Select o matic motor question

Q&A about all types of jukeboxes: Wurlitzer, Seeburg, Rock-Ola, AMI, and more.



Topic author
Steve_B
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Location: Paramus, New Jersey, USA

Select o matic motor question

by Steve_B » Tue Feb 23, 2016 4:29 pm

Can you tell me what effect, if any, each of these motors has on the play speed of a 45 rpm record.
These are original motors with the respective specifications, in the following jukes:
Seeburg 'R' has a Westinghouse motor, 0.2 amps, 1725 rpm.
Seeburg 'J' has a Bodine motor, 0.38 amp, 1600 rpm.

Since the rpm' s are different wouldn't there be an effect on play speed?
Are the motors interchangeable between select o matic 100 jukes?
Which is the "better" motor for reliability and performance?

Thanks, Steve.


Rob-NYC
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Location: Manhattan, NYC USA

Re: Select o matic motor question

by Rob-NYC » Tue Feb 23, 2016 5:09 pm

As far as I know all the 4 wire motors in the 45rpm machines are interchangeable. And, yes, the speed difference is noticeable.
A year ago I replaced a Westinghouse with a broken wire in one of my VLs. All I had were Nidec and those are 1400 rpm. It is a lot slower, but actually closer to accurate.

In general, the Bodine motors are considered most reliable. Ampex used them in their professional portable and home grade reel tape machines. When I worked at a company repairing studio recording equipment I did replace several Bodine motors and have an Ampex 7" here with a bad motor.

The best advice is to keep any motor properly and liberally lubricated.

Rob
"If we believe absurdities, we shall commit atrocities" -- Voltaire


Ron Rich
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Re: Select o matic motor question

by Ron Rich » Tue Feb 23, 2016 5:20 pm

Guyz,
Many moons ago, I "strobed", a "flock" of at least 25 motors, of all brands and supposed different speeds ( according to the name tags), using the same mechanism--ALL, ran at 45 rpm, if, when, warmed up, AND, "Properly lubricated"-- ??? Ron Rich


Rob-NYC
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Location: Manhattan, NYC USA

Re: Select o matic motor question

by Rob-NYC » Tue Feb 23, 2016 6:12 pm

I don't know how to explain that but, reality is that Seeburg using a Bodine does run noticeably fast. The 1400 rpm Nidec is reasonably accurate though seems slow. Anyone with a sense of pitch notices it and a comparison with a turntable running flat reveals it too.

I have a steel strobe disk here (somewhere) and it always showed the Seeburgs, Wurlitzer and, especially Rowe machines running approx 1&2% pitched-up. It isn't really a problem because most radio stations pitched-up and people were used to hearing it that way. All that stopped for a while in the 1980's but then adjustable professional CD players and automation systems allowed the practice to resume.....

Rob
"If we believe absurdities, we shall commit atrocities" -- Voltaire


Topic author
Steve_B
Regular Member
Posts: 46
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2016 7:23 pm
Location: Paramus, New Jersey, USA

Re: Select o matic motor question

by Steve_B » Tue Feb 23, 2016 11:31 pm

Any idea what motor rpm was used as a Seeburg jukebox "standard" in order to achieve 45 rpm at the record?

The speed difference between a Nidec at 1400 rpm and a Westinghouse at 1725 rpm seems significant (25% speed difference). For Seeburg the Bodine at 1600 compared to the Westinghouse at 1725 has about a 9% difference which could be about +/- 4 rpm at the record (depending on the standard). I think most people would hear a pitch difference.
Thanks for the discussion. Steve.

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