1978 Adler J5 #15927551

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Gavin Oherin (valiantchicken09)
Created: 08-20-2025 at 07:25PM
Last Edit: 08-20-2025 at 07:25PM

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Description:

Bought from the son of the original owner for $75. Came with the Booklet for using the J2 & J5, and a completely intact case. Like New!

Whenever I look at this machine from the side, it reminds me of a shoe. Like a fancy dress shoe or something like that. The lines just speak understated elegance. Yes, it is a “plastic” typewriter, but probably the best one there is.

The amount of unnecessary space that the body takes up is mind boggling. Even inside the carriage there could be something that isn’t. There is definitely some influence in the design from the Selectric (I) with the curvy ribbon cover & smooth flowing curves across the whole body. You would be hard pressed to find another machine as classy as this one in ‘78.

Pristine, probably used for a year or two, if at all, and then put away in its case until it was found & sold. Many of these machines don’t age well. The plastic cracks & yellows, the case breaks in two. Just the design flaws that inevitably would happen once the perceived lifespan of the machine was met. After all, Computers weren’t far off, and daisywheel machines had already begun their brief rise to dominance in the 90s. It is very plausible that the person bought this machine thinking they would use it, found they couldn’t type on it, and got a used electric machine instead. A shame, really. It deserves to be used. The paint spots put on in the factory to ensure none of the adjustments are messed with look like they were applied yesterday & remain unbroken. The plastic of the typewriter is uniformly colored, despite being more teal than the paint on the metal carriage, so there must have been a color discrepancy or it yellowed with time in its case.

Feeling the keys is a heavy experience, even in the lightest setting. I agree with many people on the “slushy” experience that these late Adlers have, and would love to compare it to an earlier J series machine or something similar to find a difference. The carriage return is absolute bliss. Nothing else I have is as smooth as this. Quite light compared to many of my other machines, to, so when I transition to it, I find myself slamming it to the right with extra force. The margin setting is just as simple on a Smith-Corona. I especially enjoy the line spacing dial. Nice touch that could definitely have been left out if they wanted to save a few bucks. Card guides remain completely clear except for a white-out stain. Whoever used it learned their lesson and stopped.

The linkages that connect the Margin Release, Backspace, and Tabulator levers to the carriage functions are designed for the carriage to be completely lifted off. I think it would be about as easy to remove the carriage of this machine as on a hermes 3000 or Ambassador. Just 2 screws and off it comes. Just like the 3000, the body can’t come off otherwise. The Ribbon cover is the late style that comes off around the front of the machine. Older versions have it split behind the keyboard.

Wow. Lots of rambling. Time for pictures. (But I could talk all day about this machine.)

Typeface Specimen:

Hunter: Gavin Oherin (valiantchicken09)

Gavin Oherin's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 186

I am a typewriter user & collector in Western North Carolina. The typewriter bug bit me with an ancient Underwood Standard #4. Now, the collection just keeps growing. I never imagined having so many typewriters. It mostly consists of American brands, but I am always on the lookout for something better than your average Smith-Corona. (Not that there is anything wrong with them, of course.) I am also interested in quality stationery, trains, tractors, vinyl records, and pretty much anything else that operates mechanically. Happy Hunting!