A few years ago, I grabbed an RCA Victrola 45 record player, model 45-EY-3. This is a self-contained record changer that plays only 7″ 45RPM records. It was built around the early 50s, so it is at least 55 years old. Over time, the rubber deteriorates on many of the changer parts (idler wheel, cam, mounting grommets, etc.), as do the capacitors and a few other electronic components. So, what do I plan on doing with this little antique?
During the next few months, I’ll be doing a restoration on this neat little record player, doing a little bit at a time. A short list of items to work on include:
- Rebuilding the amplifier with new wiring and capacitors, all of which have dried out and drifted out of value. Resistors, too, will be replaced, and I’ll get the tubes checked to make sure they are in spec. The new wiring is mainly a safety improvement.
- Replacing the rubber parts in the changer, of which there are a few. There are rubber grommets for motor mounts that have dried out. The changer itself floats on rubber “cones”, which also could use replacing. The mechanical rubber inside the changer includes the idler wheel, and a cam that operates the changer mechanism.
- Replace the crystal cartridge with a “low rider” cartridge made specifically for this unit. It allows the stacking of up to 15 singles, and sounds better than the original cartridge.
- Lubricate and adjust the changer mechanism.
- Repaint the top of the changer to match the original gold paint. This one is not in bad shape, but it will freshen it up a bit.
- Clean and polish the Bakelite case. The only drawback is that there is a crack in the case, but it is in the rear where it can’t be seen. Fixing it with epoxy and an overlapping mesh patch would strengthen it.
It seems like a bit of work, but if done in stages, it will not be overwhelming. As I begin restoring this, I’ll update here with regular posts, giving links to the suppliers I’ve used, and sharing any methods that make restoring this easier. I’ve found a great forum (the Antique Radio Forum) that has a section on Phonographs, and it is frequented by many avid collectors along with Phil Vourtsis (who wrote the bible for Victrola 45s), and Willie Bosco (who sells the “low rider” cartridge and other important replacement parts).
Today, it plays…but not very well. It runs slow, probably due to the dried out idler wheel. The sound is weak, most likely due to the aged capacitors and the crystal cartridge. The changer mechanism hangs up a bit, but only because the idler wheel slips…once you run it for a bit, the changer works well. So hopefully, the mechanical side of the restoration won’t give me any problems.
Overall, it is a neat little player! And I can’t wait to get it working well again, and playing all of the old 45s on it once again.