Tonearm/Turntable Help

Hello! I just recently bought my first ever Magnavox console. It's an Imperial Micromatic console, serial is 1ST622A, FWAL finish, and the run number is 2.
I actually bought it from a Goodwill so I couldn't completely text it out. The radio works great, but the turntable does nothing.

I'm only 19, so this is my first ever turntable I've ever owned, and my dad won't let me touch his. I've been looking for a turntable for a really long time and finally found one, however there are alot of problems.

So, I noticed that the turntable doesn't spin at all. As well, there was no stylus or needle included and the tonearm was loose. I unscrewed the tonearm so I could look at all the parts underneath and I'm not really sure what I saw. It was a lot of unattached wires and rust. I'm really afraid that my tonearm is trash, but I'd like to fix it. As well, when I opened the entire back, I noticed a few loose bulbs floating around and the lower am wire was missing.

I've never really delved this far into anything like this before, and was hoping to jump right in and basically learn it. If worse comes to worse, am I able to replace the entire turntable or is it impossible with a model this old?

I just have so many questions! Thank you all for your time.

Well don't be "Panicstricken" -buying old stuff you gotta expect to do some work...that's part of the fun.....

Take a look at this thread: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=5044

Does your console look like this one? note also that the turntable has been replaced and from your description, it sounds like you'll need to do something similar. The original table is nothing special anyway.

See if you can find a model # on the back and then pop the back off and look for any info in there. ---Pic's would help here as well.---

Given the likely age of the unit it would be a good idea to have the receiver part "gone over" by a tech. If cash is tight and the unit works without any suspicious "hum" or scratchiness in the controls -especially the volume control, you can probably get by for now. It does sound like the T-T is toast though.

Check to be sure sound comes from both speakers.

The T-T in your set uses a ceramic pickup so if you get a better table with a magnetic you'll need to add a preamp (a small box costing about $30-50) between the table and the input on the receiver chassis. this is no big deal.

Rob/NYC

The nice thing about the Collaro turntables in Magnavox consoles is that there are very few things that go wrong with them. I have seen only the following problems:

- The lube in the motor and drive assembly parts gets hard and gummy. I cleaned and lubed those parts. You can lube any parts except those moved by the arm as it swings.

- The rubber drive wheels turned hard and unable to transmit power. I either use Caig CaiKleen RBR rubber cleaner, or replace the wheel (if it has chunks out of it). The new synthetic wheels don't go bad as often as the original rubber ones.

- The muting switch breakers on the Conquest are made of mica, and eventually crumble and break. I made new ones out of guitar picks (they have been in there since 1972).

- A kid reaching in the back of a console knocked the pickup positioning lever off the cam. The arm lost all horizontal motion, and would not track the record. I just put it back in the came groove.

- The springs on the Conquest control knobs break with age. I made new inserts out of copper that don't need springiness to hold the knob on the shaft.

The following adjustments are somewhat harder, but are not normally needed unless someone has messed with the changer or taken it apart:

- Adjusting the height of the trip finger and positioning clutch assembly (probably the hardest job on a Collaro). Only if the arm has been taken off or the clutch assembly has been loosened is this necessary.

- Adjusting the height of the pickup positioning finger. it must not drag on the cam as the record plays, but must reliable move the arm during the cycle.

- Adjusting the tracking force.

- Adjusting the pickup height.

- Adjusting the setdown position.

- Adjusting the record pusher height (for the thickness of the records) - offset spindle only.

- Adjustment of the height of the idler wheel.

One caution: Do not use white lithium grease to lubricate the shutoff switch. It is conductive, and could leak line voltage to the plinth.