Seeburg Blackhead Cartridge Questions

I have recently had to acquire a blackhead for my 201 since they don't make the needles for the redhead anymore. Gosh I hope somebody does soon! The blackhead was rebuilt and had the .7mil needles.

First issue I immediately noticed is that the gain on the cartridge is much higher than the redhead in my particular box. It makes all the music sound garbled and like it has blown speakers. Is there a resistor that can be put in line somehow or a different transistor in the preamp circuit? It is certainly not as high end as my redhead was. Lots of bass but not a lot of treble. Kinda muddy sounding. Can you use a different output tube with a lower plate value like a 6V6 instead of 6L6?

The other is the tracking and I know this a common issue with a blackhead. Maybe others have found a solution. More modern records skip especially toward the end of the record. I have tried balancing the tone arm to where it pulls more toward the flywheel. I have tried increasing the tone arm pressure which I don't like to do for record wear.

Suggestions?

It's a real shame that the redhead needles aren't been made because it's just not pleasant to listen to this box and up until this year it was heavily, heavily used in the summer by the kids. If you don't use 50's records with the wider groove width it just doesn't play right and they love all that 80's stuff which just won't track. Especially styrene records of the 80's.

Seywhut,
Who sazees that ? New (good !), stereo compatible stylii are being made, and are available for the red-head !
Check the suppliers listed above--
Please, go to your "profile", and add your city ( or largest one near you) and state.
Ron Rich

I also could not find any new production T style Red head needles. All the sources I've found have been discontinued.

Ive even been asking around the net for someone who can fit new diamond neele components on my existing mounts. (No luck thus far)

I have asked the leading jukebox parts houses in the country and all of them have told me you are just out of luck for the redhead needles. People are buying them at $300 if a pair pops up on Ebay. From what I understand, the mold was used to manufacture them broke and Pfansteihl just didn't want to make another one. Any sights that say they have replacement needles they either are out or have some so high priced it's ridiculous.

Mike Fulper was the one that recommended the blackhead. It's got great bass response but not a lot of treble and toward the end of the record it skips on records past the early 60's. It doesn't have any vertical clearance in the needle set.

SteveFury wrote:I also could not find any new production T style Red head needles. All the sources I've found have been discontinued.

Ive even been asking around the net for someone who can fit new diamond neele components on my existing mounts. (No luck thus far)

No. They don't make the T-needles anymore either. You have to get a more modern cartridge and new tone arm and install it. I'm going through that too.

Guy's,
You are not reading whut I rit- -NEW production "stereo compatible", ARE available !!!!! See my post above. Ron Rich

http://www.jukebox-world.de/en/Needles/ ... 7-mil.html

_Be prepared for some sticker shock, the price is for a single stylus. A pair will run almost $90US + shipping.

Back in the mid-eighties when Pickering still made the mono spikes, I paid about $9/pair (wholesale).

If they are using good quality whole diamonds, for home use you may never have to replace them and they are likely to be superior to the ceramic retrofits.

Personal opinion: If you don't want to go to the trouble of obtaining a later arm/pickup then cutting the counterweights to balance it, this is probably OK. But I still recommend going to the later setup for sound quality, record care and longterm stylus availability.

Rob/NYC

Oh wow! Thanks Ron and Rob! I had no clue they were manufacturing them again. Have you tried them? I bought a really nice set about 5 years ago when I restored the 201 and they are the ones with the longer shank. Great sound! Very loud. Terrific fidelity.

I bought another set with a shorter shank and it's like what all the US seller have now and describe. 1/2 volume and really dull sound. Was just wondering if anybody has had experience with these newer ones. $90 for a pair? I won't complain. I have spent HUNDREDS on a couple of cartridges trying to find something that will work. That makes me very very happy that they are marketing a replacement now.

Do they make the "T" needles as well? I'm gonna poke around that sight and see what all they have. That really made my day. I was so sad for the whole jukebox community because not making the needles wipes out most of the 1950's models and they basically because an expensive night light.

Ron - You asked who says they don't make needles for redheads? EVERYBODY!

West Tech
Victory Glass
Vern Tisdale's son
Ohio Seeburg
Ohio Jukebox Doc
John Durfee
Jukebox Junkyard

I have contacted over 20 places in the US and all just laugh and say, "Yeah right!" This is the ONLY place I have seen a lead and I sure wish I'd found you guys at the beginning of spring when I was looking for them. I bought a Thorpe and it was so high end on the treble it made my ears bleed. Unless the record was absolutely mint you couldn't bear to listen to it. The surface noise was so intense. The blackhead was a disappointment in the gain and I had just thrown my hands up and thought about just sending the redhead needles I have to be retipped. By George I'll buy 2 sets of those boogers as soon as Christmas is over! LOL

I have a "brand new" set--yes, IMHO, they are very good to excellent--tested them against a 345-03D ( with Green needles installed), used four Redhead carts--different resistance readings from 1500 to 2100( which no one could detect)--very difficult to tell the difference--5 people "listened" --3 agreed that there was some "mid-range" loss--but not enough to mater--
I don't know who is going to sell these yet, but check around--I am not, as I can't really "make a profit", at this price range---Ron Rich