If you know your way around a multi-meter i would just take the amp part apart and start to measure Every resistor, cap, etc, to make sure everything is within specs and replace whats bad. I know vacuum tubes need to be dial in with another device made specific for that, don't know the name. Once all the electronic parts are sorted out you can start working with the mechanical parts, like the arm and all. You might need a new stylus for the turntable, but maybe a good cleaning will do. I Work with guitar electronics and amps as a hobby, but never dealt with a radio from that period.
Record player experts
- Thread starter tworley
- Start date
Some news--we got a hold of the older gentleman. For $100 he'll take a look at it, and any repairs that are needed, that $100 will cover (+any other costs). We're dropping it off tomorrow. He wont refinish it though, just focuses on the mechanics. I took my air compressor to it and blew years of dust off. I think I found why the deck wont spin, if I had to guess, these two (copper?) hinges need to be mated to each other
I also found a date on the bottom of the record player, 12-21-1956. Also what appears to be a somewhat recent fix (the blue splice connection).
I also found a date on the bottom of the record player, 12-21-1956. Also what appears to be a somewhat recent fix (the blue splice connection).
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That copper widget may have popped out from where it belongs because of wear - or just got dropped. Typical old turntable. $100 + parts? If that includes the turntable, that's waaaay cheap! But then again, I hated those old turntables back in the day, they were always a worn out PITA that you couldn't get parts for even then. But that was pre-Internet, there's probably somebody 3D printing things for them now!
He charges a minimum $100, if there are any repairs (less that $100) we'll be covered with that initial fee. Anything after that will be in addition too. We'll at least get a baseline for what we need to get it up and running again. He was very familiar with the model when we gave him just a couple specifics. A little history of the unit can be had too once he lays his eyes on it.
Good news/bad news. We dropped it off with the gentleman who restores these. Basically, the turn table is shot. The only way to get it going again is to scrap whats currently in it, and replace it with an 80s model turn table (a $300 unit). The little belts inside that drive the gears are no longer made, and the rubber wheel would need replaced. A couple of prods with the multimeter determined the motor was shot. He said he could try and find a replacement but it wouldn't be easy and in the end it was going to be way more money and trouble than it was worth. The arm/needle would destroy records after several plays due to its weight. It wasn't a cheap model by any means, nor was it top of the line, but I guess turntables have advanced pretty dramatically. He placed it in the late 40s/early 50s era. The cabinet style was real common, and the wood was a veneer (which I knew).
The good news, he said he can easily get the radio going again, and he said he could retrofit an aux cord that would allow us to play off an ipod or our phones. Which is the route we decided. He'll clean up the turn table that is in it to get it presentable too. We'll carefully strip the outside down later this summer and refinish it ourselves.
The good news, he said he can easily get the radio going again, and he said he could retrofit an aux cord that would allow us to play off an ipod or our phones. Which is the route we decided. He'll clean up the turn table that is in it to get it presentable too. We'll carefully strip the outside down later this summer and refinish it ourselves.
Nimbley
TJ Enthusiast
Can’t wait to hear how it turns out. It’s going to truly amaze you with how well it sounds. You can always get a new turntable and add a mono cartridge and needle. Once it’s tucked inside you’d never know. Rega or u-turn both make decent TT’s for around $250. Old tube amps and receivers are a hobby of mine. I usually don’t mess with old turntables just because you can get a brand new one for less than restoring an old one. The technology really hasn’t changed much anyway so you’re still getting a true analog experience.
We were hoping to play a few records that came with it, but probably not enough to justify the cost of a full restoration. It'll be fun to listen to while we clean or have friends over. We'll reassess down the road if we want to put a new table it. I like whats in there as it is period correct and just flows with the look of the radio and the font of the numbers.
RAYD8R
New Member
I also recently acquired one very similar to this. Mine has a slightly different turntable on it but the cabinet is exactly the same. I have no idea how long it sat without use, I basically got it with no info. I do know the guy who owned it but he is not of this world anymore so won't be getting any info from him. That's actually how I ended up with it. He had no family or anything that anyone knows of and they were going to throw everything in his apartment in the dumpster. I live across the hall and was being nosey a few days after we found out what had happened to him and the building manager told me that if I wanted anything to grab it before they came to empty his unit. I got a few cool things but this is probably the coolest. I'm a huge audio nut but this is before my time. I do remember my uncle messing around with tube amps back when I was just a root but all my stuff was late 70s and 80s. I fell out of it for awhile as raising 2 boys puts a hamper on audio equipment funding if you're in the not so upper class income status like I am, but they're all grown and on their own now and their mom is long gone onto her 3rd marriage since ours so I have all modern AVR equipment now with Klipsch 5.2 surround, but I still have a vintage stereo rig with a newer turntable in my bedroom (no, no dual cassette recorder but I do have a graphic equalizer LOL) and now this. I have not plugged it in or tried to use it, it's mainly just a stand for some of my house plants to get them up higher so they can get better lighting near the window. The plug and wiring just looked a bit too sketchy to go plugging in and I don't appreciate sudden mini explosions when plugging old stuff into modern outlets, even if they are GFCI. I'm thinking of buying a modern tube amp and turntable and integrating them into the cabinet and trying to get the original radio working with it. They have some decent tube amps at Parts Express and I'm a Teac TT guy so the innards of one of these is quite easy to incorporate into just about anything that is big enough to accommodate a 12" record.
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RAYD8R
New Member
@someguysjeep I wouldn't say that too loud! There might be some who would shoot you on sight! I wouldn't go that far but a good bag of nickels to the nutsack might make me feel better
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I had forgotten about this thread. We havent done anything to the piece yet. We do still plan on refinishing it and have a spot for it in the new house, but have other priorities. Maybe one of my '56 Lackner Chevrolet clocks would look good above it
We have two boxes full of records. Ill have to look at the turntable @Zorba suggested and see if I can swap it in
We have two boxes full of records. Ill have to look at the turntable @Zorba suggested and see if I can swap it in
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there was no Ebay or craigs list back then. there was also 5-6 big boxes of old 78's , 3/16" thick heavy stinky old things. probably worth a small fortune to some collector now.@someguysjeep I wouldn't say that too loud! There might be some who would shoot you on sight! I wouldn't go that far but a good bag of nickels to the nutsack might make me feel better
It's funny how things change. What may be trash now will be a collectible in the future. No telling what parts will be rare in the future.
i had a full set of KISS dolls still in the packages, and a GI Joe NIB, when my mom was sellin the house 20yrs later, i asked her about the box and she told me she donated it last wk.
I think my mom has my huge set of legos in the attic still. If she does still have them, then I know this entire set is still in it
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