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1962 Custom Electra V Modern

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WaterWolfAz

New Member
I have the opportunity to purchase a 1962 Custom Electra V Modern (at least that is what I think it is based on what I have seen). I have been looking for a console for a while, but not in immediate need yet. I believe the asking price is reasonable and it is in an estate sale for the next 2 days. I have read many of the threads on here which are very useful. I know this is a mid level console, but what are opinions? Is it a worth while purchase? I am not a high end audiophile, but just want something that will play vinyl well and look good with my mid century modern tastes. Thank you.

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Welcome to the FISHER House of Nutz!!!! The C.E. was one of FISHER's most popular lines.

I've got a 64 Modern and a 65 French Provincial. $300.00 is a bit NORTH of the high side, UNLESS its been gone thru and been totally recapped and the output tubes, have been replaced and the rest fo the tubes have been checked, with the unit given a written clean bill of health. The '62 may or may not have a FM Multiplex DeCoder in it. There was a FM MPX Delete for $50 less from the Factory. If it has one it will be a small sub-chassis on the tuner/preamp marked MPX-70. Also the idler wheel on the turntable will need replacing most likely as they get hard and cracked. Plus the stylus on the Pickering cartridge will need to be replaced. Replace the speaker caps and it'll sound right nice.

Offer them $200.00.
 
Berean; Did you replace the AT-6 with a different turntable or was it done already? Are those FISHER XP's on either side of the console?
 
Hi Larry, my unit came stock with a Garrard 210 (I believe). It has the ceramic cartridge. It works ok.. I've played with the idler wheel and even lined the platter with electrical tape to get a better grip.

The speakers are Wharfedale 90's that are date stamped 1962. Each cabinet has 2 12.5 woofers, 2 4" mids, and 2 tweeters with 4lb magnets. The really look like they were made for each other.
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The Type "A" is correct for the '62. The 210 is a lower end variant of the type "A" but I don't ever recall it being used in a Custom Electra. The tuner/preamp is setup for a magnetic cartridge. A ceramic's output is too much for a magnetic input. Try a Pickering ATE-2 or Stanton 500v3 (the Stanton is the new version now). A Pickering ATE(V-15) was the cartridge of choice for FISHER. It probably had an earlier u-38 pickering, which was a fair transistional mono to stereo magnetic cart right before the AT's, but hard to find stylus for. The current equivalent for the ATE's is the Pickering 500v3. Good solid cartridge and stylus are available in conical, eliptical, and shibata, altho I think the shibata is over-rated for the turntable and cartridge combo. Re-balance the tonearm, plug into the phono inputs, and enjoy.

If the platter is a two piece, the foam isolation is probably shot. You can scrape it all off, and cut a piece of small bubble wrap to the size of the upper platter and with a hole slightly larger than the center. Line up the arrows on the lower and upper platters and all is good.

You can get a new idler wheel from www.thevoiceofmusic.com . Either buy it direct or send in the old one for a new rubber core.
 
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Hey Larry, I never pulled my cartridge and was only going off what the previous owner said. The cartridge is a 380 Stanton by Pickering. As for the TT, I'm wondering if they put out a cheaper version? The TT is mounted in original holes and everything "seems" bone stock, it even has the funky round 110V AC plug. But I don't know...

Would a Stanton 500v3 be better? I find that even though the 380 "likes" big band and jazz it doesn't "like" classic rock.

Thank you for the link to a new idler wheel, that would be sweet!
 
For info on the 380 see this thread. http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/model-380-stanton-cartridge-info-needed.315438/ He recommends 5-7 grams for the RED Stylus. Stay around 4.5gr-5gr. Some guys say 5grams will groove out the record. Which is just internet hooey! It's one of the 1st stereo carts from Pickering/Stanton. You may have the weight too light for ROCK. Sounds like it's bouncing around from a combination of too light tracking force and bass too high in a console. The Electra's tend to be heavy on bass, so put it about 11:00 to start and finess it as needed.

I have ATE's in all my Garrards on my consoles, and ATE's on my Miracord 10F on my 65 Electra with a 50v3 on my 65 Futura's Miracord 50H. I DO have a ATE with a 78 needle on a carrier for the 50H for 78's. You can still get replacement stylus for the 380. Get one for a Automatic Changer (33's/45's) and one for 78's.

Garrard used the same template for a lot of early TT's. So it's possible that it had an earlier TT and the Type "A" replaced it. The "A" would have had a regular rectangular shaped plug. The Roundy is most likely a replacement. Which isn't unusual.
 
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