Rock-ola amplifier interchangeably

toomer7074 · by **toomer7074** » Sat Oct 26, 2013 10:17 pm

Hello all.
I have two Rock-ola 488 jukeboxes that are missing amplifiers.
the original equipment amplifiers in these are part number 52280a. My question is will a amplifier out of a Rock-ola 490 part number 54510a work in this jukebox. They look to be the same except the part number. Thanks.

by **Ron Rich** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 12:01 am

Do not go by "looks"--May be OK, may not be--only way to tell is to have the schematics of both amps, side by side--Ron Rich

toomer7074 · by **toomer7074** » Fri Nov 15, 2013 10:04 pm

Thanks for your reply Ron.
I didn't have the schematics on both amps so I asked Bill Bickers at Jukebox Friday night and he told me that both amps are nearly identical and would interchange. So on his word I bought the used amplifier on Ebay and it worked like a charm and sounds like it should. He also told me replacement parts for these 70s and 80s vintage Rockola amplifiers aren't being made anymore and he is running out of parts fast. Thanks again.

Ken Layton · by **Ken Layton** » Fri Nov 15, 2013 10:39 pm

Yeh the old Rockola amplifiers used what is called "Couplates" connected to the volume control and other parts of the circuit. Couplates are a special component which has several resistors and capacitors inside it and it's sealed so there is no way to repair it.

Here are pictures of a couplate, a schematic of a couplate, and a picture of a home made replacement couplate.