Clay, The Victrola VI is a good basic machine and an excellent one to learn from. If you have minimal mechanical skills ( I fit into that category ) you can do everything yourself. The Exhibition reproducer is easy to rebuild. Probably all you need is a little gasket material to replace the old ones on each side of the clear diaphragm. I use Kotton Klenser to clean my cabinets but others use a pumice free hand cleaner called GoJo with equal results. If your machine was on my workbench, here's what I would do:
1-Let the motor run down.
2-Pop off the turntable. (It should lift straight up)
3-Clean the nickel edge of the turntable with a little 0000 steel wool.
4-Remove the brake, speed control, crank escutcheon, crank and probably the black bracket in the back that the tone arm attaches to. If you remove the tone arm from the bracket, be aware that there may be some little ball bearing to keep track of. Clean and polish all of the previous parts with the fine steel wool.
5-Clean the wood cabinet with the Kotton Klenser or Gojo and apply with 0000 steel wool. Start with the back panel to get the feel and be gentle. Clean one side at a time, wipe it off completely, and go to the next. Kotton Klenser will soften the finish a little but it goes back to normal is a day or two. You'll like either product and you should see dramatic results if your cabinet is dirty.
6-Lift the lid and oil the governor assembly with some good quality light weight oil. Oil each end of the governor and oil the little pads that rub against the brass wheel.
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Exhibition Reproducer:
1-Remove the three screw on the back side of the reproducer. (To me this is the only difficult part of the job. When I get them out, I'm home free!)
2-Break the two pieces of the reproducer apart. You'll gain access to the inside gasket. It's probably hard and brittle so take it out and throw it away.
3-The tension springs are two little pieces near where the needle goes into the needle bar. If they are broken, they will need to be replaced. ***Question for anyone reading this... if one is broken, do you replace both?*** I only replace the broken ones but I'd love to know others opinions and I'm will to change my ways! The tension springs are cheap. You can remove the needle bar by backing out the tension spring screws and removing the tiny screw under the wax in the middle of the diaphragm. I'd suggest working on your reproducer over a white towel to keep track of the little parts.
4-Cut the gasket tubing so that the ends are a tight fit where the the tubing wraps around and the ends touch. Also, have the ends touch 180 degrees apart. (you can have the inside gasket meet at the needle end and the outside gasket ends meet at the opposite end (top) of the reproducer but the important part is 180 degrees apart)
5-Reassemble your reproducer and for that quality job, replace the tab of wax on the diaphragm screw.
6-Often the rear flange should be changed. Two screws secure it and it's easy to replace.
Your Exhibition should sounds tons better and it's taken longer to type these suggestions than to actually rebuild the reproducer.
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You have a great little machine and you will not hurt it at all. You will enjoy your Victrola a bit more knowing that you brought it back to life. If you'll send me a PM or email
[email protected] , I'll send you a couple of places where you can get the parts you need. The cost for reproducer parts is minimal. Many on this forum replace their own main springs. I have done a few and don't enjoy that part of the hobby. If you need someone to do that job, I'm happy to make suggestions. Happy collecting, Jerry Blais