Rowe CD Bubbler Identification

Hi

Looked at a Rowe bubbler(Bobbler ). Could not find any ID plate on this unit, appears the back door was replaced.

Can anyone identify which model this unit is: http://quadcities.craigslist.org/atq/5042512092.html

Thanks in advance and if you have any usedful information on this model please share whatever knowledge youu have pro and con!

Best
Darrell

That juke has the small front door...

It is most likely a 1988 - 1992 antique apparatus 1015 with Rowe Ami internals (amp, central computer and cd mechanism).

In 1992 Antique apparatus bought Rockola and started putting Rockola internals into their jukes.... 1992 was also the time that Antique apparatus went with a slightly larger cabinet design with a larger front door having the lock situated on the side of the cabinet instead of the front of the cabinet.

I recently learned that at this time Rowe Ami worked a deal out with Antique Apparatus and bought their newer style cabinets with the lock on the side. Rowe put their internals in these AA cabinets and marketed them as Rowe Ami bubblers minus the antique Apparatus I'd plate.

Darrell,
Yep--it is the early cabinet ("small door")--he says it's "like new"--looks as if he still has the CDM-3 player in it, and the old style "iron CD basket"(?)--and you might axk him which "version" chips are installed. Also need to know if the CCC is mounted to the wall, or in a shroud, mounted to the mechanism ?
Ron Rich

Ron

The guy that has this does not know anything about it. He received this for a loan and the loan has not been repaid so he is attempting to sell it. It is located 40 miles away. I do not think he could tell me what version chips are installed and what is downside to having the old chips and are the newer version still available?

How does one determine if it is the old "iron cd basket" and if it is what would be the problem with that or solution to that problem?

Going from my not too long memory, the CCC was mounted to the wall.

Without knowing the Model, how would one obtain a manual? I have manuals for the Rowe Laser Star 100C, but I would think there is a separate manual for the bubbler, especially for parts.

Sorry for all the questions, just totally unfamilar with the Rowe Bubbler.

Best
Darrell

Hi Darrell,
As for cabinet parts--they mostly no longer exist, except for what the local Rowe distrib. has in stock.
Electronic parts are the "same" as the ones in the C--
Wire rack on the player, is prone to ruining CD's--but spare mechs are available all over--
I can update the CCC to the last version--no problem ! And I have some of the "new style" power supply boards required to do that--
If you "tip" that phono, when picking it up--be 150% SURE the amp is still SCREWED to the wall, as it's heavy, and WILL smash against one or more bubble tubes, if it comes lose--(don't axk--just believe I know !) Ron Rich

One more thing that I just noticed... All the numeric keys are black and the popular and reset keys are white. Antique Apparatus machines were produced with all black keys and Rowe Ami machines were produced with all white keys. The words popular and reset on the black keys always wore off.... The black keys and the white keys are both the same with the exception of the color. The black keys can be hard to find and this machine had those 2 keys updated with the currently available white keys indicating to me May have been somewhat service recently.... Let's hope that the CCC was flashed and the CD player was updated at this time. The CCC version can be read by looking at the CCC EPROM that's visible in a little rectangle cutout of the cover without having to take the cover off. Ask him to look at the CD player and see if it has the word pro on it as well.

The newer wire basket has 4 cd's between each finger.... I don't remember if the old basket had more or less fingers but they were known as Ron already said to damage cd's.

I personally have never seen a bubbler manual for any of the machines of this error. I have always used the cd100 manual, I have seen bubbler supplements that accompanied the laser star cd 100 manual.

Aside from the door lock, cash box door, thumbwheel and title pages, keyboards and analog displays, front glass, and keyboard illumination diffuser, most of the other cabinet trim pieces including bubble tubes and chrome pieces should be the same as current models.

Ron

Thank you for the advice. If I elect to get that unit I will get in touch with you.

Best
Darrell

Jeff, Darrell,
Cabinet parts are NOT interchangeable, for the most part--they totally "re-did" that cabinet, when they went to the large door version ! Parts LOOK like they will fit, but, sadly, usually won't-- Ron Rich

Ron, when I wrote that comment I was standing in front of both of those machines.... Side by side....

Hi Jeff,
Well, whut kin I sayed ?? I have had the mis-fortune of needing cabinet parts for that model, and not being able to find them--anywhere !
even "worser-er"-- I know a lady with the earliest cabinet of that type (no pilasters--small B tubes in the door) that just needs a new tube--NA !!
Ron Rich

Hi Ron, I can't speak about those really early cabinets that had no pilasters because many of them were one-offs, no 2 were ever alike. But the 1015 reproductions like this one is a different story. I have personally interchanged many of the bubble tubes, chrome pieces etc.... From the old to new and vice versa... From parts machines as well from what Jorge at rockola had available.... I'm pretty sure I used Omt bubble tubes in a rockola or vice versa once or twice as well. The make a selection chrome piece and the coin slot I have I interchanged as well as the lower and upper grills... I did try and fit the new larger door gazelle shoulders and top piece onto a smaller door gazelle and they definitely DID NOT fit like you said.... If you were closer, I would buy up all your bubblers needing cabinet parts... I have been lucky enough to be moving more cd bubblers than anything else lately.

Hi Jeff,
The only "Blubber part" I have here is one half of a OMT (plastic) chrome piece that fits up top of (some of) the WurliTzer GMBH models--Would not fit into the one that I had, so, I repaired the original one---
I try real hard not to do any "cosmetic work", as I am not allowed to use a hammer, nor a saw, nor nails, or glue-------
Ron Rich

I know the feeling Ron,
lately they have been hiding all my sharp tools on me too.

Ron, if you need the plastic Omt upper left side of the "W" (your left when facing the machine) I have it.... Private message me your address... It's Free for you, just a little something for all the help you provided me over the years