Man!!!! Even with one hand he made it look like a piece of cake...u don't realize how hard and complicated those mecanismes are until u start working on one..HE is a PRO and a really good one to make look so easy
Thanks! I just acquired a BSR player that was spinning fast. I followed your cleaning with the wheel and removed the grease and put new on grease. It's like magic. I truly appreciate your video and more amazed you did this with one hand.
Oh, and as an aside---I'm impressed that you work in an electronics repair shop. In today's throw-away society, repair shops are starting to become a thing of the past---I think it's great that guys like you are still out there, because you're needed
You are the best Jordan!!! I was looking everywhere for a guide for my Sony HP-161 and came across your video. My records have never sounded so good and smooth. All the features now work on my old girl and she is singing again. You're providing a very valuable service. Thanks again!
I consider this video (and your VM series videos) to be an invaluable resource. There are many thousands of BSR's still out there, and I'm sure this video will help many. Great job! Oh, and very interesting about the 1000-grit sandpaper on the idler wheel---I never thought about that, and I've got a VM that would benefit from that. It's not completely hard, it's just starting to get a little stiff and "greasy" if you will
Hehe, I fixed these in the 70's when they were new, because they occasionally would freeze even that early in their lives. I kept a small bowl filled with a degreasing solvent to dump the center bearing parts into for an hour or so, to dissolve the lube. I used either hard plastic or wooden tools to scrape off old grease, along with q-tips soaked in the solvent, to avoid scratching the surfaces of the various parts (pins, levers,etc). Cotton rags and spray solvents were used to finish-off all cleaned points, and then when the entire mechanism was degreased and clean, good old GC Phonolube was used to re-lube every point, except the parts in the end-of-record trip sensor and its associated rod. Those were always left dry and clean. I never used acetone because it and its vapors are carcenogenic. I usually used isopropyl alcohol 99%, but there were a couple of flouro-based solvents available back then, which were also dangerous, but they worked very well for the final degreasing of an operating point. Usually sprayed those outside and very sparingly. Great use of the soldering gun and heat gun there. I never had to go that far back then. I used 4 hardwood blocks to support the inverted turntable on the bench, to avoid putting any pressure on the tone-arm. That's about all the tips I can remember - it's been since the 80s since I stopped doing commercial repairs. Thanks for the video!
Acetone is definitely not carcinogenic. Its produced in our bodies as a part of normal metabolism and is in fact so safe that it is exempt from VOC status. Halogenated solvents, which used to be very commonly used to clean electronics, are carcinogenic and have been phased out because of health concerns. That said it’s probably a good idea to avoid using acetone on older audio equipment because it can often dissolve or damage plastics. Isopropyl alcohol is usually the best first choice for this kind of work.
I haven't even finished this vid and I am in awe. I have been passionate about recorder changers since I was a kid. You have changed my life. I want to start restoring record changers. I hope I can have contact with you.
Under the cam, the metal part that pushes the cam spring'd starter (looks like it's pointing at the center spindle), is missing a ball bearing under the novel cut out! It's the same ones that are on the center spindle/record plate in center. Good video!!
Hey bud.. I have now got 2 fully functioning bsr tables because of your videos. Thank you so much for sharing your information. I followed step by step and nailed it!
This BSR record changer has the worst grease ever. It should all be removed. Use 30-40 Q tips. Got one in 1974 and went bad by 2000. Haven't used it since. But now I know how to fit it thanks to Jordan!
I found this video while trying to repair my old BSR turntable that's been in the basement since the stone age. I'm pretty handy with these things, and couldn't imagine why the turntable wouldn't come off after removing the cir-clip. Figured I was doing something wrong. The soldering iron trick worked like magic! Who would have thought that grease could harden to the point you have to chip it off? Great video, thanks for the tips.
Jordan, Excellent servicing information. Thanks for showing all the little details. You're absolutely right about oiling the idler wheel. For my first record player servicing, I did an old Voice of Music record player and found that, after servicing it, there was a tiny squeak that wouldn't go away. Removing the idler wheel and putting a very tiny drop of Zoom Spout Oil on the axle shaft solved my squeaking problem. I was extra careful not to get any oil on the rubber idler wheel. Regards, Tom
Thank you so much for the video. As a young married couple we purchased a PYE 3in1 in 1977 and has been laying unused in our garage for over 30years. It has the same turnrtable as this except it has the 2 pole motor. Your excellent video has helped me greatly in getting it going.
I'm working on a BSR in a Panasonic FM/AM Stereo Music Center SD-203. Each step-by-step direction is very clear to follow. I have two more BSR's in other systems that I will work on in the future. These are units from my high school and college years in the 70"s. They have sat around for 40+ years and now I'm refurbishing one for my youngest daughter! As a former teacher, I will say thank you for the precise and clear directions.
Thank you for the clear and detailed video. I followed your guidance to repair a completely seized Fisher 225-XA (BSR C123R2.A.6). It sounds fantastic and works like new now.
Fantastic video! I have had my BSR for over twenty years. I moved 6 years ago and finally got around to unboxing it only to find that it was slow. I will apply everything you show here and it should be good to go.
Great video as always JP. One note, after cleaning and oiling the star wheel it wouldn’t always move the tone arm over at the start so I cleaned it again an reinstalled it without oil and it works fine now.
Thanks for this video. I had one that was seized up, but once I got the turn table moving, the center metal piece wanted to move no matter how much heat I put to it. I used quarters around it and increased the stack of them a little art a time, and when I got to 8 stacks off 5 quarters each, when I applied heat, the turn table finally came off. All of the other steps in your video helped me get it running again. Thanks.
You are amazing. Thanks so much for this video! I just bought a readers digest media cabinet complete with cassette deck, 8 track, record player and even am/fm + alarm clock. The bsr unit was completely seized up… you saved my $6 goodwill investment
Thanks for the tips. I got my nearly identical BSR turntable unseized and running again. I didn't find your video first and used another, which was helpful in getting the platter free and the top stuff unstuck. But it didn't cover any of the underside maintenance like yours did, and mine certainly needed help there too.
Thanks! I have a Garrard SL55B top mounted into a Marantz receiver, The Model 28...the guts of the Garrard are very similar to this BSR and your video helped a lot in getting it run.
this is the best BSR video out there. thank you for sharing your knowledge and being so detailed. i was able to restore an old morse/electrophonic console stereo back to working condition! thank you again!
