Vintage Console Rehab: Am I nuts?

[Jayrosc]

Sometimes I hate it when I get a great idea. Was looking at a job friday at a home untouched since the 60's. Inside is a mint, and I mean mint, walnut veneered, RCA console radio/record player. Based on the size, maybe only 40 inches wide, it might be mono. Thing is, long ago my parents had one similar to it and I think it would be great to get this one up and running again and give it to my mom (86) so she can play her old records, especially her christmas ones. This is the only way she would play them as anything else would be too "new fangled" to operate. But, what are the odds it is working? Even though it has been stored in premium conditions, in a back bedroom, used as a lamp stand, would this be an insane undertaking? Turntable??? TUBES???? certainly out of my territory, but man, i love my idea.

 

[danrclem]

No you are not nuts. There are lots of people doing this very thing. I have two right now that need and are very deserving of being restored. Just need the time. There is a fairly good chance that it will put sound out but the turntables always need cleaned and greased. If it does put sound out the amp still needs to be recapped before using it because bad caps can cause other damage. If you restore it yourself it shouldn't be too expensive but would be quite a bit more if you have the work done.

You mentioned tubes so I'm guessing that it is a tube unit. If you get this moved to the tube forum or start a new thread over there, there will be plenty of people to help you. I'm sorry but I can't help much because I'm new to restoring too.

Oh yeah, if your mother will enjoy it then it will be worth every penny you put into it.

 

[runnin']

50 year old electronics are not going to last. Maybe high end amps from the era could do okay, but mass market electronics are another story.

 

[ggregg]

That doesn't make any sense at all. Caps dry out, whether it's in an RCA or a McIntosh. You really can't predict when or if they are going to fail.

It may work OK, it may not. It really should have a recap and a changer degrease/relube but that's up to the OP.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Indeed. And many an older console of good quality has held up well. There are a goodly amount of Magnavox, RCA, and Zenith consoles still in operational order. And still giving their owners pleasure today. Caps fail whether RCA, or McIntosh. I see you needing to service the electronics and recap the filter caps, and the record changer overhauled and maybe a new cartridge or stylus replacement and you'd be likely good.

 

[djwhy60]

How about this....if you think it is a good idea..go for it.:yes:

 

[GaryonRt66]

I couldn't think if a better reason to get it playing again, than to give it to your Mom. If you choose to attempt yourself or farm out, that's up to you of course. Good Luck.
Gary

 

[gadget73]

Why would this be any worse of an idea than fixing any other old piece of gear? Many of us here have very vintage equipment. Properly serviced, it does just fine. Just don't expect it to work reliably without some service work first. Personally, I think its a great idea.

 

[thaxman]

I say get on it. Christmas will be coming up before you know it.

 

[Jayrosc]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I'm going to approach the homeowner and offer a good discount on the work. Hope we can reach an agreement. I don't see it being worth more than $200 though.

 

[wa2ise]

50 year old electronics are not going to last. ...

Replace the filter caps and coupling caps, and it should be good for another 50 years.

 

[gadget73]

the one thing I always felt was amusing about tube gear is that the most reliable parts are the ones in a socket. The stuff soldered in is what goes bad. Considering the technology of the time though, it still held up OK. Modern film caps are worlds better than the paper caps that were in common use 50 years ago.

 

[JURB]

Yes, you are nuts. Enjoy.

Get the pics. we want to see it all and the progress as it goes along.

I have seen consoles from total garbage to truly great. I saw consoles with lights a flashing (those damn things built in) to a Packard Bell that sounded almost as good as enything Ihad ever heard. when I was a kid we had an RCA that had 15X9 woofres, in a three wat speaker system with an FM that would pull a stick out of the mud 10,000 miles away. There was NO PLACE on the dial without a station. (with the AFC on that is, but stilll)

My Uncle buolt some amps. The patent on the design McIntosh used had finally expired and Chicago Transformer started builing them. the difference between them and the standard Williamson output transformer and this was the cathode wining. though it meant higher drive voltage, it was what McIntash used. He built it using 6550 outputs.

They had cabinets made, a Miracord TT was installed as well as a (I think) Heathkit pream. I am not sure of the tuner. The speakers were matched exactly to the maiun cabinet holding the compopnents. they could be set along side, or put anywhere in the room, but the matched. I have never seen a console stereo even approaching that. I mean tube, McIntosh copy (I think of maybe an MC275, not sure right now). If I had my druthers that hing would NEVER have been scrapped, but see it was scrapped in like the 1070s or early 1980s. We did not realize at the time that htis shit will never be again. And now my Uncle who build it had a stroke and I can assure he will not be building another one.

And now, unless they are REAL junk, consoles are sometimes not that bad. Look at the surround speakers they give you with a system now, you can't even change out the speakers. Or anything. It is useless for all purposes except what the manufacturer intended.

Didn't miss that day in engineering school did you ?

