Phonoland

Ohiogal, if you are going for a console from the 1960's I suggest a Fisher. Most sets made prior to 1964 will have tubes in their amplifiers. Aside from the fact that thorough restoration is essential, the reality is that only Fisher used truly "Hi-Fi" components in their consoles. These used magnetic pickups in decent Garrard changers and the speakers were in proper enclosures (not open back as was typical) and of comparable quality to their smaller bookshelf line.

Back then, in my early childhood, if one insisted on a console with true hi-fi and stereo the choices were Fisher for a mass product or custom built using regular components.

If a console "look" is the main consideration you might go with having modern components fitted into it. This will require a skilled cabinet maker or carpenter to adapt the unit, but the cost will likely be about the same as a total rebuild of a vintage unit with better performance and more flexibility. For instance. if the console is fitted with a home theater receiver the console could then handle all your entertainment functions with the cabinet speakers serving as front left and right with the TV wall mounted above it.

Rob/NYC

"The record size sensor is not broken. I thought it looked funny when I first saw it on one of those I repaired many years ago. Its shaft is tilted on purpose. This lets the spindle be shorter without reducing the number of records it can hold."

Good grief, I totally missed that!! I need to wear my glasses more often now. My bad. Your chances of finding what you want are very good. Keep looking. I might suggest an RCA from the '60s such as model SHF 7or a Magnavox. The SHF 7 is small like the Delmonico but the tone is much better.

Talk about expensive, back in 1966 with Magnavox...



Optional reel-to-reel tape recorder for $249.90.

Consoles come in so many shapes and sizes, hidden in coffee tables, credenzas, end tables, secretary desks, hutches etc.




Good luck in your search and I'm sure you'll find something with a small footprint, taking up very little space. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

Hi everybody!

I just wanted to give y'all an update - I found a record player, yay! It turns out that there's a guy in the town where I live who restores vintage phonographs professionally, really seems to know what he's doing, and since I got in touch with him has been on the lookout for a unit with the specifications I gave him.

Well, last week a friend of his told him that a lady he knew had a record player for sale and, long story short, I took a look at it and bought it for $40. It's being professionally restored and I should have it by the end of next month.

It's a 1957/58 Zenith Prelude, model #HF1185RD. It's mono, which is OK, and everything on it works including the FM. I'm really looking forward to enjoying this!

Thanks again for all your help, you've been aces! I'll post pictures when I have it back from restoration.

Congratulations! You are going to be very happy with that set. Much better than the Delmonico.

I took delivery on the restored unit today! Check it out in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5b5HcRSJzc&feature=youtu.be

It turned out beyond awesome! I'm thrilled!!

Success!! Congratulations!!

I restored one similar to that one a few years back, and had to cut a piece of plexiglas for replacement of the shattered dial glass.
But the customer was thrilled with it afterwards.

Yeah, I couldn't be happier with mine! I've been playing it every chance I get. Not only do records and the radio sound wonderful, the Bluetooth-streamed audio sounds fantastic too.

The only downside, unfortunately, is that I can't visit this site while I'm using the Bluetooth because there's no way to turn off the audio in those 'Urban Decay' ads that pop up, and it overlaps my Jazz.

I do have one question - the only thing I noticed about my Zenith is that the records are playing ever-so-slightly too fast. I thought it was just me, so I got out a record and noted the playing time of the track, and clocked it.

The track was listed as playing in 1:46, and the Zenith played it in 1:39. So, about seven seconds too fast.

Is this a fixable thing, or just the nature of a record player that's 60 years old? I can certainly live with it, and if it's a pain to adjust I'd hate to bother the guy who fixed this up so nicely for me. But if it's easily adjustable I can contact him. Does anyone know if this is an issue that can be easily resolved? Thanks!

It would be my "guess", that it's probably not adjustable-- but, I suggest that you contact the guy who fixed it, and ask--
Ron Rich

Ohiogal wrote:I do have one question - the only thing I noticed about my Zenith is that the records are playing ever-so-slightly too fast. I thought it was just me, so I got out a record and noted the playing time of the track, and clocked it.
The track was listed as playing in 1:46, and the Zenith played it in 1:39. So, about seven seconds too fast.

The record changer in those units are of "mass-market" design, and of less quality than an "audiophile" unit,
such as a Dual, Garrard, or Thorens turntable made for "the purists".
They were made for the masses who didn't mind or notice small inaccuracies.
That said, there is a wider range of variables involved - including speed accuracy.
Some play slower, some faster - and no way to adjust things for "personal taste".
A few "RPMs" off of "perfect speed" is the norm.