Seeburg USC-1 Musical Bandshell

Hi

Just a few questions.

I am considering buying a Seeburg USC-1 Musical Bandshell jukebox.
It comes full of records and it is working. Cosmetically it is in good/original condition.

There are however some issues:
1) There are no keys with it
2) There is no coin box, though I have been told that it accepts nickels, dimes and quarters.

My questions are:
1) What should I be paying for this type of jukebox?
2) What should I be looking for when I go to view it?
3) How difficult and expensive will it be to replace the missing items (keys, coin box)?

Regards

Hi Keith,
Funny thing just happened as you post came up--I got a phone call from an lady who wants to give her Mothers USC-1 away--
Just pick it up in Livermore CA-
Door lock keys--no problem purchase at http://www.needles4jukeboxes.com
The same guy that runs that site, also has a used parts site--just click over, and see if he has the other parts--
See if it will "play the matrix"--100 111 122 133 144 155 166 1177 178 179--and all the same 200 sides.
Price depends on condition, condition, condition--
Ron Rich

Thanks Ron

Send me message about the Free one in CA. Condition, etc.

If it is working I will have it.

Then again, at 530 miles perhaps not.

It's like buying a 1970 used chevy impala that you don't know the history of nor do you know how to determine if it is in good shape. I can almost promise you that it will need some work done to it. Mechanical, electrical, electronics and or cosmetic. IF you are lucky it will come with the USC1 factory manuals ($40 or so to purchase and you will need the manual). If you are luckier still, this seeburg will come with used copies of Rons Mech Guide and Troubleshooting Guide which you will also need to have / read. Ron Rich can get those for you.

The condition has a lot to do with the current owner and what they did to maintain it. Same kind of questions you would ask someone selling their used car. How do they lubricate it and what oil do they use? What work has been done on it? What do they think it still needs reapired? (LOL they always say it just needs a fuse)
'
I bought my USC1 this summer for $100. Complete but not working. Works great now and has good sound. Getting ready to load it with Christmas 45s.

If the top and front are not locked and it is just for home use, then you really don't need a key. You can purchase a key from many places for $5 including e-bay.

This model seeburg is very easy to set to free play so you don't need coins or a coin box unless you just want to hear coins drop. All you do is remove a small plug in circuit board on the black box.

My question is - is the top unlocked so you can access the amp, control center, black box, etc? When I first looked at the one I bought they never had keys and didn't even know the top unlocked and opened up.

You asked what to look for. As Ron noted - playing those specific record selections correctly is important. Also, the two bigger $$ repair ticket items are replacing the capacitors (recapped) inside 1. the amplifier and 2. the control center. These lytic capacitors just "go bad" over time even if the jukebox just sits in storage. Ask if and when the amp and control center were recapped. If not recapped in the last 10 years then plan on replacing some capacitors that are probably leaking.

Cosmetically - is the front glass in good condition? How about condition of the area where the selector lights move? How is the condition of the plastic where the title strips go? Can he open it up and show you how to replace the title strips??

Lastly, I like my USC1 Musical Bandshell however I prefer my USC2 Firestar Bandshell more. The Firestar is just a better looking jukebox.

hope this helps.

PS - Do NOT move this 370 pound jukebox in a vehicle without knowing how to secure the mechanism or it will not work when you get where you are going.

Thanks Mark

Great post. Very useful info.

Can you tell me how to secure the mechanism correctly for transport?

Guy's,
Gotta dis-agree here--you DO need the keys, as the upper portion MUST be kept locked !
About a month ago, I was working on a USC-1, and the owner's little 5 year old was "helping"----
I lowered the upper section for some reason, and turned my back to pick-up a tool from the table behind me--well about the time I had turned about half way back around, the little boy let out a scream loud enough to be heard five blocks away. I noticed that the lid had started to self close, and his hand was on the edge of the lid--I caught it in time, but he did have three bloody fingers, which easily could have been cut off--
Also--the upper lids are very prone to being "sprung", if phono is moved while it is un-locked. Can you inform me as to where keys are "$5.00, or less" ?? ( key number for this model is F-291)
As for bolting the mech down for shipment, the "Installation and Operation Guide" covers the proper procedure. It requires that you have the two special "tie down" bolts, and some 1/4 inch shims. If you do not have the bolts, I strongly recommend the mechanism be removed, or at minimum,the 4 shipping nuts be run all the way to the top ("Play" position), and the phono kept in a level position at all times--
Ron Rich

Thanks Ron

I have the Service Manual but not the Installation and Operation Guide.

When I moved mine, I removed the mech first and secured it separately. It makes the box a lot easier to move and less weight. I took many digital pictures of what wire harness plugs into what as I unplugged / prepared to remove the mech out the front. Makes reassembly much smoother.

As far as kids - mine know what not to get into -that is how they are raised.

I stand corrected - someone on ebay is wanting $8 for a key plus $3.50 shipping - gouge. I just located a guy locally who had a USC and borrowed his key for an hour while I went to the local locksmith shop. They made me 2 copies for $3 each.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Seeburg-Jukebox ... 20b3831545

Keith - I am a visual learner and visual explainer. Regarding HOW TO move a USC1 it would be much easier for me to shoot a quick video right now and post it on youtube than for me to write it out. My youtube site is called seeburgbandshellusc1. I will post a link here in the near future.

Thanks Mark

I look forward to seeing it.

Just curious.

Has anyone ever come across a USC-1 with the optional dollar bill reader installed?

Keith -

The late Tony Miller created a great Seeburg Jukebox website to help others. Tony is gone but his website lives on. Here is his page on Moving Jukeboxes:

http://www.west.net/~jay/fmillera/fmill ... achine.htm

Here are two videos I just uploaded on moving my USC jukeboxes. Amateur videos at best but they should give you some help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZMjbqRDl6E

http://youtu.be/4Up2ACcEnak

To answer your other question... Yes I bought a trashed USC parts jukebox that has a dollar bill changer. From what I have learned from Ron Rich - these are problematic. Since jukes are for my home use I don't want to deal with installing the bill changer.

Thanks Mark

I was just curious about the bill changer, because all the photos I have seen on the Internet never have the bill changers in them.

Thanks for the videos and the link.

Thanks for the awesome videos Mark.