Calling All Motorola Consoles!!!

[Qilin]

SK31CW for noob project

Two days ago, I picked up my very first console project. It is model number SK31CW, not working. I took it apart for cleaning since the insides were very dusty. The cabinets are in so-so condition.
I have not seen a console that is split into separate left-right-center units like this one. I would have preferred nice mahogany or walnut all-in-one unit, but thought this would be a good starter project.
The left and right speakers each have two Jensen Special Design highs and one Motorola GV mid. The center unit has one Jensen Special Design bass driver.
Over the next few weeks I plan to get the amp and pre-amp running. The other threads on AK have been useful resources for me to get going.
DM

 

[Qilin]

SK31CW for noob project

Here are a couple more photos.
DM

 

[relaximus]

DM:

Very cool indeed. I've never seen another Moto' like that. Definitely worthy as a restoration project. We'll see if the keeper of all console knowledge, TheRed1, can shed any light on your find other than the obvious Sept. of '59 stamp on the amp. The TT, preamp controls, tuner and even the cab light look identical to my '61 SK28M. I look forward to you posting progress pics! I am assuming that the CW means "Colonial Walnut". The asymmetric trim on the speakers in very unique. Just beautiful!!!

Dave

 

[perchdog]

dm,
are you located in the detroit area ??

 

[Qilin]

Yes I am; approx I-75 at Square Lake Road area.
DM

 

[resound]

Skr155w

Just picked this one up this morning. This is somewhere around my 5th or 6th one. This one will have the distinction of being Saved.
A buddy of mine and his wife just bought a new house and he covets my consoles. I think this will make an excellent house warming gift.

Pretty smallish and beautiful sounding as-is if you can believe it. The reverb even works well. One of the longetivety secrets is that these are almost all ceramic and dipped caps that never wear out. nothing much to replace except the power filter can. The tubes are all spec for Motorola also. TungSol & Amperex.
Also, the models that have all the controls in line on one plate such as this one and other similiar models pictured in this thread are sporting a true stand-alone 2, 3, or 4 tube preamp. If you disassemble and take it apart, the preamp and controls are all on one very usable and convertable stand alone chassis/box.

I'll re-finish the cabinet, clean it all up and add a couple accesory jacks for a CD or MP3 Player etc.





..

 

[perchdog]

Yes I am; approx I-75 at Square Lake Road area.
DM

ok so that console was bought approx 9 mile and gratiot ? i believe that is the one i checked out last fall, pretty cool unit i posted the c/l pics earlier in this thread.
i thought it was a very interesting unit but like you i was not to crazy over the blonde wood and also i already have a couple motos. man that seller seemed like one tough customer.

 

[Qilin]

ok so that console was bought approx 9 mile and gratiot ? i believe that is the one i checked out last fall, pretty cool unit i posted the c/l pics earlier in this thread.
i thought it was a very interesting unit but like you i was not to crazy over the blonde wood and also i already have a couple motos. man that seller seemed like one tough customer.

Yes, right on all counts.
How is your experience finding Moto consoles in the area? Plentiful? What types of venues - garage sales, etc?
DM

 

[perchdog]

hi dm,
i normally run across them on craigs, do a motorola search and they pop up every so often. they are not as plentiful as the magnavoxs but usually the motos are tubed. actually i am not so sure i have ever seena a motorola solid state console. the unit you have has some really nice speaker drivers thats for sure. Why do you ask, do you need nore than one ??

 

[Codyman]

Pretty smallish and beautiful sounding as-is if you can believe it. The reverb even works well. One of the longetivety secrets is that these are almost all ceramic and dipped caps that never wear out. nothing much to replace except the power filter can. The tubes are all spec for Motorola also. TungSol & Amperex.
Also, the models that have all the controls in line on one plate such as this one and other similiar models pictured in this thread are sporting a true stand-alone 2, 3, or 4 tube preamp. If you disassemble and take it apart, the preamp and controls are all on one very usable and convertable stand alone chassis/box.
..

Interesting to know...

My 60' SK64MB has been acting up on me. Sometimes it will dip out to very low / barely audible and stay there unless I turn it off and try again another day (odd, I know). I'm thinking (this happens both with the radio and the tape-in rca jacks on back of the unit) that maybe the preamp is the cause of this problem? The reverb unit thats built it doesn't work at all, so maybe something is burned out in the preamp?

Any advice on to the cause of this problem would be great as it was working great when I first got it 6 months or so ago...

My 1960 SK54MB

 

[perchdog]

codyman,
did you recap amp and preamp ??

 

[resound]

Interesting to know...

My 60' SK64MB has been acting up on me. Sometimes it will dip out to very low / barely audible and stay there unless I turn it off and try again another day (odd, I know). I'm thinking (this happens both with the radio and the tape-in rca jacks on back of the unit) that maybe the preamp is the cause of this problem? The reverb unit thats built it doesn't work at all, so maybe something is burned out in the preamp?

Any advice on to the cause of this problem would be great as it was working great when I first got it 6 months or so ago...

