My BSR Changer's stop/start/auto switch is stuck

[wilkes85]

I just bought a Lloyd's stereo with an 8 track, radio, and BSR changer last night, just for the 8 track recorder. I'm satisfied with the 8 track recorder, it plays and records great, and sounds excellent, especially for a Lloyd's unit, but the record changer won't switch on, the switch is jammed in the off position. I took a look at the mechanism underneath, but I can't find the problem. Anyone have this same problem, or know how I can fix it?

The turntable isn't all that important, but it would still be nice if it worked.

 

[clydeselsor]

Try some silicone lube spray on the mechanics. It may just be seized...

 

[vinyldavid]

Look under the mechanism, and trace the metal hanger-like wire to a slot, and it will have a washer on that lever. If you look under it, that's the best way I can explain it.

That is what will be seized...you need to get it loose, and then clean it and re-lube it. I actually never re-lubed mine, as it only had to work for a week for a play production.

 

[clydeselsor]

Or you could do that^

 

[Sansui Louie]

I'd stick with the 8 track recorder and forget about that turntable. If it came in a Lloyds unit, it's not going to do your vinyl any favors. Not trying to be a snob about this, but it is what it is. And what it is is a vinyl-gouging craptrola.

 

[eb2jim]

I somewhat agree on the low end world your changer was meant for, although a correctly set-up BSR changer with a decent stylus will do no damage to your vinyl at all. It just is not going to sound that good. So in short, get some wd40 to penetrate the frozen parts, wipe it off after, then grease it with some lubricant. Or what Clydeselor said. BSR changers are closely related to cockroaches in terms of dying easily. They are fine for a party box. I had an all-in-one thing like that in the garage for a while.

 

[Beobloke]

Consider it a divine sign that you shouldn't play records on this thing.......

 

[scubaguy10]

No offense, but BSRs are the worst turntable in my experience. They will tear up records....

 

[Fred Longworth]

Trace the linkages to a large metal washer that slides over a slot in a very large metal plate. This often needs to be freed manually. Then clean as much old grease as you can with denatured alcohol or undiluted isopropyl alcohol. Relube with a light grease.

You will generally find that what goes wrong with BSR turntables is that greases change into bubble gum.

* * * * *

The turntable per se will not ruin records if you keep the platter mat clean. What can harm your records is the cheap ceramic cartridge tracking at 3-6 grams. It is imperative that you have a good needle (stylus) and that you keep this needle clean. If you have a stylus-force gauge, adjust the tracking force more toward the 3 than the 6. If you go much below 3, there will be a rapid deterioration in the sound quality and the stylus will begin to have difficulties "holding the groove."

Fred

* * * * *

 

[Sansui Louie]

To follow up on what Fred said and add to my rather blunt advice, I remember Lloyds products pretty well (I'm 45). As far as low-end all-in-one stereos, they made the bottom of the barrel stuff. It was poorly made and usually didn't work for more than a couple years.

I would be highly surprised if anything offered by Lloyds in the form of a BSR turntable would be upgradeable to a magnetic cartridge. There were BSR turntables that could accept a Magnetic cartridge, but there were models that had a narrow, fixed 'headshell' that would only accept a cheap ceramic one.

I had friends as a teenager who had this type of heavy tracking craptrola and it did indeed gouge records. I would periodically borrow their records to tape them and quickly learned that I needed to do this right away, when their records were new. After a few plays, I could hear the difference and the damage on my *very* modest system (B-I-C 940, Empire 2000). And I'd NEVER loan them my records.

Do yourself a favor and forget about the turntable on this unit. It's not worth your time or trouble.

 

[Hifirob2]

FWIW - my old Yorx all-in-one POS BSR TT was true crap, but it NEVER damaged any of my records. I was super anal about my vinyl even as a kid - new needles always, cleaning records before each play. Those same Lp's sound like new today on my current set up........can't believe I'm defending a BSR......

gotta stop sniffin' Sharpies.....

Rob

 

[wilkes85]

Well, I fixed it. I freed that washer thing, lubed the whole unit up, adjusted it, and now it works like new. It actually doesn't sound too bad either. Sure aint as good as my Sanyo TP-1010 turntable, but it does the job nicely.

and my first turntable was the same type of BSR, and used it as my main turntable for a long time, and it never ruined my records. It did leave an ungodly ring on the record, from the plastic platter, but all the records I had back then, that I played regularly on that unit, still sound great.

