Wurlitzer 2650 query

Hello. I'm going to look at a 1952 Wurlitzer 2650 next week. The pics look really good and the guy is asking $700 (not working). I've heard that these models are very complicated. Can anyone give me any inside info on them? When I go to look at it, are there specific look fors that I should be paying attention to? I've had success restoring a rockola 445, but I don't want to get in over my head. Thanks for any help you can offer. Thx. Dave, Charlottesville, Va

Dave,
First off--there is no such ani-mule as a "1952 WurliTzer 2650"--so I would be REAL careful when looking at it ! Ron Rich

Ugh. Here is the link. Can you I'd the juke???

http://richmond.craigslist.org/clt/2820132423.html

Thx! Dr. Jeck

Looks like a year 1954 model #1650, according to
Pinballrebel.com

George

Dave, that is a 1650.
Problem areas include:

Wear on the cam lobes and followers. Wurlitzer required a lot of force in lowering the turntable and sliding out the record trays and if the cams were not 'properly' lubed the profiles get scored.

The record trays sag due to wear of the little 'pucks' that act as bearings between them.

The dual tonearms have a serious outward bias which probably doesn't matter too much with a 12 gram+ tracking force. This is due to the trip switch and often stiffness of the co-ax cable that must be used with this type of pickup. Speaking of which, unless you are into serious skilled modification here you'll be stuck with the Cobra pickup. The micro switch that transfers the FM rf from the A to B side pickup will probably be bad but this is no big deal.

I had one that I paid $75 for in early 1987. It had serious rust problems, missing rear door but exc glass, pilasters and grill. I sold it to a restorer for those parts.

About a year later I repaired one for an antique dealer who foolishly bought it from a Gepetto in Brooklyn. It took more effort than I had intended, when all was done it was a primitive but cute little machine suitable only for shellac 78's.

The 1500-1600 series were probably a desperate stopgap to offer a higher capacity machine in the face of what Seeburg had introduced in 1948. Wurlitzer got it's act together with the carousel mech which IMO is the only really excellent mechanism they ever offered.

Rob/NYC

Thanks rob and raven. I appreciate your help. Dave