I just repaired a BSR turntable from a Superscope MS-30 using this video…your right, the best I could track was 3.5 grams. Thanks for all the helpful information…she works great!
A relative was done with her BSR Panisonic 3in1. The BSR was stiff, so stiff, in every way being kept near the cold salty front door. Now its back doing what its maker intended, thanks to this video.
Jordan, thank you for these videos. As a novice who is teaching himself to service old stereos, these videos on cheaper tables are perfect. Also, the tracking for comment made me laugh hard.
+1 subscriber. I had a BSR record changer with basically identical mechanics on the underside, and between taking apart and wondering what needs to move better this is going to help fix the unit after not being ran for 20-30yrs. Only difference is that I had a Zenith SI-4140. My particular one had that bearing piece you were heating up around 9:30, and instead of being metal mine was a hard plastic. so had to use penetrating out to loosen it vs heat gun :)
Thanks for this excellent demonstration. Am going to try to apply at my new acquired bsr built in the 60's which is totally dead, in the mechanical aspect only. But in the electronics, to try to scout for old school technicians.
awesome!!! I've got an old BSR turntable that I installed for my folks in a console stereo over 40 years ago. The platter spins OK and probably needs this service, the speed and power switches are frozen so, based upon your vid I'm going to pull it out and see if I can get it going. Thanks!! Fantastic vids
Thank you!!! Picked up a Realistic Lab 52 which is just a BSR C-182. The while dang thing was seized. I was able to get most of it unlocked, but couldn't figure out the start switch. But this video saved the day. Cheers!!!
I was fixing these bsr changers at about 10 years old lol, i would suggest putting the rubber drive wheel on a lathe to even it out apply gentle pressure with 1500grit paper, it might look level but it wont be they never were from new. anyway im glad your channels back mate, good stuff.
Thank you for this video! Was able to fix one up my lady just bought. Easy to follow and fun to complain along with you when customers try getting in before the open hour ;)
Thank you. Still and probably always relevant and useful. Gives me confidence to tackle my own. Impressive simultaneous one handed camera and bench work too!
Thanks for this. I am going to resurrect my BSR 310 AXE that I had set up for playing and digitizing 78s. The turntable is frozen up now after storage. I've already rebuilt a BIC 1000. This looks similar. Thanks again for the excellent video!
Great video. I just got a nice stereo cabinet for free. The main problem was the on switch was locked. Used your tip and got it working in just a few min. Thanks. I am saving this video so I can do the rest of the repairs once I have the phonogreese
100% perfect!! Thank you so much! Mine was not seized up but it turned very hard. It is now up and running perfectly thanks to your video!! You da man!!!
Awesome video! Learned alot about the mechanical parts and I thank you for that. I watched the whole video, and when you got to the end to check for cycling of the cam, it worked! However, you didn't shed any light on what to do if it doesn't cycle correctly. I bought a Hitachi Stereo for $3 and went through it completely, but everything was freed up. I did clean all switches. The problem I have is that when an album is loaded and I switch to start, the record drops, but the tonearm stops short of the landing groove and returns to the pedestal. This seems like a "size" issue, but it is set on 12". So then I changed size to 7" and 10" and the tonearm goes to the appropriate spot on the record, but immediately returns to the pedestal. The turntable is a SP-916 based on the manual I purchased online. When I manually place the tonearm on the platter, the album plays fine to the end, returns to pedestal and shuts down like it should. The tonearm goes to the appropriate location, no matter the size set, but won't drop down on the record and play. Hope this is clear enough. Love the attitude fixin this stuff and a customer at the door to early. lol. Help!
Working on a Zenith JR596W turntable currently. I've looked at a bunch of these repair videos last night and today. Tried the soldering iron trick, tried tapping the center spindle with a heavy screwdriver a couple times, tried 3-in-1 oil yesterday, let it sit overnight, tried it again today. Held the soldering iron in the center hole for nearly 10 minutes. Even after all that, the turntable will just simply not come off at all (though it's doing full 360 rotations, whereas before the turntable itself was literally stuck in place). My fingers are all chapped now from continuously pulling up on the edge of that metal platter, lol. I feel kinda discouraged, like this thing is never going to get fixed. One interesting thing to note about these turntables is, if you spin it manually with your hand and flick the auto switch, you can actually see the tonearm mechanism go through its motions and place itself on the record, return to its holder, etc.
Great video as always. I’ve picked up a couple of these on eBay and I noticed that they play quite fast ( a common problem with these ), so I sanded the shaft slightly for the 33 and 45 positions and it worked great. Time consuming because you have to keep checking it with a strobe disc as you go, but well worth it.
I have the same problem, 33 too fast...45s perfect. As a complete novice..what shaft are you referring to. Do you mean the central metal shaft or some other shaft nearer the speed shift mechanism?
@@patrickmcgivern9686 Yes it is the shaft that spins the idler wheel. It is a tedious job, as you have to keep replacing the platter to check the speed with a strobe disc and a UV light. The 33 spot on the shaft is the very top one, with the smallest circumference. Check it often, because if you take too much off, it will rotate too slowly. You can use a file or Emory cloth/tape. Good luck!
@@gns423 A "UV" light to check speed with a strobe disc??? Does that even work??? You need any old light source that works off the mains (120VAC/60Hz in North America) which has a low thermal inertia (heats up & cools down real quick). The lower the thermal inertia, the more noticeable they'll flicker in sync with the 60c/s mains frequency. If you're old enough to remember how annoying fluorescent lamps are for flickering, they'll put a big smile on your face in this application! Anything with a neon bulb bright enough (or turn your room lighting down) also works a treat. Even LED bulbs work, but I find them the hardest to see with of these 3 types. If you're a 70's Head like I am, you do have UV light sources for your trippy poster collection. We referred to them as "Black Lights" because the very dark & kind of heavy emissive coating doesn't let alot of visible light through. Most of 'em were incandescent A19 style screw-in bulbs, & incandescent bulbs are useless with strobe discs, UV Blacklights or not! I DO have a couple of 18" flourescent fixtures with Blacklight tubes for them, but I think they'd still be less than ideal since their visible spectrum light output is so feeble. But if you weren't confusing flourescent tubes by calling them UV ones, then I suppose I ought to see how they work if only for 💩s & giggles, & perhaps report back to y'all...🧐
I used to have a small ultasonic cleaner filled with ispropyl that I would throw the parts in while I cleaned the mechanism. Same with 16mm projectors, slide projectors, r to rs etc. Saved a lot of time.
some of your comments remind me of when still at college i upgraded my BSR UA12 TT to stereo with a SX5 ceramic pick up the 1 valve amp in the Dansette & a exturnal valve amp in a old tape recorder the only purchased part was the pick up for £5:00
Thanks, this was a great help to get my TT running again. My rpm on phone ap says it is a tiny bit fast but I think it sounds great. Has an old Pickering cart.
