Stromberg-Carlson 1121 console

[electra225]

I'm not making much progress, but I'm having fun. I can't get the drive tire to drive the platter. I think the tire is plenty soft. It acts to me like the drive tire isn't contacting the platter. There is an adjustment, but it hasn't made much difference. I have the stuck linkage moving, but it really needs to come apart and cleaned properly. That procedure will involve the five ball bearings under the platter that everybody dreads messing with. Apparently, it is a pain getting the five ball bearings back into their cage so you can put the changer back together.

[TC Chris]

Does it have the phenolic disc with holes for the individual balls? If yes, they are likely to stick to something from stiff old grease, and so be easy to retrieve. To replace, use grease again, new grease, which ought to be viscous enough to hold the bearings in their holes.

I have an old "stud finder" magnet on an aluminum rod that is my go-to item for grabbing small ferrous items or depositing them.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

I started taking the changer apart out of desperation, mostly. I found that the big bracket that involved those bearings was actually in two pieces. I took the rear half of that bracket off and was able to free the linkage that was sticking. This was the most progress I have made so far, this made the biggest change in performance. I made an adjustment with the drive system which almost has restored drive. I wonder if the spring on the first linkage I removed might have gotten stretched. I'll tinker a bit more with that. The changer will drop a record at the right spot, but it doesn't shut off after the last record has played. It returns the tone arm to the 7" position. More tinkering......

[electra225]

I need to make sure the overarm is going all the way down and that the little arm that gauges record size is not sticky and contacts the overarm in the right spot so the changer will shut off after the last record. I'll make some adjustments to the drive system then get with Gary about a ceramic cartridge for this changer. The S-C amp won't work with a magnetic. If they are available and not too expensive, it would be nice to have a 45 rpm adapter for this changer.

[William]

You are making great progress and I believe your fear of changers has come to an end. I am still afraid of Collaro changers, but one of these days I need to roll up my sleeves and just dig in. Is the Garrard changer head a 1/2" mount?

Bill

[electra225]

It is. That should make it easier to find a ceramic cartridge that will work. I'm not near over my hesitancy at digging into a changer. Sometimes, I have no choice. I need to find out where you get the shims and doodads you need to mount a cartridge in a headshell so you can get it aligned properly.

[electra225]

I cannot get the platter to drive dependably. I can't get 78 or 16 to work at all. 45 will work well, 33 will work if I push on the linkage with the drive tire on it. Spring pressure makes no difference, at least the springs I have messed with. No adjustment of the drive tire gives a sweet spot. Even though the drive tire is soft and pliable, what if it's not the right one or maybe it just won't grip? I sanded the drive tire once, but I may not have been aggressive enough. I haven't sorted the failure to shut off after the last record, but that seems unimportant if I can't get the platter to move dependably. I'm up against a stump here.

[electra225]

After getting what little information on defective drive on a Garrard Sc-121 MkII that I could find online, I am strongly suspecting that there may be contamination on the drive tire. Another thought I had was actually a "remembery", which is using alcohol on phono drive components. I cleaned the rim of the platter and the drive tire with 91% alcohol. I THINK I remember getting into trouble one other time by using alcohol on a drive tire. I need to scrounge up some lacquer thinner. Perhaps my neighbor has a dram of thinner I could mooch for a test. IF cleaning the drive tire with lacquer thinner temporarily solves my lack of drive issue, then I can approach the possibility of getting a rebuilt drive tire with more confidence. Stand by.....

