Recently got a 2230 with champagne faceplate and engraved lettering. Serial number is 1041. No year/date engaved inside the chassis. Anyone can help me regarding the history of this 2230, year of manufacture, etc. was this manufactured during the transition years from champagne faceplate to silver? Some of the black lettering has faded or one. any tips on what to use to retrace and put black paint on the engraved lettering? thanks for your help!
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MarantzRefrb
Super Member
From what I've been able to determine, the champagne engraved face plates were all made before serial number 5000, and seem to be from 1971.
I have a 2230 that is from 1972, and has a serial of 5468, it's not engraved, but has a bright gold face plate - that is missing the pinkish hue of the true champagne face plates.
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/marantz-face-plate-colors-champagne-gold.947660/
Not sure how to repair the paint properly.
I have a 2230 that is from 1972, and has a serial of 5468, it's not engraved, but has a bright gold face plate - that is missing the pinkish hue of the true champagne face plates.
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/marantz-face-plate-colors-champagne-gold.947660/
Not sure how to repair the paint properly.
Steven Tate
CEO Flat Forehead Soc.
The 2230 started with serial number 1001. Yours would be the 41st unit built out of something like 185,000. Pretty special unit. Probably from 1972. If you remove the metal cover, there is usually a date stamped on the top right of the chassis.
MarantzRefrb
Super Member
The 2230 in this pic is on the bottom left, it's not-engraved and a bright gold color:
It was sold in early 1972:
Every champagne one I've seen, came from 1971 so far.
It was sold in early 1972:
Every champagne one I've seen, came from 1971 so far.
Steven Tate
CEO Flat Forehead Soc.
I have serial number 1308 in the 2230. It is champagne engraved. I restored it completely, but don’t remember if it had a date on the chassis. I’ll have to open it and take a look. Yours being #41, they likely were still ironing out the process.
MarantzRefrb
Super Member
There are no dates on the two early 2215 champagne-engraved I have.
The serial is stamped in three places on the early ones, the tag on the back, underneath the transformer mount:
Under the power supply, this one is really sloppy, my other 2215 has a crisp stamp in this location:
If you have a champagne face plate, and no <5000 serial number stamped on the chassis in those places, it's probably been modified.
EDIT: Opened up 2230 #5468 and found a date right where it usually is found:
Looks like January 24th, 1972 is when #5468 was born, not engraved and not champagne any longer, at this point.
The serial is stamped in three places on the early ones, the tag on the back, underneath the transformer mount:
Under the power supply, this one is really sloppy, my other 2215 has a crisp stamp in this location:
If you have a champagne face plate, and no <5000 serial number stamped on the chassis in those places, it's probably been modified.
EDIT: Opened up 2230 #5468 and found a date right where it usually is found:
Looks like January 24th, 1972 is when #5468 was born, not engraved and not champagne any longer, at this point.
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Steven Tate
CEO Flat Forehead Soc.
I'll have to check mine. I'm pretty sure it is legit because the P550 Muting Control board only had about half of the perfed area filled in with components. My later 2230's have the full complement of components. I've been told that was a very early P550 board. And it works just fine. Makes you wonder why they needed more components. 
Steven Tate
CEO Flat Forehead Soc.
This was it after restoration. P550 in top left area. It was very dirty to start with and had been butchered with wrong parts and parts installed backward.
And I notice no stamp on top of chassis like you said.
And I notice no stamp on top of chassis like you said.
MarantzRefrb
Super Member
Yours has no date stamp above the tuner gyro, the brown PCB's with the white M's, a gold chassis, and the orange mesh lead covers - yours looks every bit original champagne-engraved to me, nice! Been looking for one.
I'll have to check mine. I'm pretty sure it is legit because the P550 Muting Control board only had about half of the perfed area filled in with components. My later 2230's have the full complement of components. I've been told that was a very early P550 board. And it works just fine. Makes you wonder why they needed more components.
View attachment 2148549
yes, i noticed that too that it was half populated. the internal chassis also is gold-ish color. and no date stamp on the top of the tuner gyro. might be one of the earliest build.
Anyone have any tips or suggestions for restoring the black ink or re-drawing them with ink inside the engraving?