BIC TT Model ID?
- Thread starter markallen
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mhardy6647
Lunatic Member
One from the later line of BICs. I am blanking on the model numbers, but I have a catalog with them... somewhere.
markallen
Luddite Tendencies
Actually, I meant it is in a series AFTER the 9x0 series, not part of the 9x0 series. I found the attached brochure pic and guess it's in here somewhere, though it's too small to get anything useful out of it.
This series must have had a short-lived and minimum production life. Not much out there.
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eb2jim
Super Member
It is part of the end of the line stuff - VIA and Z stuff. There are several models that are similar and they have model numbers on the top and back. Actually, they share a lot of the basic parts of the earlier 900 series stuff, and they are decent. The headache is they use three belts to run everything up to snuff. A belt for the motor, a combo belt thing to adjust the pitch. So if one breaks, you have to perform surgery to get in there and fix everything. The pitch is like some of the later Duals in that the adjustment spreads out the pulley to alter the pitch. I did one over a few months ago, and got to the point where I could strip it down like a Marine strips down a rifle. That was because I had to do it a couple of times to figure it out. And then the mirror for the pitch fell off inside as it was just glued in, so I had to pop it open again! Plus they have the same lube issues as earlier BICs, so you really have to get in there. Doug G actually tipped me off on the fairly involved process. But once they are cleaned up and doing their thing, they are good machines. Maybe not as nice as a 980, 981 or 1000. But nicer than a 940 and 960 as they have a pitch control. The MCS BIC is a variant of this stuff, but has a cheaper quality more in line with the 920.
markallen
Luddite Tendencies
Thanks, that helps! Do you recognize the one I'm asking about, what model it is and what features it has?
eb2jim
Super Member
It is hard to tell from the pic, but I think it is one of the following:
911 912 912C 914 914C
I recall C was a changer, and it looks like that may not be one, but you can tell if it has the record holder clip in the back. I just can't see it well. They are the same as the 940/60/80 machines in that regard, and you pop in the auto spindle and it works like a changer. But this looks like a single play variant, and I think it would have had a removable headshell that is different from the earlier ones, anti skate, pitch, multi-play settings, and it is a belt drive of course. They are nice machines, with a better platter mat than the earlier warp-o-matic things. Motor, and platter seat is the same vibe as a 980.
911 912 912C 914 914C
I recall C was a changer, and it looks like that may not be one, but you can tell if it has the record holder clip in the back. I just can't see it well. They are the same as the 940/60/80 machines in that regard, and you pop in the auto spindle and it works like a changer. But this looks like a single play variant, and I think it would have had a removable headshell that is different from the earlier ones, anti skate, pitch, multi-play settings, and it is a belt drive of course. They are nice machines, with a better platter mat than the earlier warp-o-matic things. Motor, and platter seat is the same vibe as a 980.
Doug G.
Lunatic Member
It is a VIA series table which were right after the original 900 series ca. 1978.
VIA stands for "Variable Isolation Adjustment" and there is a control you can turn to vary the springiness of the feet for different mounting environments.
Going by the color, it looks like either a 912 (manual) or 912C (automatic). It's hard to tell from the photograph. The two have different control markings/functions.
The basic mechanism is like the orignal series. It's just that BIC added the outer housing to try and compete with the Japanese monolithic-look tables of the period.
As Jim mentioned, they are not that easy to service as there is a fair amount of disassembly involved. The original series is much better for this.
While they are good tables, I think I would look for a 960, 980 ,or 1000 instead. These have superior arms and are easier to service.
If it's cheap enough, though...
Yeah, they do have nice mats.
Doug
VIA stands for "Variable Isolation Adjustment" and there is a control you can turn to vary the springiness of the feet for different mounting environments.
Going by the color, it looks like either a 912 (manual) or 912C (automatic). It's hard to tell from the photograph. The two have different control markings/functions.
The basic mechanism is like the orignal series. It's just that BIC added the outer housing to try and compete with the Japanese monolithic-look tables of the period.
