Found: Rockola 431

NEWBIE ALERT!

Found this baby in an Apartment. Thought it would be cool to own one. 1st problem: it doesn't work. Seems to be intact, powers up (lights) but I get a BUZZ when I select a song. Just brought it home.....now the hard part! Any help will be appreciated!

Ed

On Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 8:16:41 PM UTC-4, amrap1 wrote:
NEWBIE ALERT!

Found this baby in an Apartment. Thought it would be cool to own one. 1st problem: it doesn't work. Seems to be intact, powers up (lights) but I get a BUZZ when I select a song. Just brought it home.....now the hard part! Any help will be appreciated!

Ed

How do I post pictures of it?

On Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 5:16:41 PM UTC-7, amrap1 wrote:
NEWBIE ALERT!

Found this baby in an Apartment. Thought it would be cool to own one. 1st problem: it doesn't work. Seems to be intact, powers up (lights) but I get a BUZZ when I select a song. Just brought it home.....now the hard part! Any help will be appreciated!

Ed

Its probably a capacitor in the amplifier. CAPS tend to go bad when unused, or over time.

On Friday, March 13, 2015 at 10:26:23 AM UTC-4, ILikeValves wrote:
On Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 5:16:41 PM UTC-7, amrap1 wrote:
NEWBIE ALERT!

Found this baby in an Apartment. Thought it would be cool to own one. 1st problem: it doesn't work. Seems to be intact, powers up (lights) but I get a BUZZ when I select a song. Just brought it home.....now the hard part! Any help will be appreciated!

Ed

Its probably a capacitor in the amplifier. CAPS tend to go bad when unused, or over time.

Is there a way to turn the motor manually?

On Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 2:27:53 PM UTC-4, amrap1 wrote:
On Friday, March 13, 2015 at 10:26:23 AM UTC-4, ILikeValves wrote:
On Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 5:16:41 PM UTC-7, amrap1 wrote:
NEWBIE ALERT!

Found this baby in an Apartment. Thought it would be cool to own one. 1st problem: it doesn't work. Seems to be intact, powers up (lights) but I get a BUZZ when I select a song. Just brought it home.....now the hard part! Any help will be appreciated!

Ed

Its probably a capacitor in the amplifier. CAPS tend to go bad when unused, or over time.

Is there a way to turn the motor manually?

Ok...here is what I have so far.

I now have the ROCK-OLA Service manual for Model 431 "Coronado" or the "newest member of a proud family of quality phonographs" Figured out how to take the back and front panels off. Sure beats reaching in through the top!

When I flip the power switch, I get a CLICK that sounds like a contactor closing. There is a slight humm from a small transformer on the right side of the cabinet in front of the power supply.

I know the free play button is on since I don't have to insert coins before the selector buttons stay pushed in. When I push the second button, I get a click from the write in box, the light on it flashes and then NOTHING.

Just went back and tried the above again to make sure what was happening. When I turned it on, I didn't get the click AND the selector buttons weren't working. I pushed the free play button...got a click and the selector buttons worked. This time the write in carriage assembly arm rotated about 1/2 a turn and the selector buttons popped back up.

Just started it over and the selector buttons stayed pushed in and NOTHING at all happened.

ARGH....(Yoda Voice: Puzzling this things is!)

It sounds like you need to make sure all your switch & relay contacts are clean. I use deoxit for this kind of thing.

BUT: As with any tube-driven electronics, it's REALLY important to make sure you replace all the old electrolytic caps before powering it up. If one of them fails and shorts, they can burn out a transformer (which can be REALLY hard to find). So, I'd take care of those first.

Second, look for and replace any selenium rectifiers you find in the power supply (they look like stacks of 1-inch square plates). If these fail, they can catch fire.

FWIW: I don't power on a tube unit until these last two steps are done.

Good luck!