so Im thinking.............your opinions please....

[sdlee]

I have an old gutted airline radio cabinet that has space for holding a record player behind a kinda a secret door in the front and a big speaker.When its closed down you cant tell theres a place for a record player.

A friend of mine who is an exccellent electronics wiz happens to have a radio that will fit exactly where the origional sat.About the hidden record player he thinks we should just set a 70s type automatic stackable record changer in there.

Im not worried about weather he can wire all that to fit and not burn the house down ...lol..he does know what hes doing there. I also dont doubt his ability to to find a record changer that will work right as far as demensions go.

My delema is this, Is it ok to put something so modern in such and old piece.Am I crossing the line somehow by going out of this piece of furntures era? Well just asking. ID love to know what you guys think.Feel free to say what you will. I have already made up my mind but Im curious to know if the majority agrees or disagrees.

 

[strongenough78]

I say keep it original. It could improve the value of it not to mention it would look much better. There's something about combining vintage with modern that doesn't set right with me.

 

[yogitunes]

I feel its a matter of form or function........my brother did one like yours from an old stereo/TV combo where the tv went bad, looked pretty decent, he sold it, and I wished I would have grabbed it, I have a cabinet I am thinking of doing the same to, right now its all original, super nice cabinet, the componets don't work at all, I tried selling it thru an antique dealer several times, no bites, so I have it back, and I would like to keep it if it is workable, so once I find a console stereo with the panels that fit, its being converted....serves form as a small buffet, and function as it will work.....

 

[112561]

How old is it? I would keep it period original myself, but since everything seems to be gone but the speaker, if the "new" components were installed well enough, you could get away with it. You have to live with it, and it would be what you would be comfortable with.

 

[petek]

Why not I say.. if you like the cabinetry and figure you'll get some use out of it with the updated components go for it.

 

[stan]

How about a picture. Love to see it?

 

[cfz2882]

since original chassis is missing,i think it would be ok to stick the later
stuff in and use it.Most turntables before around 1948 were all 78 rpm only
and i have seen a few old Hi Fi s updated with 3or 4 speed 1950s changers
BTW that 4th speed is 16rpm-never seen a 16rpm record....

 

[112561]

When 33 1/3 records came out, many manufacturers came out with replacement changers that switched out the old 78 only units, that only had to be plugged in without any modification of the original sets. You would be able to play the new LPs and the 78s. Then, when RCA Victor introduced the 45 single, you would see three speed changers. 16 rpm came out when Chrysler introduced their "Hiway Hi-Fi".

http://ookworld.com/hiwayhifi.html

 

[lordkenmore]

I've seen many old radios that have had the changer updated with a "modern" model that could handle LPs. In one case, I even saw an old console radio that had ca. 1970 changer. Based on my limited observation, it might be hard to find a radio with the original changer place!

Then, I seem to recall seeing an old ad from one changer company (whose name I can't recall) that advertised that their LP era design was engineered to allow easy modification to support future speeds. While I doubt that was ever needed, it was probably a selling point back then for some who wanted to buy something and keep it going as long as possible.

 

[franksdad]

If you have no plans to sell it as a vintage unit go ahead. Life is short. If it geels good - grunt!