Austin Improv

DollarBill wrote:Where did you order your parts from, Bob? Looks like fun!

I'd ordered them as a set from a place called Jukebox Friday Night since they'll sell all the correct capacitors together as a set to rebuild an amp or control center for a specific unit. They also include the schematic for it, which I realized I'd need since the schematic I'd found on the internet was for a slightly different model.*

In the future -- if I get used to this -- I may order each of the parts myself from a place like Just Radios as it may be a little cheaper, but I'd have to do a little more work to make sure I'm buying the correct replacements. JFN charged $30 for about 18-20 caps plus the schematic which was fine with me for this first time around. There are other places on the net to find new replacement jukebox parts, used parts, or buy already rebuilt jukebox components.



*I've only read about Seeburgs so far, but they made all different models of amplifier, control center, speed unit, tormat unit, pricing unit, etc. and used them in various models of jukeboxes. For instance, my Electra uses a SCC3 control center, a 45TASU2 speed control, a TSA3 amp... You have to make sure you're referring to the right set of schematics or I could be wiring something slightly wrong. The schematics I'd found earlier were for Electra's sister model, the Fleetwood, which used the SCC4 and the TSA4

When you finish this, might I interest you in my mother's 1949 RCA Victor "home entertainment center" (Model 9TW333)? I have the user's manual and schematics. It contains 33 vacuum tubes, a 6-3/8" x 8-1/2" Kinescope 12-channel television, an AM-FM radio tuner and two automatic record changer phonographs (7"/45 RPM and 10-12"/78 RPM).

Wow, that thing is a BEAST!!! Does it function at all at this point?

I think that's probably a bit beyond my abilities (ie. television repair), but the 45 changer I spy in the top right is pretty cool. Those things were sold separately as well (in a zillion different models and versions between '49 and the late 50s) and can often be restored due to their relatively simple set-up. The cartridge is usually shot after all these years and ends up being the most expensive part of the repair (~$80). Although limited in that they only play the large-hole 45s, those things are super-cool. You can stack 8-10 singles on top and it automatically drops the next one and starts playing it when it finishes the previous one.

mcnichol wrote:Wow, that thing is a BEAST!!! Does it function at all at this point?

I dunno. I'm almost afraid to plug it in. The golden mahogany cabinet is 40-1/2"W x 22-1/2"D x 40"H, and according to the manual, it weighs 242 lbs. I'm hoping to find a collector who would enjoy having it.

I also have it's baby cousin (the "phonola"), which does still work. And the collection of 45's (mostly from the 50s) are pretty cool, too.

Wow Kathy that Phonola is seriously gorgeous. I love the tweed front.