I just serviced my Radio Shack Clarinette 105 following these instructions as far as I could. On this type of cabinet, I was not able to take the whole platform off due to it being inaccessible means to get to those two screws to release the platform from the cabinet. But I was able to pry the platform up enough on one side of the platform to be able to spray some WD40 on the mechanisms and gave it time to work itself in and then I worked the control knob gently till it broke free. I did have to use a cheap soldering iron to heat up the spindle shaft till the platter was able to break free. It did not take as long as in this video to heat up. After removing it I did take the cam gear off. I did not use any machine oil or lube but olive oil to lube and oil up the areas mentioned in this video. When done I assembled everything back and it does work now except I, as he did in the video, put the spindle in wrong and I have to try and figure out how to put it in the correct orientation so the auto drop will work. But I gently pat the record down and the needle arm comes over and drops down and plays to the end and stops. Some people don't like these types of stereo but not everyone can afford to spend $2,000 on a stereo system built of different components.
On the clarinette, you either remove the rear panel, flip one up to release the back part then pull back to slide the other out of position to remove the turntable. ...or there are large screws on the underside at the left and right that release the whole top
So I bought the ferguson p128 as mentionen and basicallt followed every point in your video, and voila, it seems to work perfectly :) Now the tonearm seems to not align perfectly in height etc so I need to check how to tune everything. Thanks alot for this video
When I was in vo-tech school in the 70s we had some fixtures that would hold the turntable while you worked on it. I can’t remember who manufactured them, they made servicing them easier.
Update: BSR A27 turntable. I discovered my platter is a steel 7" platter and not and 8" Very happy about that! The rubber mat will carefully separate from the steel platter towards the middle of the platter and carefully not bending the BSR aluminum center badge. Once I did this there was in fact an E-clip holding the platter in place. The rest is history. I was starting to get some wow in speed. Most noticeable on slower piano music. Anyway's, I serviced all under the platter as in this vid and now she sounds excellent! Glad I figured out how to get the platter off. Again mine was not stuck at all. P.S. I "did not remove" the original adhesive between the rubber mat and the steel platter. I simple pressed it it back on evenly and all is great! Again this was the 1970 Panasonic RD-7673,,,,,BSR A27 compact turntable. I very much hope this helped someone also. Love music!
i use a 1875 watt hardryer on a 1973 Magnavox changer to get the grey cycle gear wheel off too i also used lighter fluid to soften the hardened grease after it sat for half an hour
A very helpful & valuable video Waltz through the mechanical horror known as the "Auto-Changer"🤮🙄 Not sure how applicable all your tips with this model (I think you should have at least mentioned its number🤷) are for my spiffier Model #0973, which is a whole lot more Hi-Fi looking than the rather nasty piece of work shown here, being a Single-Play Fool Automatic job with a shiny S-shaped arm & an actual ADJUSTABLE counterweight!😲🤯 I just picked up this turdtable recently to gift to a friend (we'll just have to see if that changes after I give it to him🤔), & another found your vid & sent me the link to it. I have yet to dig into mine, & my issues with it are different than the ones shown here; albeit I do think that after 45 years or so it at least needs to be dismantled & re-lubed!😜 Still, right off the bat your video was a great help to me. Someone sold me their DUAL idler-puck collection, but there was one oddball amongst them I didn't recognize. And when you lifted off the platter of the star of your show...BINGO!😎 I also appreciated the tip to use GC Phonolube as a preferred grease. I know all the various grades & types of oil I need to service turntables, but the grease thing bugged me. Thanks for the recommendation! Something I can readily find in North America, thank Gob! I'll also give your #1000 grit sandpaper idler wheel trick a try. Nice tip! Something that actually will work! Unlike trying to use MG Chemicals "Rubber Renue" to soften idler pucks gone hard & therefore noisy, which NEVER works!!😡🤬 Also got a kick at you restraining yourself from swearing whilst you worked😅. I know. I feel your pain. In the arse! 😏 My BSR Model 0973 is very minty, which is why I bothered to purchase it at all. I'd never seen a BSR with such great aspirations at trying to pass itself off as a "true" component HiFi job; but then a couple of months later I had a golden (leaden?🤨) opportunity to purchase an ADC Accutrash 4000. Let's refresh your memories here: It's an unusually large beast with an excellent DIRECT DRIVE servo motor (-38db UNweighted rumble, 0.03% claimed W&F, 0.06% measured...), a sprung subchassis, MADE OF REAL WOOD too🧐!, an even spiffier statically-balanced S-shaped tonearm than the 0973 (for starters, the slots in the METAL headshell that allow you to adjust the offset & overhang of the magnetic cartridge are actually REAL, not merely embossed onto a molded plastic POS excuse for a headshell!🙄), & if this revolutionary (& many would say: Gimmicky!) turntable doesn't ring any bells for you, it is a fool automatic beyond your wildest dreams! A row of no less than TWENTY-THREE 🤯 identical white pushbuttons, AND 4 spiffy silver knobs to boot, grace a front lip beyond the reach of the dustcover!!! ADC came up with a slogan for it that some of you may remember: "Its Mother is a turntable. Its Father is a computer!" I leave an unwritten tag line of mine to complete the slogan: "It's a real bastard!"😅 It has a chunky remote control, which sends ULTRASONIC signals to the WIRED (but thankfully detachable!) remote receiver; a shiny silver ball that looks suspiciously like a little Van De Graaf generator.😲 The Engineers had the good sense to put a bright red LED on the front of it to confirm that the table received a command. Good thing too, given the latency of the turntable's response! The piece of resistance was the spe-cial ADC cartridge that's integral to its design. It was basically an XLM III but has a bunch of extra wires exiting from it!, not the usual 3 or 4!😳 This is because it had an infrared diode setup in it, much like the laser in the Seedy Flayers that didn't make their appearance until about 5 years later! Because the turntable isn't just fooly automatic, IT'S FOOLY PROGRAMMABLE as well!!!🤪🤯 A primitive computer (by today's standards, OF COURSE) managed the fool proceedings, allowing information from the light scatter of the photodetector to count the number & location of each track, and you to...er..."tell it where to go".😎 Here's where the real stupidity kicked in: or maybe deliberately cynical planned obsolescence. The photodetector was built INTO the supplied LMA-1 & later LMA-3 cartridges!!!🧟🤦 No LMA-1, no programmability!!!🙄😡And to make matters that much worse, the stylus grips are UTTERLY different & UNIQUE, & look NOTHING like any other modern ADC cartridge stylii grips, such as the one mounted to the table in your own video. As such, replacement stylii were rather quickly discontinued by ADC, despite strongbsales of the Accutrac series of turntables!😡🤬🤬🤬 Now, the death of vinyl in the 1980's was undoubtedly a contributing factor. It certainly contributed to the death of ADC as a company! Anyway, the point of this novel is that ADC didn't build this turntable. Nor did they likely design it & engineer it. ADC is a British company. Something of this sophistication & build quality looks like a slam-dunk "Made in Japan" job...FOR SURE. But, it's not. It's made in England! That's right... the ADC Accutrac turntables were made by BSR in their own British factory!😳😲😮🤩🤩🤩
Upon further evaluation my BSR is running .7 faster than 33 & 1/3rd speed. I hear most of these older tables tend to be a little fast. Better slightly fast than to slow. I can live with it.
