Collaro TSC-640 Conquest

Here is a page on my favorite unit, with pictures:

http://midimagic.sgc-hosting.com/collaro.htm

Here are pages on other record changers.

http://midimagic.sgc-hosting.com/changers.htm

I also own the following changers pictured in the above pages:

- Webster 356 (photo is not my unit)
- Glaser-Steers GS-77 (My unit)
- Dual 1006 (photo is not my unit, which is in bad shape)
- Garrard Model 40 (similar to Garrard AT-6 pictured)
- Garrard SL-55 (similar to Garrard SL-65 pictured)
- Perpetuum-Ebner PE2038 (Similar to the PE2020 pictured)
- Panasonic RD-700 (similar to the RD-620 pictured)
- Magnavox Micromatic (similar to the one pictured, but has the old multisize index)
- Dual 1225 (not shown)
- BSR UA-20 (not shown)

I used to own the following ones:

- Utah-Detrola (photo is not my unit)
- Philco M22 (photo is not my unit)
- Motorola RC-36 (photo is not my unit)
- V-M 936 (My photo)
- V-M 1286 (not shown)
- Magnavox 820 (not shown, similar to Collaro Conquest)

I just added a V-M 1255 to my collection. It's been a while since I owned a V-M

How do you like your Perpetuum-Ebner 2038? I have a line on one in Fisher Radio livery. It is complete. Has a cartridge mount issue. If still there at that Tuesday only thrift shop, I plan on taking it home and restoring it.

I have probably had to fix this more than any other unit I own that works. The cartridge slide never makes good contact with the headshell. But I got it used, and the former owner messed with the spring contacts because he had the same problem. But other than that, it works fine.

Part of the problem might have been that it was stored in an one of those rent-it storage buildings for six months by the previous owner. The building was unheated.

I thought I would add a repair history on my Collaro:

- When I first got it in 1970, the motor lube had turned to gunk. I took the motor apart, cleaned, and relubed it. I also cleaned and relubed the turntable drive and change cycle parts.

- I had to reconstitute the rubber mat, which had hardened, before I could use it. I used a predecessor of Caig Caikleen RBR.

- The muting switches were the first thing to fail after I began using it. Two mica blades were used to slice between contacts to remove the shorts across the pickup elements. One piece crumbled. I cut two guitar picks I had to the shape of the broken mica pieces, and replaced them. Those pieces of guitar picks have been in there for 43 years.

- Two years later, the rubber had failed on the change cycle drive wheel. I replaced both wheels and bought spares.

- The next thing that broke (in 1984) was the pickup arm raising spring that holds the rocker arm in place and serves as a safety drive. It broke during a change cycle, with the result that the arm didn't scan the next record. I found a similar spring and used my spring forming kit to form the end to fit its receptacle.

- The last thing that broke (in 1987) was the spring that holds the Start-Stop-Reject knob on the shaft. I built a new spring out of some steel strapping for pallet shipping, and reinforced it with a copper binding that goes all the way around the spring. I replaced the other knob spring too.

Other than cleaning the rubber parts and the drive assembly, I haven't had to do anything to it in the form of a repair since then.

I have now added an RCA RP-215 to my collection.