Rowe R74 Jukebox Rebuild

Hello Marky,

I agree with some of Ron says, we are somewhat unlucky in the UK with regards to companies selling jukeboxes, they tend to be overpriced and in general about twice the price of all jukeboxes in the USA.

There is also a shortage of engineers that currently know very little regarding Rock Ola jukeboxes, I know a fair amount about most jukeboxes but I do not have the in depth knowledge that I have on Rowe Ami.

There is nothing wrong with getting a jukebox off of Ebay if the price is right, there is nothing missing and the discription is correct.
Most of our work does come however from repeat business and Ebay issues.

We have seen the cartridges the wrong way around, the basket on the wrong way round (it takes a lot of work to get that wrong) one side of the amp down but set up so it is hardly noticed and all the other scams re sound issues.

If you wish to get in contact with me I can tell you what to look for.

Regards
Alan

Alan Hood
ami-man
UK
alan-hood@datex.co.uk
0114 247 0242

thanks to both ron and alan for advice. If truth be told when I bought my last Rockola I knew absolutely nothing about them, and when I looked inside it, I had no idea what should be in there!!! What I didn't like was the guy told me "it's all there, it's just rusty and been sitting in the corner for years".
I appreciate I bought it advertised as "Spares or Repairs non Working", but it would have been nice if the guy could have been honest by saying, "it's not all there, it has bits missing" as least I'd have known, this guy was not a novice he had many machines and talked a lot of technical babble, so I guess he'd have known what was missing.

Jukeboxes were and still are a fascinating invention, I'm clued up when it comes to mechanical stuff, as I have run a Vintage Slot Machine restoration business for 30 years, and there's not much I don't know about the workings of these mechanical gaming machines, but the Jukebox was a whole new experience for me. Don't get me wrong, I loved reading the Service manuals and replacing parts, but not too hot with the wires and anything electrical (guess that's why I like vintage slot machines, no electrics!).

I will buy another jukebox, and will buy a non-working model, just because I love the challenge of getting it to work, but next time I'll know what should be in the box, and a rough idea as to where problems lie.

I'm sure you'll see more questions from me in the future. Thanks again.

Good Morning Gentleman.

The deals are definitely there, with a little luck and good judgment.

We purchased ours through Craigslist, and could afford it only because the previous owners wife wanted it GONE, I offered him 1/3 of what he was asking and he said "Yes" otherwise we wouldn't have as we had no assurance how far we'd get with this project, we have already paid twice as much replacing the records, and we lucked out in the fact that the machine did in fact have all its parts and had obviously been just sitting in a corner for god knows how many years, without mentioning I am as stubborn as a mule and just wont give up.

UPDATE ON PROJECT.

This weekend to do the Oiling of motors (for sure) .. YES... I promise

• Have scouted through a flurry of local thrift shops and music stores and purchased a couple hundred Potential Candidate Records
• Also made a list of the Absolute "Can’t live without" Records and started slowly purchasing them through Amazon and EBay (got 5 or 6 so far)
• We proceeded to make a database of all the records we own (old and new including the ones I have not yet purchased) Data fields include SIDEA, AUTHOR, SIDE B
• Proceeded to sort alphabetically BY AUTHOR
• Defined a scoring system for 1 AWESOME to 5 TOTAL CRAP
• Printed two copies of this list (one for Michelle and one for Myself)
• We each scored according to our own particular taste
• Added our scores to the database in separate columns and added a third column to Average the total score (just for kicks)
• At the end her absolute favorites, and my Absolute favorites added up to a total of 92 Records
• This was particular advantageous as we had already agreed to leave the last 5 to 10 records open for changing at any point and time With a separate (Special Menu Items) card sitting on the top of the jukebox which we could swap at our leisure
• After bumping my head for several hours attempting to find a Jukebox Index Tag generator or Template that would allow me to import my previously typed list, I resorted to simply creating a Custom Microsoft word Mail merge Template. (AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST)

Far as I can tell (and seems to work fine) Label size is 3 X 1 Inches for the Rowe R74 Jukebox. I can provide a copy of this template to anyone that wants it.

Looks a lil like... This



A couple of updated Videos as well for those wishing to see the machine fully functional (Photos of Beautiful Michelle hanging from the wall behind the machine are just icing on the cake)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hrtvgKw8vs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wljIkmHZL1Y

Kindest Regards.

Tony

NEWER INDEX CARD UPDATE LOWER DOWN

Weekend Update.

* Motors n Gears Oiled
* Driver belts for selection Mechanism Replaced
* Record Index Tags updated with new versions

Installation of new Custom made decals

Looks great and 'location-ready". Now, try to keep your temper when some 'hole baptizes it (with beer)
\Rob

Thank you all for all your Help.

Yes practically Location Ready.. fortunately the Location is right where it stands (In my living room) and there will be no beer incidents.

Good evening Gentleman.

After a month or so of perfect operation today Our jukebox began displaying a peculiar behavior, if you press any key on the keyboard in the second row (From L to V) it pops out immediately thus refusing to acknowledge that key as part of the selection, any other key in row 1 (From A to K) in combination with any number in row 3 works fine.

I have noticed at times the keyboard mechanism will emit a low hum at times (as if there was a stuck ... "something" but never affected its operation before.

Troubleshooting Manual suggests dirty contacts on Search Unit cumulator and cleaning with alcohol (which I do not believe to be the issue in this case)

likely over the weekend I will end up taking the keyboard mechanism apart again, but would be nice to have an idea what I am looking for if anyone has any advice.

Kindest Regards.

Tony

Tony,
What happens if you hold one of those keys down, and press a "number key" ?
Ron Rich

Tony: Does the latchbar solenoid engage and do you feel the key snap into the treadle at all? Does solenoid instantly release when said buttons are pressed? Have you made any changes to the pricing setup?

Rob

No latch bar solenoid engagement, it just ignores my selection altogether and pops back out with no delay.... (I will make a little video with sound tonight), pricing has been set to FREE PLAY since I figured how and has never changed.

OK, Now I'z confuzzed !
If "on free play" isn't the latch bar solenoid powered at all times, except for a second, when a selection is being made ??
Ron Rich

More than possibly I am not understanding what the "Latch bar solenoid" is

And unfortunately just now when I plugged It in to take a video the darn thing is working fine again, with any luck it wont happen again (but not holding my breath) if it fails again I will immediately take the video to demonstrate.

Best description I can give in the meanwhile

If I press any key (From A to K) it clicks and stays in awaiting for me to press a number

if I press any key (From L to V) it does not acknowledge the key has been pressed, there is no "Clicking and staying in place" it simply pops back out again as if there was no mechanism behind the key at all

The latch bar solenoid, is that "big thing" in the keyboard that energizes when credit is established (or power is turned on).
I would GUESS that the solenoid LINKAGE to that keyboard section, was "stuck", and has loosened up ?
Ron Rich