Neat little Magnavox record player

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

Help Support :

J

jasonl

New member
Joined
Jan 19, 2024
Messages
0
Location
Cookeville, TN
Here's one of the goodies I got from Lightedcontrols today. A 1969(I guess) Magnavox portable.

Awesome sound for a portable. Not a whole lot of bass but very clear midrange and highs. WOW for having a ceramic cartridge.

I also listened to an RCA Studiomatic changer. That's sounded pretty nice as well.

Now....

Out of all those old 50s and 60s record players, Mark and I got most of them to work.

Here's my observation...

We were able to get some of those old turntables to spin and play without much effort. The Collaro changers worked better than the old VMs. Even a really old 50s Collaro Conquest ran pretty good with a little help.

The one 70s BSR that was there... seized up.

Only goes to show.

Well, Mark shot all the controls on the Lil' Maggie with contact cleaner and now it sounds fine. The turntable needs a needle and the auto trip at the end of record doesn't work, but it selects, drops, and plays fine when I turn the knob.

YAY and YAY again for the Magnificent Magnavox.

 
my machine needs a new filter cap, lubrication, and maybe a new drivewheel. oh yeah, i did restored 2 rca victor 45 players,but right now i'm currently recapping 2 rca victor radio with phono jacks on the back. once i get 'em finished up, i'll make a youtube vid of them.

2-10-2008-08-49-51--fonografmaniac.jpg
 
don't let me forget!

here are the radio that they are going to be pair with on my record vids if the camera picks up the same sound as the machines. here my 1950 rca victor bullhorn am tube radio

2-10-2008-09-53-1--fonografmaniac.jpg
 
Great find Jason! The changer you have there was called the "Automatic" and was the low cost changer that Magnavox offered in the late 1960's. The high end changer that Magnavox offered was the "Micromatic" (of course)

If you cannot repair the Micromatic in your console, and/or the Automatic in your portable, you can pull them and send them up to me. I will service them and ship them back to you for only the return shipping costs.
 
you what i discovered about maggies in the 50's throught the mid 60's is that on some of the low cost equipment mostly portables don't know about floor models, but anyway a vm changer was used.
 
Hey Rick,

The "Automatic" plays fine but it will not trip at the end of the record. I've never seen one like before.

The "micromatic" in the console needs new or rebuilt idlers.

I should be able to tackle it but if I can't, I'll let u know.
 
hey fonografmaniac

I've got a rca victor 45 that's having some issues, I know it needs re-caping, but the table itself is running rough... I got it free when a neighbor was cleaning out their garage. What do you think might be the problem?

2-10-2008-20-17-16--classiccaprice.jpg
 
here we go! I am going to pick up a '53 Zenith tv/radio/phono in a few months (Thanks a million A!) I also have a modern crosley, a fisher price model (I need to find it in the attic), and another classroom one (that I actually use in my classroom at school) that I don't have pictured.

First off an early Magnovox Stereo Portable (Magnovox started the stereo portable in 1958, I don't know the year of mine). Made in England I bought it from a junk shop. It supposedly owned to a local college professor who broght it over from England, when he moved in the 60's.

P.S. Excuse the sandles!

2-10-2008-20-30-59--classiccaprice.jpg
 
My 1980 Panasonic. This baby needs a new cartridge (someone took the old one, but the radio sounds great)... It cost me $1.50 at the local thrift shop.

The previously posted Magnavox works perfectly.

2-10-2008-20-34-13--classiccaprice.jpg
 
My ~1990 Califone, $1 from a Church that was renovating it's sunday school rooms. I also bought some really cool vintage teaching supplies, which I may show at a later date. Somewhere between the turntable and the motor it is loosing speed. I haven't had time to work on this baby yet.

2-10-2008-20-36-52--classiccaprice.jpg
 
the early 50's Music Master turntable. Haven't found a lot of information on this one. Finally had it working right until clumsy me slipped off the screw and went right through the paper of the speaker. Anyone know of a good place to get new ones?

2-10-2008-20-39-41--classiccaprice.jpg
 
the mid-50's Columbia with radio... Someone elses botched restoration attempt. So far the only thing I can get it to do is turn on the light behind the dial. I haven't given up!

2-10-2008-20-43-50--classiccaprice.jpg
 
oops... sorry about the double post...

Here's my grandmother's 1968 (according to her) RCA Modular Series Turntable Stereo.

This one works great too! Sorry the pic is a little blurry, I'll try to get another one later.

2-10-2008-20-48-5--classiccaprice.jpg
 
Hey Jason, sorry I hijacked your thread! Here's the last one for now, my 1946 Stromberg Carlson, which I posted several months back. If you wish for more pics of it, I've got them.

This one I saved from the side of the road. It needs to be recapped and restored, but is very salvageable. It's in my grandma's shed at the moment, I was working on the smaller units first. I plan to get to it in the near future.

2-10-2008-20-51-50--classiccaprice.jpg
 
classiccaprice

about your 45 player, you're going have to dissassemble it, degrease it, clean it, change all rubber parts, and regrease it. also oil the motor bearings and clean the shaft too. itz for me to explain exactly what to do, but thatz what needs to be done for it to work properly.
 
oops!

meant to say "itz HARD for me to explain exactly what to do, but thatz what needs to be done for it to work properly."
 
With time the old oils and grease used in turntables dry out and can cause the unit to seize up. The all needs to be cleaned up (old stuff removed) and new lubricants applied. Here are a few tips:

I find that Synthetic Motor oil (10W-30W) works wonders on turntable motors and it won't gum up over the years like the regular stuff does.

White Lithium Grease works well on movable changer parts.

Isopropyl Alcohol and a Q-tip is great for removing the old gunk.

Most all of the turntables pictured above will use idler wheel drive. You can remove the platter and clean out the inside rim of the platter with the Isopropyl Alcohol and go over the idler wheel with it. That sometimes will eliminate slippage. You can also very lightly go over the idler wheel rubber surface with an emery board. That sometimes helps.
If it doesn't, you may need to have your idler wheel replaced.
That is often not an option due to the age of your record player. So you can remove the idler wheel and send it off to a rerubbering company and have it refurbished.
I have used "Terry's Rubber Rollers" for this before. For about $35.00 he'll rerubber your idler wheel back to the original spec. Perfect job every time!
 
Thanks for the advice guys, I do appreciate it. I don't know about RCA and GE though, interesting thought.

Here's a couple of questions:
1) Any ideas for cosmetic restoration on the Columbia and RCA Victor? They both look a little rough.
2) Anyone know anything about the Music Master? I couldn't find any info online about it.
 
Since both look like they have leather covers on wooden boxes, they reminded me of vintage Samsonite suitcases. I would check with a luggage repair facility to see if they could recover/repair them for you.
 

Similar threads

rp2813
Admiral Playmate Record Player
Replies
14
Views
110
rp2813
rp2813
C
DD CD players...
Replies
19
Views
20
cfz2882
C
58limited
Magnovox automatic record console - Free to good home
Replies
27
Views
28
58limited
58limited
C
Looking for a unique BSR turntable
Replies
11
Views
87
63getelevision
6
sudsmaster
Wind-up Victrolas
2
Replies
30
Views
108
sudsmaster
sudsmaster

Latest posts

Back
Top