As Jim mentioned, they are not that easy to service as there is a fair amount of disassembly involved. The original series is much better for this.
While they are good tables, I think I would look for a 960, 980 ,or 1000 instead. These have superior arms and are easier to service.
If it's cheap enough, though...
Yeah, they do have nice mats.
Doug
Doug G.
Lunatic Member
Hehe. A wonky 80z.
The Z series was the last BIC line ca.1979-80.
Although similar to the VIA series, they were simplified for service - kinda.
The outer housing must be removed first on a VIA before you get to the mechanism which involves removing various parts in the way of it coming off.
Remove four screws on the Z tables and you're pretty much there as the mecanism is attached to the upper/outer housing.
The VIA series is superior, isolation wise, to the Z series as the motor is isolated from the base plate and the changer mechanism isolated from the bottom pan.
Realistically, I don't think it makes a lot of difference. They are all pretty quiet tables.
Anyway, TAGO MAGO, my 80Z used to be wonky too with the platter not always starting up or stopping in the middle of play.
I decided it must be a capacitor giving up and so I removed all of them from the control board and measured them. They all checked out OK and as I was putting them back into the board, I noticed a jumper with one end sticking up from the board surface but the end stuck into the hole. This was over in the lower left part of the board right next to an IC there.
I thought, no big deal they just didn't get it all the way into the board. I looked at the board bottom and the solder connection for that lead was just a smooth layer of solder with no lead sticking up from it.
I pulled on the lead from the top and it came right out - not ever having been soldered.
I pushed the lead in all the way and soldered it and the 80Z has been hunky-dory ever since.
Doug
The Z series was the last BIC line ca.1979-80.
Although similar to the VIA series, they were simplified for service - kinda.
The outer housing must be removed first on a VIA before you get to the mechanism which involves removing various parts in the way of it coming off.
Remove four screws on the Z tables and you're pretty much there as the mecanism is attached to the upper/outer housing.
The VIA series is superior, isolation wise, to the Z series as the motor is isolated from the base plate and the changer mechanism isolated from the bottom pan.
Realistically, I don't think it makes a lot of difference. They are all pretty quiet tables.
Anyway, TAGO MAGO, my 80Z used to be wonky too with the platter not always starting up or stopping in the middle of play.
I decided it must be a capacitor giving up and so I removed all of them from the control board and measured them. They all checked out OK and as I was putting them back into the board, I noticed a jumper with one end sticking up from the board surface but the end stuck into the hole. This was over in the lower left part of the board right next to an IC there.
I thought, no big deal they just didn't get it all the way into the board. I looked at the board bottom and the solder connection for that lead was just a smooth layer of solder with no lead sticking up from it.
I pulled on the lead from the top and it came right out - not ever having been soldered.
I pushed the lead in all the way and soldered it and the 80Z has been hunky-dory ever since.
Doug
mhardy6647
Lunatic Member
from wonky-dory to hunky dory, with one solder joint.
eb2jim
Super Member
That is often the case with buzzes, warbles and clicks!
I got mine from a friend who gave up on it, and while it was a chore to get apart, and intimidating, it came to life and worked like a champ. I was really happy with it as far as build, and play. But it was extra, so I sold it off. If it were cheap enough, it would be a great machine. If it is pricier, then I would invest in the ones Doug mentioned. I have had my 980 as a daily use number one machine for a couple of years and I don't see that changing. I guess it depends on what pops up at a yard sale this summer, but for now I stick with it, and recommend them highly.
I got mine from a friend who gave up on it, and while it was a chore to get apart, and intimidating, it came to life and worked like a champ. I was really happy with it as far as build, and play. But it was extra, so I sold it off. If it were cheap enough, it would be a great machine. If it is pricier, then I would invest in the ones Doug mentioned. I have had my 980 as a daily use number one machine for a couple of years and I don't see that changing. I guess it depends on what pops up at a yard sale this summer, but for now I stick with it, and recommend them highly.