Big sound from
older Wurlitzers
Hmm, Jukebox tips? This is one that I know
I'll get shouted down on, but I'm
a sound fanatic. Back in the Pre-Cobra days of
Wurlitzer, they of course
used the dynamic pick-up. Problem was that the suspension blocks got hard as
rocks, they wouldn't track unless they weighed a ton, and therefore ate 78's
like cookies. Right?
The common fix is to pull out all the weights, put in a
crystal cartridge, gut
the volume control, and viola, you've got something that will play a record
and sound just like the worst Nippon Transistor radio.
Very few people are
aware of why all the different volume control circuits on these machines.
Wurlitzer was first and foremost, a Musical Instrument Company. From this
acoustical engineering standpoint, they were very conscientious about cabinet
tuning and resonance's. Ergo, with each cabinet change,
they "tuned" the
cabinet to smooth out the overall frequency response via the volume control.
NO OTHER JUKE BOX manufacturer ever did that.
Now, when guys gut the volume control, they dispose of an incredible room
shaking audio experience. I digress. Very early on, it occurred to me that
when new, these machines could not have eaten records.
If a person grasps
that you only need enough tracking force to play and trip at the end, then get
busy and restore the packing blocks in the pick-up, you get an old juke that
will blow the sox off any competitor, AMI, Rockola, Seeburg.
Rebuilding these tone arms was something that, admittedly, very few operators
had the time, talent or inclination to do. It is also something that over a
year's time, need to be 'tweaked'... the adjusting tab on the
centering lever
(inside the dynamic pick-up). I did my first one, just
to see what could be
done. I've had other collectors hear my machines (700, 780, 800, Victory,
etc.) and they wonder what I've done.
Wurlitzer also realized that folks were not happy with the old pick-up, so
offered a retrofit kit (I've got a couple and the schematics) to put in a
crystal. The pre-amp was simply an impedance & gain unit, matching the
crystal to the volume control. These too, would maintain the terrific sound.
The deal is, once the volume control is gutted, you loose it.
You loose the
'loudness compensation' at low level, and the ability to crank it wide open
without distortion. I wouldn't keep the dynamic pick-up
in a machine going to
a customer... they have to be maintained. But the pre-amp and crystal are ok.
Trying to find a volume control that hasn't been gutted is getting difficult
these days.
You may think this is all baloney, and I know, it's been argued up & down &
sideways... But, if you have the time to mess with one, Try it. You might be
surprised. My Victory had the bass thump of a 2200 and played my N.O.S. Elvis
78's a bazillion times and they're fine. Also plays the bootleg vinyl's and
doesn't eat 'em. (I say had... yea, I finally sold it....ARGH!)
Oren
Submitted by Oren Osborn |
| Cleaning a Seeburg Select-O-Matic Mechanism
I have read some bizarre
recommendations for the cleaning of Seeburg Mech's including, washing with soap and water
(Shudder!) and complete disassembly (Heart Attack!). This method works and works well, I've used it for years.
After you have the mechanism out of the machine,
remove all plastic parts (please note that I said, "PLASTIC" NOT "BAKELITE" bakelite like the contact block benefits from the cleaning), the pinbank or Tormat memory unit, the record rack and the
motor. Set the mech in a shallow metal pan (a commercial sheet pan is just the right
size for a 100 select and a commercial meat pan works well for 160 and 200 select - both
available at restaurant equipment dealers for around $12.00 to $15.00 each.) In a
well ventilated area, spray the mech thoroughly with Gumout
Carburetor Cleaner (other brands don't get it). Plan on
using several cans and really, really shower the whole thing down - be thorough!
Manually trip the mechanism and cycle it slowly by rotating the motor shaft
stopping every few revolutions to spray the newly exposed surfaces. Pay particular
attention to the clutch area (behind the motor).
There are several advantages to this method:
First, the mechanism ends up spotless; second, the wiring (even the older fabric covered)
is clean and unharmed; third, all the painted mech components remain painted, but clean
and; finally, there is a light petroleum residue left on all surfaces which prevents the
mech from rusting while it waits for the next step of lubricating and adjusting. I
will note that if you plan to "shelve" the mech for a while after cleaning, it's
not a bad idea to spray it with 3-in-1 aerosol oil (just keep it off the contact blocks).
Submitted by Jukemania |
