Meltrope 3c Sound-box ?

[emgcr]

I wonder if the back twists off ? - I have several different versions of this style of Meltrope 3 and none of them do.

Mazac cases with brass tonearm securing rings can be notoriously problematic and on one occasion I had to destroy everything just to save the brass ring. Even heat would not help and eventually I had to dig out the threads with a sharp implement.

[jamiegramo]

I did this to my 'daily play sound-box' (marked 'Meltrope 4') and it sounds very good indeed.

You must have quite a collection of Meltrope soundboxes if you have a ‘Meltrope 4’ as well as the ‘Sylvaphone IV’.

[jamiegramo]

I wonder if the back twists off ? - I have several different versions of this style of Meltrope 3 and none of them do.

Mazac cases with brass tonearm securing rings can be notoriously problematic and on one occasion I had to destroy everything just to save the brass ring. Even heat would not help and eventually I had to dig out the threads with a sharp implement.

Thank you, I think this confirms my poor Meltrope soundbox is likely unrestorable. What with the rusted screws to the front and the seized brass securing ring. I will look for a better example.

[emgcr]

Sadly a good plot Jamie but it still might be worth digging out the rubber and soaking the whole in penetrating oil/paraffin for a week or so ? Please don't use petrol which can "rot" metal quite quickly. Good luck.

[poodling around]

I did this to my 'daily play sound-box' (marked 'Meltrope 4') and it sounds very good indeed.

You must have quite a collection of Meltrope soundboxes if you have a ‘Meltrope 4’ as well as the ‘Sylvaphone IV’.

You like potato and I like potahto
You like tomato and I like tomahto
Potato, potahto, Tomato, tomahto.
Let's call the whole thing off

[poodling around]

I wonder if the back twists off ? - I have several different versions of this style of Meltrope 3 and none of them do.

Mazac cases with brass tonearm securing rings can be notoriously problematic and on one occasion I had to destroy everything just to save the brass ring. Even heat would not help and eventually I had to dig out the threads with a sharp implement.

Thank you, I think this confirms my poor Meltrope soundbox is likely unrestorable. What with the rusted screws to the front and the seized brass securing ring. I will look for a better example.

I still think it is restorable and the Meltrope 3's with this front plate sound much better than the others.

However, here is one:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/336430475266 ... R7rat8GPZw

[jamiegramo]

Thank you for the link, I note this soundbox also has the seized compression ring. So maybe that’s normal. I gather the Meltrope II does not have pot metal problems?

[emgcr]

Correct. Meltropes 1 and 2 have nickel-plated brass cases and brass compression rings and therefore, normally, no problems involving seizing. The rings are of different sizes---Meltrope 1 is smaller. I am afraid the compression rings on Meltrope 3s can often be seized so be careful what you buy.

[CarlosV]

Meltropes 1 and 2 have nickel-plated brass cases and brass compression rings and therefore, normally, no problems involving seizing. The rings are of different sizes---Meltrope 1 is smaller. I am afraid the compression rings on Meltrope 3s can often be seized so be careful what you buy.

On top of Graham's observation, it must be noted that these Meltrope III's have another design particularity: the metal fascia is not only decorative, but it lodges the two ball bearings that stabilize the needle stem. If the fascia, which is quite thin, deforms even at the smallest level, the soundbox will not work well and start to rattle and buzz. In my experience, I much prefer the Meltrope II than the III. The II has no pot metal - as Graham pointed out - and is repairable opposed to the III. But also in my experience, neither the Meltrope II nor the III sound reproduction comes close to that of the Expert or EMG soundboxes.

[Steve]

All this Meltrope talk has made me examine a "III" which I acquired recently with some other parts, and yes, the compression ring is completely seized on my example too!

As Carlos points out the stylus bar suspension is a cheap and nasty design, prone to failure. None of this endears the Meltrope soundbox to me. I do have a number of others, also confusingly called "III" with a different fascia. These work okay but the best one of the lot by far is the design that does not rely on the fascia to suspend the stylus bar. My fascia on this one is a bluey grey gunmetal finish. Is that a Meltrope I?

If so, what does a Meltrope II look like? A picture of each style would be handy.