This Lloyd's unit is very much like my first stereo, which was a Lloyd's as well, and I told myself I would never buy any other Lloyd's unit again, because I remember having to fix it constantly; anything that can go wrong, went wrong, especially the 8 track player, but here I am with another Lloyd's unit... oh well, maybe this one will be better to me. All I'm gonna use it for is the 8 track recorder anyway, and if I wanna record an LP onto 8 track, I definately am NOT using this BSR, but it's still a cool little unit, and it is in surprisingly excellent condition. Well worth the $10.00 I payed for it lol

 

[flat_spin]

Yep, have to agree. The thing to remember is that any badly set up TT will ruin your records. Groove damage from records played on BSRs usually arises from the owner using the 78 side of the flippy-style needle. As I said on another thread, I inherited loads of my folks' records which must have been played on the family BSR hundreds of times and they still sound great.

 

[wilkes85]

I got the BSR running like new, and it actually isn't a bad unit, but the 8 track player is giving me sh*t now. It will give you a loud hum in the left channel, instead of audio, and to fix it, I either gotta turn the unit off, then on again, and if that doesn't work, a hard smack on the side of the cabinet will work.

The radio has the worst reception I've ever heard, and the amp is weak as a baby, and it sounds like absolute crap. and so I'm gonna keep the BSR, and chuck the rest of the stereo if the 8 track player gives me anymore bullsh*t. I might even build me a stereo console, using another old stereo I got, and put the BSR in it. I know you all will laugh at me for spending all this time and energy on a BSR, but if I actually do get around to building that stereo console, I'll post pics.

 

[radiotvnut]

On your tape player problem: Try spraying some Deoxit or other decent control cleaner into the record switch and work the switch 25-30 times to clean the contacts. I've seen dirty record switches in tape decks cause these same problems more times than I care to remember. While you're in there, go ahead and spray the rest of the user controls with Deoxit and work them a few times.

I'm not surprised by the lousy sensitivity of your tuner. Generally, the tuners in these "all in one" systems were not that great unless it was a higher end system.

The amp could have failing capacitors causing your audio problem. Of course, it may be as loud as it's supposed to get. Some of those rigs only delivered like 1 wpc (or less).

If your unit has a line out or tape out jack, you could always run it through a better amp.

 

[wilkes85]

1 WPC?! lol thats pathetic haha; and how can I find out the wattage on a stereo?

 

[ToyHunters]

In response to this message....how did you remove the turn table? Did you have to go through the main back panel?



Well, I fixed it. I freed that washer thing, lubed the whole unit up, adjusted it, and now it works like new. It actually doesn't sound too bad either. Sure aint as good as my Sanyo TP-1010 turntable, but it does the job nicely.

and my first turntable was the same type of BSR, and used it as my main turntable for a long time, and it never ruined my records. It did leave an ungodly ring on the record, from the plastic platter, but all the records I had back then, that I played regularly on that unit, still sound great.

This Lloyd's unit is very much like my first stereo, which was a Lloyd's as well, and I told myself I would never buy any other Lloyd's unit again, because I remember having to fix it constantly; anything that can go wrong, went wrong, especially the 8 track player, but here I am with another Lloyd's unit... oh well, maybe this one will be better to me. All I'm gonna use it for is the 8 track recorder anyway, and if I wanna record an LP onto 8 track, I definately am NOT using this BSR, but it's still a cool little unit, and it is in surprisingly excellent condition. Well worth the $10.00 I payed for it lol

 

[BrewDude]

Trace the linkages to a large metal washer that slides over a slot in a very large metal plate. This often needs to be freed manually. Then clean as much old grease as you can with denatured alcohol or undiluted isopropyl alcohol. Relube with a light grease.

You will generally find that what goes wrong with BSR turntables is that greases change into bubble gum.

* * * * *

The turntable per se will not ruin records if you keep the platter mat clean. What can harm your records is the cheap ceramic cartridge tracking at 3-6 grams. It is imperative that you have a good needle (stylus) and that you keep this needle clean. If you have a stylus-force gauge, adjust the tracking force more toward the 3 than the 6. If you go much below 3, there will be a rapid deterioration in the sound quality and the stylus will begin to have difficulties "holding the groove."

Fred

* * * * *

I know this is an old post, thanks for the advice -- I have the same exact issue with my Realistic Lab 50, which I have been told is a BSR. The switch is seized. Planning on tearing it apart and relubricating everything.