Help with my RE-45

I had acquired an RE-45 RCA Electrola from my grandfather when he moved to a new place. The radio seems to be in working condition and can pick up a signal without an antenna. Although I have been having trouble with my record player.

Some information: The RE-45 is what I'm guessing to be a rare 1929 Electrola model under the name of the Talking Machine RCA. I could find little information on the model but i was able to find a manual for it. Although I have not purchased it yet.

What's Wrong: The RE-45 is able to use the amplifier to create a sound through the radio but when the record player is used it cannot produce sound from the amplifier and instead produces a loud muffled sound when someone is singing but creates a normal sound when it is only instruments. 3 of the 11 tubes are shot. Also, 6 tubes are in working condition but are dim and cannot create a suffiecient power supply. Two of the tubes are bright and fully working. Although the Radio/Record layer still work to full capacity I believe the real problem is in the needle holster. The needle holster has wires connected to the main board where the sound is transported to the amplifier. The only problem is that the amplifier is not receiving these signals or the needle holster is unable to create them.

So if you could let me some help.. please do.

Hopefully, someone will be able to help you with the electronics.

The RE-45 was a relatively popular early Radiola/Electrola combination, made by The Victor Talking Machine Company, and introduced at the time of their merger with RCA in 1929. Here is the data about the model from the Victor Victrola Page ---> http://www.victor-victrola.com/RE-45.htm (Main Page: http://www.victor-victrola.com/ )

If you need it, a schematic, in PDF form, can be downloaded from this page:

http://www.nostalgiaair.org/Resources/769/M0015769.htm (Just click on the little floppy disc icon or on the "eyeball" icon.)

I'm not familiar with this set but in general I would caution you to not power up the set as it is. Sounds like you might have a power supply problem and this could take out various components down stream such as but not limited to, tubes, transformers,coils etc. How do you know that three tubes are shot? In these older sets the first thing to do is replace the electrolytic and paper capacitors if they even are that type. This set could have something completly different given it's age. These are what usually fail first. There are plenty of helpful sites on how to go about rebuilding this. One site that comes to mind is justradios.com. They also have some of the components you will require for this project. Concerning the needle "holster" or cartridge, I'm not sure what is used to produce the signal. If it is a crystal cartridge then the crystal has probably gone bad and will need rebuilt or replaced. I hope this helps you. Best.

Thom

Thom wrote:concerning the needle "holster" or cartridge, I'm not sure what is used to produce the signal. If it is a crystal cartridge then the crystal has probably gone bad and will need rebuilt or replaced. I hope this helps you. Best.
Thom

Hi Thom:

The RE-45 was still of the "first generation" electric phonographs which used a horseshoe magnet. It weighed as much as the acoustic reproducers. There are some more pictures on this page:

http://www.radiolaguy.com/Showcase/RCA%20RE-45.htm

WoW. This is so different from what I'm used to. Though I know what the horseshoe pickup looks like I'm not sure of it 's operating principle.

Thom wrote:WoW. This is so different from what I'm used to. Though I know what the horseshoe pickup looks like I'm not sure of it 's operating principle.

I don't pretend to know very much about the electrical era phonographs, but the most basic description--that I could understand, at least -- -- came from Tim Gracyk's website:

"By the late 1920s Victor was also producing all-electric phonographs. These used an electric pickup which held a permanent horseshoe magnet. The needle was installed into a frame held in place by rubber gaskets. The mechanical vibrations from the needle caused the magnet to produce electric currents, which were then converted into sound by the phonograph's amplifier unit and speaker, very similar to radio amplifiers of this era. It was not until the late 1930s that crystal pickups were made. These had two advantages. First, they were light-weight and thus easy on the records. Second, they were cheap to make and install."
FROM: http://www.gracyk.com/credenza.shtml

The modern version, which became popular again back in the 1970s, is described here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_cartridge

BTW, here's a nice general reference type page describing the basic types of cartridges -- http://www.enjoythemusic.com/cartridgehistory.htm

Sounds like you need a pickup rebuild. It is attached right behind the pickup. You just unscrew the screw on top, making sure to save the nut below. Then send the pickup to George Epple. <gkepple@verizon.net> He has rebuilt many of these for me and just rebuilt my RE-75 pickup, which is the same as your RE-45. George has a very expensive tool that remagnetizes the pickup. You should also check the speaker which might be torn. BTW, I am not George Epple.