Rockola 1454

Hello All

I just picked up a Rockola 1454 that my wife has liked for a few years. Do not know much about thes and have manuals on the way. If anyone wants to tell me the strong and weak points of this model I would appreciate it.

One issue that it has is the selector buttons do not work all the time. I am assuming, that can be bad, that I need to take the keyboard off and wash the contacts down with floor stripper and comet, like I did with the Seeburg G, and then completely dry before putting it back together.

Also, other than the usual vendors does any one know of a good source for used/replica parts for a Rockols 1454?

After getting it to play properly the veneer will need to be addressed, as it has some flaws.

Best
Darrell

Darrell, the old R-O's are pretty straight-forward. There is not a lot of complication.

Weak areas are:

Broken ground wire on the group(communing) relays.

Tarnished contacts on said group relay contacts.

"Crud" inside pin assembly that makes the pins sluggish.

Dried out capacitor in the credit unit. This determines length of punch for the pin magnets.

If at all possible avoid taking apart the pinwheel. The group magnet ground wires are (from what I recall) all reachable from outside. If it is cruddy, it should be washed. But go easy on the stripper as it has the potential to remove the doping on coils.

Rob/NYC

Rob

Just used Deoxit on the Jones plug and it may have helped some. When pushing the selctor buttons sometimes they work and sometimes they don't, that is why I thought I would need to use the stripper on the group contacts. Is there something else that would cause this same problem that I am overlooking?

Thank you

Best
Darrell

Darrell,
Before using a "stripper", try exercising all pins--just pull/push each one, several times--usually helps on RO's--
You might also check the keyboard for "dirt"--
Ron Rich

Ron

Will give it a go with the pins.

I have been playing in for a few hours. It will take spurts where the selector key works on the first push. Next time it may take several pushes or you need to push a different key to start the selection process.

Best
Darrell

New problem showed up, example - I push selection 39 and unit goes to 119 each time instead of selection 39, as it is the same button for both selections, is the problem in the pin bank?

Best
Darrell

Well, you are sort-of in luck with this being a 120 instead of 200 selection. What is happening is that a group relay finger is touching and grounding a coil that corresponds to the same number as in another group. Hopefully you don't have any shorted coils.

At least here the connections of the group relays are all in the open -as opposed to the sealed caps as used on the 200's.

I suggest removing the pinwheel and setting it and the keyboard, credit unit and PSU. Set them up on a table so that you can better asses their condition, power and work on them. Again, if at all possible, do not open the pin wheel. I rebuilt three of them -two had shorted coil and one (a 1465) had multiple double selections (what you are dealing with). They are a pain to reassemble.

FWIR: The pinwheel is removed by unplugging it, removing the pop meter and large gear that links it. The R-O version of the readout block that rides around is released by removing a filler section on the wheel rim. There may be some set screws that have to be loosened and the shaft slides out the front of the machine. Be careful to support the pin assembly as the shaft is removed.

Rob

P.S. Be sure to check all fuses for correct values.

Rob

Thank you, not what I wanted to hear, I was hoping that it would be something as simple as a contact/relay involving the drum that was not changing from one circuit to the next. My manual is on the way and I thought that perhaps each of the 40 selections were on their own circuit and were only activated when the drum was turned to each of the 3 circuits.

OK, now comes the fun part, this will take a while.

Best
Darrell

As long as unit is pretty much apart, I thought this might be a good time to have some of the chrome re-plated. I have the front of the key board off. Can anyone explain what holds the two side pieces to the cabinet? I have taken every screw I could find out (6) and the part that extends down the side of the cabinet is attached by something???????? Nothing is visible, so what is the trick to finish taking this piece off?

Best

Darrell

Darrell,
Easy--my fav-or-ite removal tool--Dy-no-mite !!! Never fails to do the job !!
Ron Rich

ds100h wrote:As long as unit is pretty much apart, I thought this might be a good time to have some of the chrome re-plated. I have the front of the key board off. Can anyone explain what holds the two side pieces to the cabinet? I have taken every screw I could find out (6) and the part that extends down the side of the cabinet is attached by something???????? Nothing is visible, so what is the trick to finish taking this piece off?
Best
Darrell

Darrell, from what I recall on a 1448 the side castings also had an anchor that came up through the two 'sleds" that hold the casters.

It is also not unusual for spilled drinks to act as a glue and make it difficult to remove trim. That is one advantage to washing the cabinet before working on it.

Try -carefully- prying.

Rob/NYC

Rob

The chrome pieces are attached to the door, not the cabinet, so there could not be any connection to the casters. It almost appears to have some super adhesive holding them on(spilled drinks?). There are 4 screws that attach and hold the front chrome plate to this piece. Then there is one screw that holds this piece to a metal plate that is secured to the machine, thus holding this piece to the side. In pic 3, there is a small space between the grill and the cabinet and I can not see any screws going through the cabinet into the side piece. I have attached 3 photos in case you are able to see what I am missing if anything?

Ron

Do you want my wife to use dyno mite on me

Best
Darrell

Darrell,
No--I never advocate violence -- however--I don't know the "condition" of your wife's mind ?? Do you need to worry ?
Ron Rich

Ron

I thought you have a wife, so why do you need to ask?

Resolved the problem by tearing door apart. Two pictures showing how it is attached. Glad I did not exert a lot of pressure prying

Best
Darrell

Darrell,
Glad you got it apart !
My wife, has often said that she wishes to die, and come back as a Jukebox, so I'll pay (a little) attention to her--
Ron Rich