Perfec tutorial. Without it I would ruin my Sony HP-319 with it’s BSR R141. Bought it as not working second hand. I could move none of its parts. Spinning now, speed selector works, start/stop also. I do not have any spindle to test (both missing). On an old record I can hear some strange noises. Hard to center the record. Not sure if cartridge is ok. I hope you continue what you are doing. Thanks for the video!
I'm kicking myself wishing I would have found your video before disassembling my record player. I love to tinker and when my mom handed down her broken record player, I was excited to fix it. I could not find anything specific in terms of direction for my situation so I jumped in. Then, well.... let's just say I hit a snag. This one is very similar to mine. Luckily I have been able to reassemble many portions by what you have shown in this video. Unfortunately at 7:37 you touch on a portion that I'm struggling to attach correctly. Any suggestions or possibly another video of yours where you go in depth on that section? Shoot, even if you cant respond, you have been a tremendous help and I'm addicted to your channel. Fascinating content. Love it.
Now I have regrets haha. My Dad gave away a BSR Turntable to some guy to fix. Guy said it couldn't be fixed (the same issue with stiff wheel and broken needle) so we got a new one. Looking at this now I'm like..."Dammmit should have made the guy give us back the old turntable." Oh well the DJQ1100 is serving us well, although I do miss the auto change haha.
I think methylated spirit instead of other more aggressive solvents will do the job. For re-lubricating the various shafts and sliding surfaces I use sewing machine oil and vaseline, respectively.
Thank you ever so much. One-handed is epic! Really helped me out with a Ferguson Studio 20D that I got recently. Can't find phonolube anywhere and not sure of a good substitute.
Hi Jordan, First I have to thank u about your amazing video,It helped me a lot. I still have problem with spindle adjustment, Plz describe the procedure in a video. thank u
Make sure the ledge of the spindle is pointed at the tonearm pivot (back right corner of the turntable) in order to engage and work. Often it gets rotated out of position when someone forces a stuck platter to move.
Its a lot easier if you hold the soldering iron on the middle of the cam gear then you are just heating the middle not all the lot. I also used to put the soldering iron down the centre hole to heat up the middle so you could remove the turntable. My Weller iron fit it exactly.
Thanks! Looking at buying a Ferguson p128 but in the thrift store it hardly rotated and have a scratchy metallic noise. Perhaps just lubing it up might work
Thank you SO MUCH. I have a zenith allegro. You just helped me fix the record changing part! Now, i am having issues with the speed selecting...it stops/barely catches on 33 and 45. The 78 works fine. A few weeks ago when I was switching from 45 to 33, i felt it slip..like something came off or slipped for lack of a better word. The problem is that the allegro wedge - i can't get the screws off of the back to take it apart. Any suggestions? THANK YOU AGAIN.
Man!!!! Even with one hand he made it look like a piece of cake...u don't realize how hard and complicated those mecanismes are until u start working on one..HE is a PRO and a really good one to make look so easy
Thanks! I just acquired a BSR player that was spinning fast. I followed your cleaning with the wheel and removed the grease and put new on grease. It's like magic. I truly appreciate your video and more amazed you did this with one hand.
Oh, and as an aside---I'm impressed that you work in an electronics repair shop. In today's throw-away society, repair shops are starting to become a thing of the past---I think it's great that guys like you are still out there, because you're needed
You are the best Jordan!!! I was looking everywhere for a guide for my Sony HP-161 and came across your video. My records have never sounded so good and smooth. All the features now work on my old girl and she is singing again. You're providing a very valuable service. Thanks again!
I consider this video (and your VM series videos) to be an invaluable resource. There are many thousands of BSR's still out there, and I'm sure this video will help many. Great job! Oh, and very interesting about the 1000-grit sandpaper on the idler wheel---I never thought about that, and I've got a VM that would benefit from that. It's not completely hard, it's just starting to get a little stiff and "greasy" if you will
I just bought a bsr turntable probably one of the last 4 speed models and did what you're doing and it now works great
Me too got one from my grandparents and sounds great. Surprised I thought it would sound awful
Very good explanation of lubricating the turntable, a great video, thank you for the great explanation.
Hehe, I fixed these in the 70's when they were new, because they occasionally would freeze even that early in their lives. I kept a small bowl filled with a degreasing solvent to dump the center bearing parts into for an hour or so, to dissolve the lube. I used either hard plastic or wooden tools to scrape off old grease, along with q-tips soaked in the solvent, to avoid scratching the surfaces of the various parts (pins, levers,etc).
