The Amazing Record Changer By Stromberg Carlson Model 14

[startgroove]

In a recent trip up to Portland, we acquired this machine with the help of Bryce & Kathleen. This radio/phonograph was born in 1930, making it among the earliest of record changing machines. It seems mechanically simpler compared to the same era Victor changer, but getting it running properly was no easy matter.

Once back home, and getting the record changer out and onto the bench, I discovered that someone had tried to work on it recently with no luck. After many days of adjusting, making a few small parts and freeing up a frozen motor and other stuck parts, I was able to get it operating smoothly. I’ve got to say, this was the toughest record changer I’ve ever worked on, a nightmare of problems, many of them caused by a previous repair person lack of understanding (and mine as well) of how this thing is supposed to cycle.

Anyway, after successfully getting the changer working, I then hauled the radio chassis into my shop (and not an easy thing to handle, since the chassis is huge and weighs about 80 lbs). The chassis is well built, and has a 5 gang tuner. There are 10 tubes, the two audios being 45, and there are two 80's in the power supply. I took the bottom cover off and discovered that someone had done a very good job of replacing some capacitors and resistors. All those new parts were soldered well and neatly dressed and tucked in.

After tweaking the radio, I installed the chassis and speaker back into the cabinet, made all the connections and gave it the initial tests for operability. All systems now seem to work fine.

What got us enthusiastic about this set is the way it changes records. On the left side of the compartment, up to 14 records can be stacked. To start out, there must be one record on the turntable. After play through, the needle reaches the reject groove, and an arm on the left side swings back a little in order to engage the center hole of the record at the top of the left stack. The arm then swings anti-clockwise and slides the engaged record across the bakelite guides until it reaches the spot above the turntable. Once the center hole of the record is aligned with the turntable spindle, the record drops into place. During the last part of the swing and just before the record drops onto the spindle, the record engages a post on the pick-up and pushes the pick-up into the start position, where it touches down on the start groove a moment later. When the last record has played, the left arm swings through its range one last time (without a record) and as it passes over the center of its swing, it engages a switch which shuts the turntable power down. That arm then returns to its rest position at the beginning of the cycle and stops the cycle.

You can view a short video of the change cycle here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqe2JD1xUF0

Below are a few pictures. The first picture is with both doors and lid closed. The second picture shows the radio panel with front doors opened. The third picture shows the record changer.

[fran604g]

Wonderful! That's deceptively (I'll bet) simple in its operation. The unit looks to be in amazing condition, too. I'll bet it would be impossible to replace those bakelite guides.

My Dad worked at Stromberg-Carlson, here in Rochester, NY during the late 50's to early 60's (S-C had been earlier acquired by General Dynamics), eventually going to work for GD designing military communications systems for the F14 fighter jet (and submarines, too), until being permanently laid-off when the company left for the west coast...sadly.

I still have a pair of S-C "Red Cone" speakers that he and I used with a couple of different stereo systems we built in the 60's and 70's.

Beautiful work, Russie and Lori!

Best,
Fran

[phonogfp]

Very cool! 1930 is way past my "sweet spot," but those changers of the period are fascinating. I hadn't seen a Stromberg Carlson in action before. Thanks for posting it!

George P.

[melvind]

What a beautiful machine and I am so impressed by your work. But then, having seen your collection, I know you have the skills to bring nearly anything back to life. Wonderful! I can't wait to see it in in action in person.

Dan

[gramophone-georg]

Very cool. Does it do 12" records as well?

[gemering]

Russie,

Great work on a fantastic addition to your great collection.
I love that machine.

Gene

[barnettrp21122]

Russie:
This is wonderful! I love how the left arm kind of "sneaks" the next record up onto the turntable!
With that post on the pickup I would expect that you can play 12" records, and probably intermix them with 10" ones.
You're the perfect one to own such a gem! Thanks for posting this!
Bob

[FloridaClay]

An interesting, and beautiful, machine. Thanks for posting.

Clay

[Curt A]

That is a cool changer... normally I wouldn't look at a radio phono combination, but this mechanism is interesting...

[startgroove]

Thanks for the input, you guys. Some additional information: It does play 12" records and they can be played intermixed with 10" records. The selling price in December 1930 was $645 without tubes. The radio featured Automatic Volume Control and a tuning strength meter.