1970's Sears Combo SS Stereo

[Hi-Fi-Mogul]

Hi everyone,
Another box unpacked for service.

I started looking around the cabinet to open it
up to remove the BSR changer.

I then noticed this gal was dropped on one corner,
and part of the heavy plastic and wood frame bent.
Once I got the frame off, I figured out I could glue
and clamp the damaged side.
After that, I found a steel L-frame piece that I was
able to bend, to provide a pull to make the frame
fit back more or less square.
Problem 1 solved.

Then I noticed the controls on the amp were
scratchy, and the spring button push On/Off
switch was sticking badly.
There are also a whole line of push button controls
under the pots, that were acting up badly.
The pots and the On/Off were finally cleaned up.
But, the lower line of push buttons were hidden
by several PC boards mounted on top of them.

I decided to just shoot the heck out of the
Nu-trol and CRC electrical cleaner and hope
it worked. It did.

I cleaned up and lubed the nicer BSR changer,
that has a magnetic ADC QLM MK III cart.
Replaced the stylus and adjusted tonearm
set-down.
I had a nice set of Realistic Minimus-4 speakers
that matched nicely.
The radio circuit is pretty nice and pulls in
weak stations.
The 8-track needs a belt, but I'm not going
to worry about that.
Ms. Sears is done, and sounds very good.
On to find a home for her.

[electra225]

There were millions of those things in service in the 1970's. My wife had an Electrophonic for awhile. I sold the stereo, but kept the speakers. That stereo is better than anything they make today. Sanyo built, perhaps?

[Hi-Fi-Mogul]

This 1978 stereo is of good quality, and it's heavy.
Made in Taiwan, with a very well organized
mounting board for all the different circuit
components.

It also has Dolby circuitry for the 8-track
and the FM radio !

This was not a cheapo product from Sears.
Fun to see it playing so well.

[electra225]

How do you find new homes for the items you fix up?

[William]

Yes, how do you find new homes. Around my neck of the woods you can't hardly give them away, unless of course you are the seller then you seem to think they are worth a fortune.

Bill

[Hi-Fi-Mogul]

How do I find homes ?
I'm lucky enough to have a thriving record shop near
me.
I worked with them 5-6 years with me bringing restored
hi-fi's in on consignment.

They took 30%, and that was OK for some years.
They also started referring people to me for
repairs.

In the last 3 years, a friend of mine told me about a
young guy selling lots of 20th mid-century stuff on
the weekends in my neighborhood.

So, I chatted with him, and now he
helps me sell my hi-fi's and I cut him a good
deal on repair costs.
I give him free advice on which record players/consoles
to NOT buy.

So, it's been a serendipitous network I've established.
My previous customers are nice and will on
occasion send me another friend with a repair or
who wants to buy one.

[William]

Thank you! I wish I had your connections for both selling and buying. People around here just do not seem interested in anything that plays vinyl.

Bill

[electra225]

That's the way it is here. I tried to teach a 26-year-old man how to play records. He never did get it. He couldn't put the tone arm down in the lead strip to save his life. And couldn't make a changer work, either. I couldn't believe it......