wisconsin and Illinois. Every meetup mixes machine demonstrations, listening sessions, and plain conversation between collectors.
Wisconsin-Illinois Musical Antique Phonograph Society
A community of collectors, restorers, and other fans of antique phonographs throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, and the Midwestern United States.
50+
members and counting
4+
states represented
3-4
meetups per year
Who we are
A welcoming community of collectors and restorers
WIMAPS represents collectors primarily across Wisconsin and Illinois, but we welcome all phonograph enthusiasts, including from Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and other states.
More about the society
What we collect
Every kind of talking machine
- Edison
- Columbia
- Victor
- Pathé
- Brunswick
Our community shares interest in all types of phonographs and music machines.
Member benefits
What membership gives you
Expert Community
Members range from lifelong restorers to people who just inherited a machine. Bring a question about a reproducer, a governor, or an unfamiliar decal and someone in the room has almost certainly solved it before.
Swap and Sells
Meetups often include an informal swap and sell for machines, horns, cylinders, discs, and hard-to-find parts. It is a friendly way to find what your project needs and to rehome duplicates.
Support
Need help identifying a machine or deciding whether to restore it? Members share advice on parts sources, needles, belts, and safe cleaning. Ask before you sand, oil, or repaint anything.
Membership
Join WIMAPS
Becoming a WIMAPS member is an important part of perpetuating the hobby of antique phonograph collection and restoration. At this time, membership is FREE but donations are accepted. Members enjoy a variety of benefits.
Join WIMAPS — it’s free