My 1960 SK54MB

Sounds like you need some new tubes. :yes:

..

 

[Qilin]

hi dm,
i normally run across them on craigs, do a motorola search and they pop up every so often. they are not as plentiful as the magnavoxs but usually the motos are tubed. actually i am not so sure i have ever seena a motorola solid state console. the unit you have has some really nice speaker drivers thats for sure. Why do you ask, do you need nore than one ??

Hi Perchdog,
For sure, I don't really *need* more than one! (must distinguish needs from wants) My plan at the moment is to use this one as a learning project, and mainly to restore the sound quality of the audio system to original or better. But maybe if I see a high quality all-in-one console with that classic early-sixties contemporary look, I might be tempted...
DM

 

[Codyman]

codyman,
did you recap amp and preamp ??

I bought it six months ago, and I don't know if the old owner did that or not... he said he did some "maintenance" to get it sounding good 10+ years ago, but he failed to go into the details of what he meant by "maintenance"

How could I go about finding out what caps I need / where do you recommend I purchase them. I have pretty good soldering skills, but don't have any experience with tube amps (this is my first one).

Also, if I were to retube this baby, (it's an el84 / 12ax7a / ecl82's according to the diagram I found inside the "beast"), where do you all like to buy your tubes from?

I'm hoping on making this one of my summer projects as she sounded amazing when she was working good... could only imagine how its going to sound when I get her all caught up on maintenance... hell, she's 50 years old this year and still holding up pretty good though...

 

[resound]

What you describe is a-typical tube fade. You yourself mentioned its age and chances are good that the tubes are just as old. They arent like lightbulbs, they dont just turn off one day. They work fine till they heat up then fade out. Thats why it works again later when everything is cool again.

Cheapest and easiest is to replace all the tubes that you can. It could use it anyway Im sure and I'll bet the reverb comes back alive. The reverb doesnt actually Wha back and forth. It broadens the bass and background creating a more spatial sound. It takes its input from the speaker outs which is different from a guitar amp reverb.

Dont know where is best to get the ECL82 other than ebay but you can get new matched el84's and 12ax7's from many places for not much money. You probably wont need a rectifier tube as they last about twice as long as the others but if you do, send me a PM and I'll send you a good one. Id love to get rid of at least one of these extra 5U4's or 3DG4's I have. Whichevever you have there.

When I buy new EL84's and 12ax7's I get them from a place called Eurotubes in Oregon. They are a distributor for JJ tubes and Ive got no complaints with quality of those 2 tube types in the JJ brand.
Heck, 4 matched EL84's were only $45 including shipping last I ordered some. About $10 per tube for these types.
Google the website and then call to order if thats the way you decide to go.


..

 

[markfx]

Thanks to an ad here, I picked up an ST82A for $65.

The radio reception was poor next to my brick fireplace; the kitchen window sounds better!

Info seems to be scarce.

I only found a small newspaper ad from June 27, 1964: MSRP $229.95.

Mark

 

[relaximus]

Just to keep this thread rolling, here's my ~'63 SK-103M. It uses a HS-1055 amp/preamp chassis with 2 6BQ5's and a 12AX7. There is a separate HS-1102 PS chassis with a 6CA4 rectifier. 1 10", 2 6" and 2 3.5" speakers.

Dave

 

[f'duponhifi]

Hi motorola console owners! I signed up to this site for some help ID'ing this motorola console I picked up, unless the tag is inside or I'm just blind I cant find it. So here are some pics and a description of what I can see. Also I hate to be "that guy" whos first post is a question like what did I just buy, but I'm lost. Thanks for any help

I tried it out and the am radio and the turntable works played a roy orbison's greatest hits on it lol... the fm didnt have an antenna so it was just static the "vibrasonic" function works. Selector knob says off,afc,fm,am then there are treb. and bass both 0-10 then balance left,right pull mono push stereo then loudness 0-10 then a 2nd selector 78,tape,lp,radio then on/off, and ofcourse vibrasonic 0-10. Everything is there and its clean as hell so I kinda couldn't pass it up, the whole "tape" part throws me off do you think its 8-track tape? I was born in '81 so yeah I'm a little lost lol... Thanks again anyone who helps out with a reply!

 

[perchdog]

hi and welcome to ak...

i think the unit would pre-date cassettes and 8 tracks. i could be wrong but i am thinking reel to reel.
nice unit, i do not think i have seen a tuner face that quite looks like that before. also, a lot of the times the fm antenea is stapled to the rear of the cabinent, along the top

 

[wlarnett]

Hi motorola console owners! I signed up to this site for some help ID'ing this motorola console I picked up, unless the tag is inside or I'm just blind I cant find it. So here are some pics and a description of what I can see. Also I hate to be "that guy" whos first post is a question like what did I just buy, but I'm lost. Thanks for any help

Please take the back of the unit off and upload a few pics around the inside.
A few models used very similar cabinets.

Take note of any chassis numbers you see

(The model may even be on a tag inside the unit.)