Cotton rags and spray solvents were used to finish-off all cleaned points, and then when the entire mechanism was degreased and clean, good old GC Phonolube was used to re-lube every point, except the parts in the end-of-record trip sensor and its associated rod. Those were always left dry and clean.
I never used acetone because it and its vapors are carcenogenic. I usually used isopropyl alcohol 99%, but there were a couple of flouro-based solvents available back then, which were also dangerous, but they worked very well for the final degreasing of an operating point. Usually sprayed those outside and very sparingly.
Great use of the soldering gun and heat gun there. I never had to go that far back then.
I used 4 hardwood blocks to support the inverted turntable on the bench, to avoid putting any pressure on the tone-arm.
That's about all the tips I can remember - it's been since the 80s since I stopped doing commercial repairs. Thanks for the video!
Hey can you get a hold of me i have a record changer i cant identify
Any tips for a BSR Monarch from the 50's? The 45 rpm and 78rpm speed works but the 33rpm doesn't.
Acetone is definitely not carcinogenic. Its produced in our bodies as a part of normal metabolism and is in fact so safe that it is exempt from VOC status. Halogenated solvents, which used to be very commonly used to clean electronics, are carcinogenic and have been phased out because of health concerns.
That said it’s probably a good idea to avoid using acetone on older audio equipment because it can often dissolve or damage plastics. Isopropyl alcohol is usually the best first choice for this kind of work.
I haven't even finished this vid and I am in awe. I have been passionate about recorder changers since I was a kid. You have changed my life. I want to start restoring record changers. I hope I can have contact with you.
Under the cam, the metal part that pushes the cam spring'd starter (looks like it's pointing at the center spindle), is missing a ball bearing under the novel cut out! It's the same ones that are on the center spindle/record plate in center. Good video!!
You got it. A real knowledgeable pro!!
Hey bud.. I have now got 2 fully functioning bsr tables because of your videos.
Thank you so much for sharing your information.
I followed step by step and nailed it!
This BSR record changer has the worst grease ever. It should all be removed. Use 30-40 Q tips. Got one in 1974 and went bad by 2000. Haven't used it since.
But now I know how to fit it thanks to Jordan!
I found this video while trying to repair my old BSR turntable that's been in the basement since the stone age. I'm pretty handy with these things, and couldn't imagine why the turntable wouldn't come off after removing the cir-clip. Figured I was doing something wrong. The soldering iron trick worked like magic! Who would have thought that grease could harden to the point you have to chip it off? Great video, thanks for the tips.
Jordan,
Excellent servicing information. Thanks for showing all the little details. You're absolutely right about oiling the idler wheel. For my first record player servicing, I did an old Voice of Music record player and found that, after servicing it, there was a tiny squeak that wouldn't go away. Removing the idler wheel and putting a very tiny drop of Zoom Spout Oil on the axle shaft solved my squeaking problem. I was extra careful not to get any oil on the rubber idler wheel.
Regards, Tom
Thank you so much for the video. As a young married couple we purchased a PYE 3in1 in 1977 and has been laying unused in our garage for over 30years. It has the same turnrtable as this except it has the 2 pole motor. Your excellent video has helped me greatly in getting it going.
This video saved my record cabinet and I am so thankful that you took the time to walk us through the whole cleaning process. Thanks you so very much!
Thanks so much for the vid. Could not have got it running again without this.
I'm working on a BSR in a Panasonic FM/AM Stereo Music Center SD-203. Each step-by-step direction is very clear to follow. I have two more BSR's in other systems that I will work on in the future. These are units from my high school and college years in the 70"s. They have sat around for 40+ years and now I'm refurbishing one for my youngest daughter! As a former teacher, I will say thank you for the precise and clear directions.
Thank you for the clear and detailed video. I followed your guidance to repair a completely seized Fisher 225-XA (BSR C123R2.A.6). It sounds fantastic and works like new now.
That was fantastic, thanks for taking the time to show that process, much appreciated.
Fantastic video! I have had my BSR for over twenty years. I moved 6 years ago and finally got around to unboxing it only to find that it was slow. I will apply everything you show here and it should be good to go.
Great video as always JP. One note, after cleaning and oiling the star wheel it wouldn’t always move the tone arm over at the start so I cleaned it again an reinstalled it without oil and it works fine now.
Thank you so much. I have a BSR 220S that froze up and I was able to get it running with your help.
Thanks for this video. I had one that was seized up, but once I got the turn table moving, the center metal piece wanted to move no matter how much heat I put to it. I used quarters around it and increased the stack of them a little art a time, and when I got to 8 stacks off 5 quarters each, when I applied heat, the turn table finally came off. All of the other steps in your video helped me get it running again. Thanks.
You are amazing. Thanks so much for this video! I just bought a readers digest media cabinet complete with cassette deck, 8 track, record player and even am/fm + alarm clock. The bsr unit was completely seized up… you saved my $6 goodwill investment
Thank you. Got my almost 50 year old seized turntable working perfectly!
Thanks for the tips. I got my nearly identical BSR turntable unseized and running again. I didn't find your video first and used another, which was helpful in getting the platter free and the top stuff unstuck. But it didn't cover any of the underside maintenance like yours did, and mine certainly needed help there too.
Good work, JP. Once serviced, these units may perform well. I am nearly ready to try my hand with a Dual 1225. Thank you.
Thanks! I have a Garrard SL55B top mounted into a Marantz receiver, The Model 28...the guts of the Garrard are very similar to this BSR and your video helped a lot in getting it run.
this is the best BSR video out there. thank you for sharing your knowledge and being so detailed. i was able to restore an old morse/electrophonic console stereo back to working condition! thank you again!
I just repaired a BSR turntable from a Superscope MS-30 using this video…your right, the best I could track was 3.5 grams. Thanks for all the helpful information…she works great!
A relative was done with her BSR Panisonic 3in1. The BSR was stiff, so stiff, in every way being kept near the cold salty front door. Now its back doing what its maker intended, thanks to this video.
Jordan, thank you for these videos. As a novice who is teaching himself to service old stereos, these videos on cheaper tables are perfect. Also, the tracking for comment made me laugh hard.
Thank you JP walked me through the service. Very much appreciated, works now!
+1 subscriber. I had a BSR record changer with basically identical mechanics on the underside, and between taking apart and wondering what needs to move better this is going to help fix the unit after not being ran for 20-30yrs.