Even back then they wanted to porduce it as cheap as possible, it is all a matter of how far they go. If you got good wood, and not that paper thin shit some used, there is hope.

I mean hope for audiophilia. So of the cheap shit is beyond hope, and really, in some cases the older it is the better.

 

[chadnliz]

I think you are nuts but you asked. For an aging relative I would get one of those old timey looking radio tabletop units with a record player under the hood. Just as simple to work, looks antique and will serve her well..,.... Doesn't eat up space either. Plus it'll only cost under $100.
We are passionate but sometimes we push our passion at others, I just wouldn't over think it.

 

[MannyE]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I'm going to approach the homeowner and offer a good discount on the work. Hope we can reach an agreement. I don't see it being worth more than $200 though.

You're not nuts at all. If it's not too late don't power it up by just plugging it in. You will do more damage.

You need to get yourself a Variac. Look on eBay or craigslist. If you're lucky you'll get one for cheap. This will allow you to slowly power up the amp without damaging anything. It may even just work without any restoration needed.

Chances are that all the capacitors will need changing as well as more than a few resistors. BUT. If it's able to play records halfway well why go through the bother? Actually there's a really good reason to go through the bother but if you don't have experience disassembling and de soldering you could end up frustrated and throw the whole thing away as pile of junk. Which if it has a decent tube amp it really isn't.

If you've already plugged it in and turned it on, well what's done is done. Let's hope it didn't blow up.

That's a really nice gesture and if you can make it work I'm sure your mother will be tickled pink.


Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.

 

[tom3]

I think you are nuts but you asked. For an aging relative I would get one of those old timey looking radio tabletop units with a record player under the hood. Just as simple to work, looks antique and will serve her well..,.... Doesn't eat up space either. Plus it'll only cost under $100.
We are passionate but sometimes we push our passion at others, I just wouldn't over think it.

A guy at work gave me one of those, brand new, paper work still in plastic. Not really a half bad setup. Had a turntable, AM/FM, CD player in a nice looking wood cabinet. This would be perfect for someone not really into audio. Won't play those 78s though.

 

[markshan]

You may be nuts, I don't know you. This idea though is far from nuts. I can tell you that I'm very novice with anything electrical and I have recapped two old tube amps and they sound wonderful. How much are people willing to pay to revisit their childhoods? You can do that on a budget. IMHO, you would be nuts NOT to do it. I simply can't fathom the AK-ers recommending some plastic Crosley POS.

 

[Drugolf]

Can be rewarding to restore. Great combination of electronics and woodwork, similar to why many of us like to dabble with speakers. Some are more worthy than others of course.

 

[JURB]

A guy at work gave me one of those, brand new, paper work still in plastic. Not really a half bad setup. Had a turntable, AM/FM, CD player in a nice looking wood cabinet. This would be perfect for someone not really into audio. Won't play those 78s though.

Know what ? I want totake a belt drive, or even direct drive TT and try to make it do 78 RPM. Has anyopne ever tried ?

Warning : Everything is made to just be barely able to do what it must do for the warranty period. I mean they want it to break the day after the warranty expires, really.

So, we got something that runs in self destruct mode all the time anyway, and we are just going to push it up to over double the RPMs. What's more we are going to put heavier record on it.

Sounds to me like it wouldn't last the night.

So when they took 78 out of the turntable, they started giving you less for more.

1: Less really is more
2. How ?
1. Better technology
2. Then why can't I do what I could do with the old technology ?
1. It is too advanced.
2. How can it be more advanced than something older that could do a whole bunch of things it cannot ?
1. things have changed.

They sure have and you will see me on here in Linux one day. Maybe. They got most people like by a ring in their nose with PCs, and ESPECIALLY with phones.

You know, 78 RPM is really hard on plastic bearings. I remember when they siezed up and you had to break the platter off. Of course you have to excuse them because they were like five years old. Maybe even six.

I was there.

And now comes the Terminator question, the J U R B question.

What new turntable plays 78s ?

I mean going up to the ones where you buy the motor, the platter and the plinth all separate, have it custom built in Switzerland by twelve neurosurgeons, have the cartridge installed by rats, carefiully trained for this task since the 12th century, and have three air compressors and two hydraulic pumps, and a GPS and a gyroscope. And it costs more than two boats.

How many of THOSE can play a 78 RPM record ?

Maybe less is really more. But then that means that more is really less.

 

[ggizzy]

I think it's a fine idea, especially if you're gifting it to someone. If you're hoping to somehow fix it and flip it, I would show more reservation. I see consoles going for anywhere from free to about $200 all the time on local ad around here. They're usually endlessly relisted because the buying market isn't there.

That being said, a lot of them have value being converted to another function like liquor cabinet, buffet, pantry, etc. I have a relative in a neighboring state who flips furniture for a living and told me these things can be bid up at estate auctions due to their initial design or wood species.