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poodling around wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 8:45 am 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.

poodling around wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 11:16 am 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’.

emgcr wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 11:53 am

poodling around wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 8:45 am 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.

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.

jamiegramo wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 12:00 pm

poodling around wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 11:16 am 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

jamiegramo wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 12:04 pm

emgcr wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 11:53 am

poodling around wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 8:45 am 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

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?

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.