Your Restoration Project

[gramophone78]

I thought I would start a thread that would allow us to show how we have "made a silk purse from a sows ear".This item may seem a bit O/T but,it is Phonograph related.This is a 1952 "Happy Days" juke that was here on CL for 150.00.Picture #1 is how I bought it.As you can see it was "modernized" in the 60's.Pictiure #2 shows the same juke after I put it back to it's original state.So,you see.You can make a silk purse from a sows ear!!! .

[Tinkerbell]

Wow! That is beautiful.

I just finished my very first restoration project, but since it is just on my very first phonograph (IX), it would seem like I was posting a kindergartner's clay ashtray project! (I guess they probably don't make ashtrays in school anymore, do they??)

[gregbogantz]

This appears to be a Seeburg model 100B, originally made as a 7-inch 45rpm box. The Select-O-Matic mechanism was originally designed as a 78rpm mech and was used in the model 100A, further distinguished as a full-intermix design. Ten and twelve inch records could be placed at random in the magazine and the mech would play them in any order. I think that was the only juke mech with that capability. As 45s took off, Seeburg offered a conversion kit to redo the 100A mechs to play 45s. Those modified 100As are rare and pretty peculiar to see today. The Select-O-Matic mechanism remains one of the most ingenious record changers ever developed. Almost bulletproof in its robustness and one of the gentlest record handlers ever made. Cool machines.

[OrthoSean]

You beat me to it, Greg! That first picture looks like a B to me and the second looks like a C, but not like they were originally, but C's are commonly customized by restoration guys all the time now. You know I'm a Seeburg guy at heart, I have the 1958 201 in my kitchen and, until my "newest" acquisition arrives, a 1970 USC 1 bandshell in my living room. I've mechanically restored both machines and had the electronics rebuilt by "pros". I've had machines from all eras by the "big three" jukebox manufacturers and Seeburgs were by far the absolute best working and sounding jukeboxes. I love the early 70s Seeburgs for sound. They track at 2 grams and have amazing sounding high power amps. They sound even better with a set of Bose 301s hooked up to them!

I still have the 1948 Seeburg home library, a project that has stalled only because I haven't got the room to tear the mech apart and clean the clutch properly. Still have to find a set of 78 gears for it and get the cartridge and electronics redone, but that's going to be a keeper when it's done, for sure!

Sean

[gramophone78]

Well,the "Select-O-Matic" mech was designed just before the war.However,it was put on hold until 1948 and introduced in the model "A" at 78rpm.In 1950 and with the introduction of the micro groove in 1949,Seeburg introduced the first juke box made (in the world) for just the 45rpm record,the model "B" and then the "BL".In 1952 they brought out (what I think is their nicest) the model "C" which was used in the show "Happy Days" (at first) later a "W" was used.In the 60's and 70's operators found it cheaper to use a "Wico" brand conversion kit to make the juke look newer and more maintenace free (no color animation,etc...).So,what you are seeing in the first pic is the ugly conversion and the second pic is as it was in 1952.The only change I do on these that is NOT original is the finish on the wood cabinet.They came with a "mactac" wood grain finish that is ugly as sin.Some restore these using oak veener.I find it way too conserative and like a 15 coat red lacquer finish.Every other detail is exact when I do them.The next sought after 50's juke is also a Seeburg.The 1956 "VL" 200.Wurlitzer was king in the 40's thanks to the great Paul Fuller designs that we all know and love but,Seeburg was king in the 50's & 60's and no one came close to that mech.Also,here are a pair of "C's" that I did a couple of years ago.Yes,they are long sold.I just have one "C" and one "VL" left in my collection for Seeburg's.I have restored many jukes over the years and do all my own work.I love to work mainly on Seeburgs because they are so easy to do.Right now I see "A's" & "B's" selling so cheap (un-restored) like under 300.00.What is big right now is having your "A" converted to 33 ⅓ to play LP's.I have sent two to China like that.

[OrthoSean]

Certainly the VL is the coolest looking Seeburg (in my eyes, anyway). I sold a beautiful example of one several years ago to help put the down payment on my house, along with an AMI Continental 2 200 select that was ground up restored, this was in the late 90s when jukebox prices were at an all time high, although I miss the VL more, I'm happy I kept my 201, it sounds better than the VL and every single piece is original on it except the Pickering conversion cartridge. It has the nicest original chrome I've ever seen on a machine of this vintage. It was truly a "one owner" machine, only in commercial service for just over a year until late 1959. I bought it from the guy who bought it from the diner when it closed. I'll never part with it.