Only difference is that I had a Zenith SI-4140. My particular one had that bearing piece you were heating up around 9:30, and instead of being metal mine was a hard plastic. so had to use penetrating out to loosen it vs heat gun :)
Thanks for this excellent demonstration. Am going to try to apply at my new acquired bsr built in the 60's which is totally dead, in the mechanical aspect only. But in the electronics, to try to scout for old school technicians.
This video is gold. Turns out it’s not that easy to find good videos on that topic on CZcams ..
Holy snort thanks man I was able to fix my dad’s turn table with your video! The speed selector messed up and all I had to do was reseat it properly 🎉
This video has restored my grandfather's old record player. Thank you!
awesome!!! I've got an old BSR turntable that I installed for my folks in a console stereo over 40 years ago. The platter spins OK and probably needs this service, the speed and power switches are frozen so, based upon your vid I'm going to pull it out and see if I can get it going. Thanks!! Fantastic vids
Thank you so much!! This video helped greatly! We are complete novices to Record players.
Thank you!!! Picked up a Realistic Lab 52 which is just a BSR C-182. The while dang thing was seized. I was able to get most of it unlocked, but couldn't figure out the start switch. But this video saved the day. Cheers!!!
Thank you very much. This was instrumental in repairing my turntable.
Amazing! Thanks so much for taking the time to explain everything step by step, I'm happy I brought back to life this turntable. Gracias!
I was fixing these bsr changers at about 10 years old lol, i would suggest putting the rubber drive wheel on a lathe to even it out apply gentle pressure with 1500grit paper, it might look level but it wont be they never were from new. anyway im glad your channels back mate, good stuff.
Thank you for this video! Was able to fix one up my lady just bought. Easy to follow and fun to complain along with you when customers try getting in before the open hour ;)
I have one of those on the bench right now. This video will help a lot since this thing is pretty much a solid block of non moving parts.
Thank you. Still and probably always relevant and useful. Gives me confidence to tackle my own.
Impressive simultaneous one handed camera and bench work too!
Thank you very much! I repaired my phone with your help!🎉
Thanks for this. I am going to resurrect my BSR 310 AXE that I had set up for playing and digitizing 78s. The turntable is frozen up now after storage. I've already rebuilt a BIC 1000. This looks similar. Thanks again for the excellent video!
Great video. I just got a nice stereo cabinet for free. The main problem was the on switch was locked. Used your tip and got it working in just a few min. Thanks. I am saving this video so I can do the rest of the repairs once I have the phonogreese
Nice work sir got my mom's record player working again.
100% perfect!! Thank you so much! Mine was not seized up but it turned very hard. It is now up and running perfectly thanks to your video!! You da man!!!
Very informative and educational.
Thank you for taking taking the time to make this video.
Fascinating and informative and all done one handed. Thank you.
I have just begun to clean my player up thank for the excellent video and tutorial.
Awesome video! Learned alot about the mechanical parts and I thank you for that. I watched the whole video, and when you got to the end to check for cycling of the cam, it worked! However, you didn't shed any light on what to do if it doesn't cycle correctly. I bought a Hitachi Stereo for $3 and went through it completely, but everything was freed up. I did clean all switches. The problem I have is that when an album is loaded and I switch to start, the record drops, but the tonearm stops short of the landing groove and returns to the pedestal. This seems like a "size" issue, but it is set on 12". So then I changed size to 7" and 10" and the tonearm goes to the appropriate spot on the record, but immediately returns to the pedestal. The turntable is a SP-916 based on the manual I purchased online. When I manually place the tonearm on the platter, the album plays fine to the end, returns to pedestal and shuts down like it should. The tonearm goes to the appropriate location, no matter the size set, but won't drop down on the record and play. Hope this is clear enough. Love the attitude fixin this stuff and a customer at the door to early. lol. Help!
Wonderful video. Helped get my zenith back in running shape
Thank you my friend, you help to restore music in my house, and a little confidence in my ability to follow instructions, well done, and cheers
Working on a Zenith JR596W turntable currently. I've looked at a bunch of these repair videos last night and today. Tried the soldering iron trick, tried tapping the center spindle with a heavy screwdriver a couple times, tried 3-in-1 oil yesterday, let it sit overnight, tried it again today. Held the soldering iron in the center hole for nearly 10 minutes. Even after all that, the turntable will just simply not come off at all (though it's doing full 360 rotations, whereas before the turntable itself was literally stuck in place). My fingers are all chapped now from continuously pulling up on the edge of that metal platter, lol. I feel kinda discouraged, like this thing is never going to get fixed.
One interesting thing to note about these turntables is, if you spin it manually with your hand and flick the auto switch, you can actually see the tonearm mechanism go through its motions and place itself on the record, return to its holder, etc.
Thanks so much for this vid. I followed it one by one and fixed mine the way you did!
Great video as always. I’ve picked up a couple of these on eBay and I noticed that they play quite fast ( a common problem with these ), so I sanded the shaft slightly for the 33 and 45 positions and it worked great. Time consuming because you have to keep checking it with a strobe disc as you go, but well worth it.
I have the same problem, 33 too fast...45s perfect. As a complete novice..what shaft are you referring to. Do you mean the central metal shaft or some other shaft nearer the speed shift mechanism?
@@patrickmcgivern9686 Yes it is the shaft that spins the idler wheel. It is a tedious job, as you have to keep replacing the platter to check the speed with a strobe disc and a UV light. The 33 spot on the shaft is the very top one, with the smallest circumference. Check it often, because if you take too much off, it will rotate too slowly. You can use a file or Emory cloth/tape. Good luck!
@@gns423 A "UV" light to check speed with a strobe disc??? Does that even work???
