Help me identify this Zenith Portable [Beige]

Electrically amplified phonographs or radio/phonographs and related components (approx. 1928-1990).



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Sbbn
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Help me identify this Zenith Portable [Beige]

by Sbbn » Fri Oct 19, 2012 2:49 am

I recently purchased this Zenith Solid State portable record changer at a thrift store for $10. It has that weird "cigarette lighter" 45 adapter, and when I took the bottom screws out to vacuum the dust, I did see that the turntable has a BSR sticker on it and it's got the one speaker underneath. It is four speed (16 33 45 78) with 3 size settings (7 10 12). The power switch has OFF, ON, and AUTO, which engages the changer

Changer and turntable like a dream, but the needle is pretty much toast, so will need to replace that. Once you guys help me with a model number, I can start looking for parts. The third picture shows a model number x507x where the first letter could be an R or an A and the last letter is a typed F, but someone has used a red pen to make it either an L or an E.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you,
Sbbn

ZenithClosed.gif
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ZenithOpen.gif
ZenithOpen.gif (80.01 KiB) Viewed 1147 times


ZenithModel.gif
ZenithModel.gif (77.51 KiB) Viewed 1147 times


MusicMan93
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Re: Help me identify this Zenith Portable [Beige]

by MusicMan93 » Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:36 am

Hi Sbbn,

I used to have a record player VERY similar to that but made by GE (model V631). Though they are not the best for high-fidelity or aggressive listening, they are great to take to record shows and record shops to test out records before you buy them...they're way better than the plastic junk made by Numark and Crosley nowadays! The changers in these were also built like tanks, and the amps almost never wear out.

Your model is a lower-end portable made during the early to mid-1970s (but that doesn't necessarily make it a bad player!), and appears to be model A507F. You can purchase a replacement stylus for it here:

http://www.turntableneedles.com/find10. ... lect=Model

Remember that if you plan on listening to 78s on this unit, be sure and specify that you want a 78 tip along with the LP tip, otherwise they will send you a double-sided stylus that has only an LP tip on it.

Take care and happy listening!


Topic author
Sbbn
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Location: Mississippi

Re: Help me identify this Zenith Portable [Beige]

by Sbbn » Fri Oct 19, 2012 6:04 pm

Thanks Music Man!

I had a feeling that this was more of a budget machine than a luxury item. I'm a bit embarrassed to say this, but I did not know that the needle flipped over. I thought it was just a worn 78 needle. When I flipped it over to LP and tried it on a junk record, the needle didn't track at all and skidded right to the spindle.

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Record-changer
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Re: Help me identify this Zenith Portable [Beige]

by Record-changer » Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:23 am

It was made in the early 1970s.
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Record-changer
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Re: Help me identify this Zenith Portable [Beige]

by Record-changer » Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:25 am

GE never used that kind of BSR changer. They had what was left of Glaser-Steers.
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MattTech
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Re: Help me identify this Zenith Portable [Beige]

by MattTech » Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:33 pm

Record-changer wrote:GE never used that kind of BSR changer. They had what was left of Glaser-Steers.


I don't see anywhere in musicman's post that he stated his Zenith had a BSR changer in it.
:roll:
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Re: Help me identify this Zenith Portable [Beige]

by Record-changer » Thu Dec 06, 2012 8:40 am

MattTech wrote:
Record-changer wrote:GE never used that kind of BSR changer. They had what was left of Glaser-Steers.


I don't see anywhere in musicman's post that he stated his Zenith had a BSR changer in it.
:roll:


I was replying to MusicMan93.
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MattTech
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Re: Help me identify this Zenith Portable [Beige]

by MattTech » Thu Dec 06, 2012 5:50 pm

Record-changer wrote:
MattTech wrote:
Record-changer wrote:GE never used that kind of BSR changer. They had what was left of Glaser-Steers.


I don't see anywhere in musicman's post that he stated his Zenith had a BSR changer in it.
:roll:


I was replying to MusicMan93.


And I was replying to yours.
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