Q's regarding Rowe/AMI R-89

Hello,

I apologize if I am not posting this correctly I am new. My mom is looking at a Rowe/ AMI R-89. The guy told her it was only made in silver and gold. I am assuming he is referring to the Sapphire 89. He also claims it is a 1960's edition which from what I found is bogus but please correct me if I am wrong. Question is what are these worth? It plays records as if it was brand new and she says the body of the jukebox is in good to excellent condition. I have not seen it but given that it is in excellent working condition what would a quote be for buying a Rowe/AMI R-89 Sapphire ? I have a seriel number but I noticed nothing happens when I look that up. Any help would be great. I just don't want her getting ripped off by this person selling it to her. Thanks!

Hi,
Other then you have failed to list your country, in your profile, as required, and it would be nice if you signed your post so you could be addressed by name--you done good
I would not recommend purchasing a Rowe R-89 under any circumstances--that model had a "fatal flaw" in that the keyboard fails, and is no longer replaceable ! For that reason, IMHO, there is zero value, for that phono. Ron Rich

Thank You for the quick response. It turns out it was actually the Rowe/ AMI R-89 Gold. Regardless I will relay the message to mom. I greatly appreciate your reply. By the way my name is Meg

Ron,

Now you got me curious, what's the fatal flaw? It it a membrane switch or something like that? I'm niy familiar with this model.

Mark.

Hi Mark,
Yep a broken membrane---
Ron Rich

There was an afterfit keyboard kit to replace the membrane keyboard, we used to stock them but we sold our stock a few years ago.

The problem with the membrane keyboard was that sticky drinks would get spilt on the keyboard and over time this corroded the thin tracks on the membrane, it was not helped by these keyboards being laid almost flat on the jukebox.
Regards
Alan

Another issue was the 10 channel lamp controller. It was only used on this model and they are rare to find if the board can't be repaired.

Alan Hood
ami-man
UK

Hi Alan,
I thought that I had seen a R-89, with a "standard" keyboard--but then I thought that maybe i was imagining it --??
Strange, I know that they changed keyboards late in the CD run to a "capacitance sensor" type--which failed miserably, and was retro-fitted with the "standard type"--seems they never learn ?? ( Actually what happens is, the management (and/or, "bean counters") changes, and they fire their "old design engineer" and hire a "new", less expensive, engineer, who has no knowledge other then what he was taught at school.) Ron Rich

Regarding the R89 lights, I remember thinking that Rowe should have had a three color display so that it could have been set to operate as a level meter.

If the original module is irreparable I would convert one of these circuits:
http://www.electronicecircuits.com/elec ... -indicator

Obviously it would be necessary to replace the leds in the existing design with transistors to drive the larger loads in the juke.

We used to build modules like this for custom P.A. system's remote level indicators. It was a pain involving drilling and etching a board. These packages make it so much easier.

Rob

Rob

Hi Ron,

Too true re the bean counters.

If memory serves me correctly these like the membrane keyboard were quite large and I think they were slightly an etched gold plate but used the standard black key switches The ones you could take apart to clean the contacts.

Regards
Alan

Alan Hood
ami-man
UK

Ron, the main reason for the various keypads was the problem of contact bounce.

This occurs less in a juke that gets a lot of use vs wallboxes. In those installations there are often boxes that sit idle and when used you get "111" or "222' -and I'll see an "out of order" when i get there. The later design buttons were better =but the problem eventually returns and I have to remove the board and soak it in contact cleaner.

Seeburg's DEC with it's over-center switch and "one-shot" ckt was a bit primitive, but way less of a problem.

Rob

Hi Rob,
Yep--"Keyboard switch bounce", was an awful problem on the first Seeburg MicroLog phono's and wall boxes ! We re-designed the "main trigger switch" and some of the de-bounce circuitry in the DTP, to accomplish a 99.9 % reduction in that problem. Over a few years time, we began getting "complaints" of either "wrong selections", or many "reset/re-select" requests. This was pinned down to dirty number contacts in the DEC, and a "prevention/repair system" was developed. This procedure, if followed, seems to last 10-15 years in any type of service, before being required again. I detail this factory procedure in my "MicroLog trouble shooting guide". Ron Rich

I remember at one time Happ Controls and Betson sold a ton of the original membrane replacement keypads years ago. We had about a dozen of the R-89 jukes on location and I remember replacing those keypads several times.