You need any old light source that works off the mains (120VAC/60Hz in North America) which has a low thermal inertia (heats up & cools down real quick). The lower the thermal inertia, the more noticeable they'll flicker in sync with the 60c/s mains frequency. If you're old enough to remember how annoying fluorescent lamps are for flickering, they'll put a big smile on your face in this application! Anything with a neon bulb bright enough (or turn your room lighting down) also works a treat. Even LED bulbs work, but I find them the hardest to see with of these 3 types. If you're a 70's Head like I am, you do have UV light sources for your trippy poster collection. We referred to them as "Black Lights" because the very dark & kind of heavy emissive coating doesn't let alot of visible light through. Most of 'em were incandescent A19 style screw-in bulbs, & incandescent bulbs are useless with strobe discs, UV Blacklights or not! I DO have a couple of 18" flourescent fixtures with Blacklight tubes for them, but I think they'd still be less than ideal since their visible spectrum light output is so feeble. But if you weren't confusing flourescent tubes by calling them UV ones, then I suppose I ought to see how they work if only for 💩s & giggles, & perhaps report back to y'all...🧐
THANKS Jordan for all your help.
Thanks so much for the video! Helped me fix a repetitive bumping that I had! Just cleaned and reapplied grease! Thanks
REALLY thank you very much!!! Saved me a lot of troubles!
I have one of these in a Lloyds console, and this video got it working again.
Own a BSR ...still play mine 👌🏼
... enjoy this video very much indeed.
I used to have a small ultasonic cleaner filled with ispropyl that I would throw the parts in while I cleaned the mechanism. Same with 16mm projectors, slide projectors, r to rs etc. Saved a lot of time.
some of your comments remind me of when still at college i upgraded my BSR UA12 TT to stereo with a SX5 ceramic pick up the 1 valve amp in the Dansette & a exturnal valve amp in a old tape recorder the only purchased part was the pick up for £5:00
Thanks, this was a great help to get my TT running again. My rpm on phone ap says it is a tiny bit fast but I think it sounds great. Has an old Pickering cart.
This was so well done and helpful. Many, many thanks.
I just serviced my Radio Shack Clarinette 105 following these instructions as far as I could. On this type of cabinet, I was not able to take the whole platform off due to it being inaccessible means to get to those two screws to release the platform from the cabinet. But I was able to pry the platform up enough on one side of the platform to be able to spray some WD40 on the mechanisms and gave it time to work itself in and then I worked the control knob gently till it broke free. I did have to use a cheap soldering iron to heat up the spindle shaft till the platter was able to break free. It did not take as long as in this video to heat up. After removing it I did take the cam gear off. I did not use any machine oil or lube but olive oil to lube and oil up the areas mentioned in this video. When done I assembled everything back and it does work now except I, as he did in the video, put the spindle in wrong and I have to try and figure out how to put it in the correct orientation so the auto drop will work. But I gently pat the record down and the needle arm comes over and drops down and plays to the end and stops. Some people don't like these types of stereo but not everyone can afford to spend $2,000 on a stereo system built of different components.
On the clarinette, you either remove the rear panel, flip one up to release the back part then pull back to slide the other out of position to remove the turntable.
...or there are large screws on the underside at the left and right that release the whole top
... everytime I watch this vid I pick-up something I missed the time before; kudos on it.
So I bought the ferguson p128 as mentionen and basicallt followed every point in your video, and voila, it seems to work perfectly :) Now the tonearm seems to not align perfectly in height etc so I need to check how to tune everything. Thanks alot for this video
Thanks for the video. Helped me out tremendously
Thanks, it worked, of course. Saved me a big headache.
When I was in vo-tech school in the 70s we had some fixtures that would hold the turntable while you worked on it. I can’t remember who manufactured them, they made servicing them easier.
I have one, but it really only seems to be good when troubleshooting cycling problems where you have to see the system in action underneath
eres un verdadero crack. He conseguido recuperar el viejo tocadiscos de mi padre de más de 50 años gracias a tus indicaciones. God bless you!!
Update: BSR A27 turntable. I discovered my platter is a steel 7" platter and not and 8" Very happy about that! The rubber mat will carefully separate from the steel platter towards the middle of the platter and carefully not bending the BSR aluminum center badge. Once I did this there was in fact an E-clip holding the platter in place. The rest is history. I was starting to get some wow in speed. Most noticeable on slower piano music. Anyway's, I serviced all under the platter as in this vid and now she sounds excellent! Glad I figured out how to get the platter off. Again mine was not stuck at all. P.S. I "did not remove" the original adhesive between the rubber mat and the steel platter. I simple pressed it it back on evenly and all is great! Again this was the 1970 Panasonic RD-7673,,,,,BSR A27 compact turntable. I very much hope this helped someone also. Love music!
Thank you! A very helpful video!
Awesome awesome video.
You're a wealth of information
i use a 1875 watt hardryer on a 1973 Magnavox changer to get the grey cycle gear wheel off too i also used lighter fluid to soften the hardened grease after it sat for half an hour
A very helpful & valuable video Waltz through the mechanical horror known as the "Auto-Changer"🤮🙄 Not sure how applicable all your tips with this model (I think you should have at least mentioned its number🤷) are for my spiffier Model #0973, which is a whole lot more Hi-Fi looking than the rather nasty piece of work shown here, being a Single-Play Fool Automatic job with a shiny S-shaped arm & an actual ADJUSTABLE counterweight!😲🤯
I just picked up this turdtable recently to gift to a friend (we'll just have to see if that changes after I give it to him🤔), & another found your vid & sent me the link to it.
I have yet to dig into mine, & my issues with it are different than the ones shown here; albeit I do think that after 45 years or so it at least needs to be dismantled & re-lubed!😜
Still, right off the bat your video was a great help to me. Someone sold me their DUAL idler-puck collection, but there was one oddball amongst them I didn't recognize. And when you lifted off the platter of the star of your show...BINGO!😎
I also appreciated the tip to use GC Phonolube as a preferred grease. I know all the various grades & types of oil I need to service turntables, but the grease thing bugged me. Thanks for the recommendation! Something I can readily find in North America, thank Gob!