As far as the Wico conversions go, yeah, I've seen my share of them, but never one that made a C look like a B before. Odd.

G78, if you have any sets of conversion gears for a Seeburg 100A, let me know, they're the same ones that were used in the home library. Mine was converted to LPs way back in the early 50s.

Sean

[gramophone78]

Sean,what gear are you looking for??45rpm???.So,your 201 sounded better then your "VL".I'm going to let everyone know a little trade secert.Every one is paying big $$$ for the pickering that sold for 39.99 when they were being made.What a lot of people don't know is a lot of them are faulty and not great sounding at all.Before the Pick came out there were other replacement cartridges made.Some good and some junk.If you are able to find one of these "ABC" in good shape (or any shape) you will never have your Seeburg sound better.This "ABC" unit gives the best bass and cleanest sound (for mono) ever.Keeping in mind your sound is only as good as the record that is playing.and your amp is re-done right.

[OrthoSean]

I need 78 gears for it, I plan on putting it back on 78s like it was when new.

I'm well aware of amp rebuilds and cartridges and records. I'm more than a bit of an audio nerd. I even have amps from the 70s recapped which most people think is a waste of money, that is, until they hear the difference! The VL and 201 both had rebuilt / recapped amps done by the same guy (Bill Bickers, he's fantastic) and the Pickering 345-03D cart in them and fine original speakers. The 201 always had just a bit more punch. I'm sure sometime in the future I'll pick another one up as prices for decent originals have fallen below $3000 (I've got a good source down here that gets them all the time). I'd love to have one again, but at the time I sold it, I needed the money to buy my house

A few years ago, a friend of mine built me a little crossover for some parts I gave him that allowed me to add one of the "horn" speakers to the 201 that Seeburg used in later machines in conjunction with the bass and mids that were already there. What a nice extra boost that gave it, nice clean highs, it's always had nice boomy bass, as most Seeburgs I've heard are capable of. The nice thing about that little mod is, it's totally reversible and nothing cosmetic had to be changed to install it. Pretty cool.

Sean

[gramophone78]

Sean,I will check the gear for your unit.I may have tossed them..... .I just never had a use for them.If so,I have a friend here that may have kept some.I will let you know.I know Bill and he does great work.However,I do my own and I know all thre mods.Let me give you an example about the "ABC".When you use it,you only need to turn the bass up one click!!!!! .There is NO need for more.A lot of guys don't know of this little gem and they rarely come on the market.I have not seen more than two in 25 years and I only have one of them.I have never seen one on Ebay.The 345-03D is OK but a lot were bad from the start.BTW,Vern Tisdale is making a replacment for it now.I think they are 100.00 retail.

[OrthoSean]

I remember the ABC, the real beef I have about those is that lousy fork needle they use. Record eaters, and too bad, I have dozens of new needles for those. I know of a guy that replaces the rubber mounts in these carts with really soft material and they still aren't very gentle with regard to record wear, especially styrene 45s. The Pickerings are nice, super compliant and track down around 3.5 grams without problems. The bass I get from the Pickering replacements is more than enough. I enjoy hearing other opinions on these replacement carts, I guess everyone's mileage differs at times. The other thing I may try one of these years is take one of the later 70s tonearms from a parts mech and mount it in a 50s mono box so you can use the regular stereo Seeburg cart that went in them, it's pretty easy to do with just a couple of quick mods and goodbye record wear. I have a drawer full of those and a bunch of sets of original Seeburg yellow diamond styli for them, they're much nicer than the replacements made now. I did see Vern's replacements and it looks like something I may try at some point, but I'm betting the Shure needles are conical, they'll chew up styrene 45s in time also. I might hit a major bump with the Home Library, the blackhead in that was replaced with a Pickering that uses the same style needles the RCA 45s only machines used back in the 50s. I thought it was crystal (looks it), but it isn't apparently, as it's a branded Seeburg replacement part, but those needles aren't very compliant either. It's going to be a fun project when I can clear the room in my garage to take the mech apart and clean it. The clutch is stuck, all it does is continually reject the same disc.

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I love jukeboxes as much as I love phonographs!

Sean