Wurlitzer 1015 - cartridge and pre amp (cobra?) questions

Hello again to all !
(and especially to Ron&Rob that helped me get my Conti 1 working),

I am restoring an amazing Wurlitzer 1015 for more than a year now

by now I manage to finish all the outer parts inc bubbles and lights mechanisms.

you can see the result below - a lot of efforts were invested in this amazing machine - my 1st jukebox project.

I am close now to restoring the Amp system, already restored the speaker, replaced the coil and membrane ....

now this 1015 came after 50 years of sitting in a warehouse not working (according to the coins i found inside)

I still don't know if its 33 or was it modified to 45

I did find in the cabinet a preamp, with bullet shape cover (probably the cobra zenith kit)

the tonearm was missing, and I bought a used lollipop (which came with ceramic cartridge).

some questions that will help me proceed:

1. if the bullet preamp is there is it definitely a zenith cobra system conversion ?
2. if its a zenith (cobra) does it have to be 45 or this have nothing to do with speed ?
3. can one connect a modern stylus cartridge to this bullet preamp or just a zenith cartridge ?
4. What alternatives can I consider ? canceling the preamp and plugging the 503 Amp to a modern cartridge ? others ?

your help appreciated

Eitan

Hi Eitan
I know only enough about these to be dangerous ! But a few things I do know--1. This phono originally played 78 rpm records not 33-1/3 rpm records. 2. If converted to use a cobra, the end of record trip off mechanism, would need to be converted from mechanical, to electric.
3. Speed is not determined by the tone arm--it's done with gearing. 4. Not sure what the "bullet pre amp" is, but yes, if a Cobra, one can re-wire it to a "standard" ceramic (or magnetic), cartridge.
Hopefully someone who knows more the me will chime in--
Ron Rich

Eitan, these 78rpm machines are a bit outside my area of interest, but Ill give you what I can regarding your questions.

the priginal tonearm used a magnetic high output pickup. It connected directly to the volume control in a box with a shaft that was adjustable from the phono rear.

When the unit was converted there were two roads taken;

- Change to a ceramic or crystal cart. This often meant that a new, narrower tonearm was issued with the conversion kit. Since the ceramic or crystal carts will lose bass response if connected to the original volume control, a new volume control of at least 1 megohm would replace the original. This easily went into the same box. A tapped volume control can further enhance the bass ans treble response if used.

-A Cobra kit w/preamp (really an RF oscillator) and tonearm was offered and the last of the 1015's may have been so equipped from the factory. If you don't have the cobra tonearm there isn't any point in trying to use the "preamp" -it isn't comparable with anything else unless you gut it. Will you post a pic of it?

In the late 1980's a third party offered a kit called "WurlitSound" which contained a Pickering magnetic pickup with a doped stylus and a preamp with tailored amplification curve. Wurlitzer objected to the product name so it was subsequently changed to(IIRC) Supersound -or similar.

Victory Glass was among those that sold it. It might still be available.

Given the crudeness of the arm, trip mechanism and records, I suggest a rugged ceramic pickup would be easiest and least expensive. A volume control box of some sort will be needed if the "bullet shaped" one isn't modifiable.

BTW: That machine looks excellent. You've done quite a job.

Rob

Thanks and nice writing to you again
i really meant 78rmp... not 33
I do have of course the volume control box
i will read the tips and search more info
I was concerned with the weight of the lollypop tone arm and the combination of it with modern cartridge
lets see what i will find
i will come back with some conclusions...
eitan