I'll also give your #1000 grit sandpaper idler wheel trick a try. Nice tip! Something that actually will work! Unlike trying to use MG Chemicals "Rubber Renue" to soften idler pucks gone hard & therefore noisy, which NEVER works!!😡🤬
Also got a kick at you restraining yourself from swearing whilst you worked😅. I know. I feel your pain. In the arse! 😏
My BSR Model 0973 is very minty, which is why I bothered to purchase it at all. I'd never seen a BSR with such great aspirations at trying to pass itself off as a "true" component HiFi job; but then a couple of months later I had a golden (leaden?🤨) opportunity to purchase an ADC Accutrash 4000. Let's refresh your memories here: It's an unusually large beast with an excellent DIRECT DRIVE servo motor (-38db UNweighted rumble, 0.03% claimed W&F, 0.06% measured...), a sprung subchassis, MADE OF REAL WOOD too🧐!, an even spiffier statically-balanced S-shaped tonearm than the 0973 (for starters, the slots in the METAL headshell that allow you to adjust the offset & overhang of the magnetic cartridge are actually REAL, not merely embossed onto a molded plastic POS excuse for a headshell!🙄), & if this revolutionary (& many would say: Gimmicky!) turntable doesn't ring any bells for you, it is a fool automatic beyond your wildest dreams! A row of no less than TWENTY-THREE 🤯 identical white pushbuttons, AND 4 spiffy silver knobs to boot, grace a front lip beyond the reach of the dustcover!!! ADC came up with a slogan for it that some of you may remember: "Its Mother is a turntable. Its Father is a computer!"
I leave an unwritten tag line of mine to complete the slogan: "It's a real bastard!"😅
It has a chunky remote control, which sends ULTRASONIC signals to the WIRED (but thankfully detachable!) remote receiver; a shiny silver ball that looks suspiciously like a little Van De Graaf generator.😲 The Engineers had the good sense to put a bright red LED on the front of it to confirm that the table received a command. Good thing too, given the latency of the turntable's response! The piece of resistance was the spe-cial ADC cartridge that's integral to its design. It was basically an XLM III but has a bunch of extra wires exiting from it!, not the usual 3 or 4!😳 This is because it had an infrared diode setup in it, much like the laser in the Seedy Flayers that didn't make their appearance until about 5 years later! Because the turntable isn't just fooly automatic, IT'S FOOLY PROGRAMMABLE as well!!!🤪🤯 A primitive computer (by today's standards, OF COURSE) managed the fool proceedings, allowing information from the light scatter of the photodetector to count the number & location of each track, and you to...er..."tell it where to go".😎 Here's where the real stupidity kicked in: or maybe deliberately cynical planned obsolescence. The photodetector was built INTO the supplied LMA-1 & later LMA-3 cartridges!!!🧟🤦 No LMA-1, no programmability!!!🙄😡And to make matters that much worse, the stylus grips are UTTERLY different & UNIQUE, & look NOTHING like any other modern ADC cartridge stylii grips, such as the one mounted to the table in your own video. As such, replacement stylii were rather quickly discontinued by ADC, despite strongbsales of the Accutrac series of turntables!😡🤬🤬🤬 Now, the death of vinyl in the 1980's was undoubtedly a contributing factor. It certainly contributed to the death of ADC as a company!
Anyway, the point of this novel is that ADC didn't build this turntable. Nor did they likely design it & engineer it. ADC is a British company. Something of this sophistication & build quality looks like a slam-dunk "Made in Japan" job...FOR SURE.
But, it's not. It's made in England!
That's right... the ADC Accutrac turntables were made by BSR in their own British factory!😳😲😮🤩🤩🤩
great video, thank you very much. bye bye from italy :)
Upon further evaluation my BSR is running .7 faster than 33 & 1/3rd speed. I hear most of these older tables tend to be a little fast. Better slightly fast than to slow. I can live with it.
Fantastic big help thank YOU
Thanks this video helped me a lot
Perfec tutorial. Without it I would ruin my Sony HP-319 with it’s BSR R141. Bought it as not working second hand. I could move none of its parts. Spinning now, speed selector works, start/stop also. I do not have any spindle to test (both missing). On an old record I can hear some strange noises. Hard to center the record. Not sure if cartridge is ok. I hope you continue what you are doing. Thanks for the video!
Very helpful, thanks!
I'm kicking myself wishing I would have found your video before disassembling my record player. I love to tinker and when my mom handed down her broken record player, I was excited to fix it. I could not find anything specific in terms of direction for my situation so I jumped in. Then, well.... let's just say I hit a snag. This one is very similar to mine. Luckily I have been able to reassemble many portions by what you have shown in this video. Unfortunately at 7:37 you touch on a portion that I'm struggling to attach correctly.
Any suggestions or possibly another video of yours where you go in depth on that section?
Shoot, even if you cant respond, you have been a tremendous help and I'm addicted to your channel.
Fascinating content. Love it.
Now I have regrets haha. My Dad gave away a BSR Turntable to some guy to fix. Guy said it couldn't be fixed (the same issue with stiff wheel and broken needle) so we got a new one. Looking at this now I'm like..."Dammmit should have made the guy give us back the old turntable." Oh well the DJQ1100 is serving us well, although I do miss the auto change haha.
I think methylated spirit instead of other more aggressive solvents will do the job. For re-lubricating the various shafts and sliding surfaces I use sewing machine oil and vaseline, respectively.
I have a Lloyds unit that has that changer. Everything worked great. I left the amp on by mistake and the next day all it did was hum quite loud...
Thank you ever so much. One-handed is epic! Really helped me out with a Ferguson Studio 20D that I got recently. Can't find phonolube anywhere and not sure of a good substitute.
Greta video, thanks.
Hi Jordan, First I have to thank u about your amazing video,It helped me a lot. I still have problem with spindle adjustment, Plz describe the procedure in a video. thank u
Make sure the ledge of the spindle is pointed at the tonearm pivot (back right corner of the turntable) in order to engage and work. Often it gets rotated out of position when someone forces a stuck platter to move.
Good day @JordanPier ! What oil are you using in the syringe to apply to most of the components? Have you used white lithium grease on any components?
Its a lot easier if you hold the soldering iron on the middle of the cam gear then you are just heating the middle not all the lot. I also used to put the soldering iron down the centre hole to heat up the middle so you could remove the turntable. My Weller iron fit it exactly.
Thanks! Looking at buying a Ferguson p128 but in the thrift store it hardly rotated and have a scratchy metallic noise. Perhaps just lubing it up might work
Thank you SO MUCH. I have a zenith allegro. You just helped me fix the record changing part! Now, i am having issues with the speed selecting...it stops/barely catches on 33 and 45. The 78 works fine. A few weeks ago when I was switching from 45 to 33, i felt it slip..like something came off or slipped for lack of a better word. The problem is that the allegro wedge - i can't get the screws off of the back to take it apart. Any suggestions? THANK YOU AGAIN.