[TC Chris]

If you have a belt or disc sander, clamp it down and turn it on. Use a nail (etc.) as an axle for the idler wheel. Hold against the moving sandpaper at a slight angle so it skids a bit. This will grind off any glaze. Just don't overdo it.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

NOTHING I have done makes one iota of difference in this thing. I can't even make it worse. It simply won't drive the platter in any speed other than 45 and after I cleaned and sanded the drive tire with 80 grit paper, I used lacquer thinner, it STILL won't drive the platter. And now, it won't even work in 45. I don't have any linkages wrong. I think I'm gonna put this aside and do some more research. I'll work with the VM changer I have. It has the GE Custom tone arm and will look silly in the old S-C console, but I can find a more appropriate stereo VM changer and simply trade one for the other. I think I have a plinth I robbed out of a console I junked if I can find it. IF not, I'll make a pattern and cut a new one. I have some tempered Masonite, so I should be set there. I got the Garrard up to "almost" but missed the mark somehow.

[electra225]

I apparently scrapped an Admiral console sometime in my life. I saved the plinth from it, noting it had a VM model 1297 changer. I had to cut it down to fit in the old S-C, but I got that done. Next up is to finish the plinth so I can use it. Then I probably should check to see that the phono input on the S-C is up to snuff. I never have used it.

[electra225]

I connected the little RCA 45 player to the old S-C chassis this afternoon. The cartridge in the RCA player puts out 300 mv, and even using an RCA radio made to work with the player, volume needs to be advanced. Same with the S-C chassis. It has a 6SC7 phono amp tube, but methinks it was made to work with a crystal cartridge, high output, maybe something around 2 volts output? Whatever changer finally ends up as part of this setup will need the highest output ceramic cartridge I can get so as to provide adequate volume and tone. I'll see how the GE C-100 works with this amp. The old S-C chassis itself worked quite well, didn't even have a dirty function switch.

[TC Chris]

Can you fiddle with the phono preamp circuit to squeeze out more gain? The old RCA tube manual has a preamp schematic in it, and a I recall there's one for a magnetic and another for a ceramic cartridge. I don't have my tube manuals at hand just now and can't verify.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

The little RCA player had a higher-output cartridge originally than it does now. I think the original was a crystal cartridge. The kits Gary supplies to refit the RCA 45 player has a ceramic, 300 mv. I believe the original cartridge was over 1 volt. I could probably change the 6SC7 to something with higher gain, but the result might not justify the effort. It's not a big deal if maximum performance is not achieved. I have plenty of other record players I can use that may suit me better. I want to get the old S-C working as well and as completely as I can. After I get the electronics like I want them, I need to do something with the cabinet. Maybe some Howard's is all it will need.

[electra225]

I have the plinth for the VM changer cut, finished and installed in the S-C console cabinet. I made a harness to bridge the stereo cartridge for mono output. I have the audio cable connected. I get sound when I drag my finger across the needle, so my connections are complete. What I need now is a power cable for the changer.

[Hi-Fi-Mogul]

How about some photos ?

Especially of the V-M motor power plug.

[electra225]

What do you want pictures of, Mr. Mogul? I'll have to pull the changer back out if you want pictures of the bottom of the changer. I bridged the cartridge past the RCA connections on the bottom of the changer. I just made a "Y" and connected both sides of the cartridge together, then ran a common ground. This changer won't be in there long-term. I have another one I need to go thru and put it in there. The one I put in is a spare for my GE stereos. I'd like to find a VM changer that is Stromberg-Carlson branded. There was one on ebay a year or so ago, but I didn't want one then......

[Hi-Fi-Mogul]

I missed the change over to the V-M G.E. changer.

If you need a power cord, Gary has cords for V-M changers with the molded
male power plug.

[electra225]

The Garrard changer belongs on the parts pile. I tinkered with it a bit again today. I think the thing is possessed. One time it will drop the record, then shut off after it's played. Of course, the only speed that works is 45. Next time, it won't drop the record at all, just goes to the 7" position and won't even drop the tone arm down to the record, it just stays about 3" above the record. Life is too short to mess with junk like that. Maybe somebody will want parts from it.

[electra225]

I got a power cord for the VM changer. I got a spare one so I can work with VM changers in my little styrofoam cradle. I'll get the power cord on sometime in the next couple of days and see what we have....