Some Empire Turntable History

[MrMonster]

Replacing the lamp

BE VERY AWARE IN TURNING THE 598 UPSIDE DOWN!!!!
Hope that got your attention.
If you turn the table upside down, make sure of your tonearm position. IF the arm is in it's rest, there is a possibility of breaking off the finger lift.
When upside down, the high angle of the tonearm fingerlift will make contact with your bench top, and any weight pressing down, like removing the lamp, will press against the finger left and snap it off. There are a lot of 990 arms out there missing the finger lift.

If you need to turn your table upside down for any work, REMOVE THE TONEARM!!!

Be afraid, be very afraid!
Donald Bowman

 

[Tarl Of Gor]

FYI, Home Depot and Lowes didn't have the right bulb.

 

[d-ray657]

It is worth going though this thread just to see all of those works of art. An Empire turntable has been on my wish lost for awhile. The first nice cartridge I bought when I entered this hobby a couple of years ago was the Empire 2000. That caught my interest. This has peaked it more.

Regards,

D-Ray

 

[ekmanning5]

Thanks for the replies. I'll order a bulb on Monday. :thmbsp:

 

[Naptown Rob]

Mr.Monster - If you're still thinking of ordering those grommets, I'd take two sets...

 

[MrMonster]

A 598 model number that end in a letter

Hello lads,
I have a 598 that is stumping me as to the model. The motor label is 598 with an N suffix. It is a three speed, with a popup 45 adapter.


I am not sure if this a first generation 598 as that N suffix is throwing me off in trying to ID it.

Thanks,
Donald Bowman

 

[empirelvr]

Hello lads,
I have a 598 that is stumping me as to the model. The motor label is 598 with an N suffix. It is a three speed, with a popup 45 adapter.


I am not sure if this a first generation 598 as that N suffix is throwing me off in trying to ID it.

Thanks,
Donald Bowman

It's quite possible that you came across a 598 that was supposed to come without a base, but wound up with one anyway. (Maybe "N" = "No Base")

I did amend my post recently to draw attention to the fact that when the 598 initally went on sale, it was for the turntable *only*; the base and dust cover was a $35 option. There was no "588" as such, so the factory maybe used a "N" to signify a model ment to be shipped sans base and dust cover.

 

[MrMonster]

Empire N suffix

Empirelvr,
Thanks, I have seen a number of 598's that were installed into consoles, This might have been destined for one, but caught a base at the last minute.
Donald Bowman

 

[ekmanning5]

Empirelvr, if you're still out there. What would you use to clean your Empire 598? Can you use something like Neverdull on the platter to make it shine? Or does the gold finish that you see on many Empire tables prohibit this?

 

[empirelvr]

Empirelvr, if you're still out there. What would you use to clean your Empire 598? Can you use something like Neverdull on the platter to make it shine? Or does the gold finish that you see on many Empire tables prohibit this?

I'm still here! :tresbon:

Tough call. Depending on the quality of the plating work on the platter, a good glass cleaner should help clean off any accumulated schmutz that may be on the platter. Anything stronger runs the risk of taking off the gold coloring, though it may make the platter shine. (experience talking)

For the gold plinth, I like using glass cleaner followed by a non-silicone furniture polish/wax. I also use the polish on the wood base, naturally.

 

[MrMonster]

Cleaning your platter

Hello Lads,
Warning, Warning, Dr. Smith!!! Do not use Never Dull on any surface that is sil screened or has a thin finish. That stuff looks cuddly, but it will wipe the paint right off metal and will scratch plexiglass
Do not use anything stronger than a light glass cleaner on the center of platter with the strobe, as the strobe marks and color is only painted on.

I have one platter now with a beautiful and shiny center, as I used a too aggressive cleaner on the platter and rubbed off the strobe marks in one spot. So I had to go ahead and strip the center and polish it .

You can use simichrome or MAAS polish on the rest of the platter if it isn't a gold washed finish..
On the other hand the MAAS brand polish will polish off the dull anodized wash on the tonearm, it takes a lot of time, and elbow grease, but you get a finish that looks like this.
I found that most of the scratches and pitting you see on the 990 arm is to the anodized wash and the brass plating underneath is in good condition.

this wont work on the early arms on the 398, as the anodize on those is a foot thick and not even bead blasting gets it off.

Donald Bowman

 

[ekmanning5]

I'll try that route. The gold plating just SEEMS fragile to me. This is a classic example of wanting to learn from other's mistakes. :yes:

 

[empirelvr]

I'll try that route. The gold plating just SEEMS fragile to me. This is a classic example of wanting to learn from other's mistakes. :yes:

Make no mistake about it...the plating IS fragile, and gets more fragile the newer the unit is. Extreme TLC is the order of the day in keeping it nice looking.

 

[Tinkerbelle]

Great thread, with lots of very useful and interesting information. :thmbsp:

...People talk about a 108 turntable, but I've never been able to uncover any evidence of such a model for sale. I've checked old Lafayette, Allied, and Radio Shack catalogs, and old audio magazines from the late fifties to early sixties and can't find mention of one. Even a late 1980’s replacement turntable parts list I have from Empire makes no mention of a 108 or 100 series turntable. Now, the number A-108 or 108A is scribed on the platter and metalwork on all the 200/300 series turntables Empire manufactured. I’ve always took this to be a part number though, not any indication of a turntable model number.

It is entirely possible that there was a model 108, and if so it may have been a baseless, armless version of the 208 turntable. Since Empire did try to get into the professional broadcast market with their turntables (WQXR in NY used Empire turntables in the early 1960’s according to pictures and blurbs I’ve seen from magazines of that period,) that would have been a viable configuration to offer a radio station. Along with the longer length 98 tonearm, it would have been an ideal package for a high-fidelity conscious radio station back in 1961. But that is just my conjecture...

Interestingly, there is an Empire TT listed as an A108G up for auction on the 'bay (I have no affiliation with this). Perhaps you could take a look at that and solve that part of the puzzle.

 

[empirelvr]

Great thread, with lots of very useful and interesting information. :thmbsp:


Interestingly, there is an Empire TT listed as an A108G up for auction on the 'bay (I have no affiliation with this). Perhaps you could take a look at that and solve that part of the puzzle.

I saw that. It's really a 298 (208 turntable with a 98 arm.) People insist on calling the early 208/298's a 108 because of the scribing of that part number in the metalwork underneath the platter, plinth, and motor cover and the lack of the true model number anywhere on the unit itself.

 

[Tinkerbelle]

Great, that's good to know. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[MrMonster]

Shiny Empire

Hello Lads,
you can always go the whole way and have it pro polished.
I found these photos on a Refurb site for table.

Enjoy,

Donald Bowman

 

[empirelvr]

Hello Lads,
you can always go the whole way and have it pro polished.
I found these photos on a Refurb site for table.

Enjoy,

Donald Bowman

Not sure I like that look. Not the shiny part (I really like how reflective it is), rather how the strobe, arm, and arm rest don't match color wise with the rest of the table. It makes it look disjointed. Though that may be a last resort for someone with a plinth in really bad shape.

 

[AudioSoul]

Heres my modded 208.......

 

[Naptown Rob]

Hello again, Empire lovers. I've had the same questions in my head as Ed, and I've been wondering if it's possible to have parts re-anodized.

I have a 598II (the one you helped me with, Ed) that has some dullness & pitting on the platter edge. I recently got a 598 that looks brand new in comparison, & it's really made me want to do something about the look of the 598II. But I worry about color matching. Anybody have re-anodizing experience?
- Rob