Who owns a 45 jukebox .... wanna show it off?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Rick Bartlett, Dec 5, 2015.

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  1. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    That's a nice little box for home use. Was probably one of the very last to feature a window like that for viewing the turntable.
     
  2. xmas111

    xmas111 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Plymouth MA
    Here's mine. Wurlitzer model 2910. Built in 1965 and it's the first year they made them stereo.

    [​IMG]
     
  3. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    Love your jukebox, love the wallbox, love The Beatles in mono, but the best thing in that photo is that album to the left of The Beatles in mono box!
     
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  4. xmas111

    xmas111 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Plymouth MA
    I played it yesterday.....great Christmas album!:agree:
     
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  5. longdist01

    longdist01 Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL USA
    To the best of my memory, our old school possibly had the inner mechanics of a "Wurlitzer 3400" style without an attractive case around it. Anyway a fun and great Thread, and so many cool jukeboxes shared here.

     
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  6. winopener

    winopener Forum Resident

    On a side note, i have always be surprised by how flat and boring are the jukebox strips in USA. The only ones that had a little of graphic were the LLP albums, and in monochrome. Gotta have some from somewhere else... this is a cd cover that a guy made from scan of original jukebox strips. It does add a LOT of colorful experience to the JB!

    [​IMG]
     
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  7. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    Here is my Seeburg "R", from 1954 …

     
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  8. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    Here is my Rockola 1454, from 1956 …

     
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  9. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    That is one extremely cool jukebox. The Seeburg is a killer, too.
     
  10. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    Here is my Rockola 1493, from 1962 …

    (NOTE: I am clearly currently having a problem with the 45/33 turntable and it's mech. For some reason the little toggle on the bottom of the turntable is getting stuck somewhere between the two different speeds! With the manual in hand, both my wife and I have attempted to fix this problem ourselves, but to no avail and sadly, all the local repair guys whom I trust are either too backed up with other jukebox repairs or are dying!)

     
  11. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    Here is my NSM "Cosmic Burst", which is a CD jukebox, but is worth posting for the CD fans!

    (NOTE: Sorry for the up/down video, as opposed to the wideview side to side)

     
  12. Rick, your jukebox is beautiful. I completely understand your desire to own a jukebox from this era.
    I have been a fan of them ever since I can remember because of my Grandpa Dan.
    He had one he used in the lobby of his Gun Club. I was very young when he sold that club but he kept the jukebox.
    It was in the basement, under a nice blanket. Occasionally he would crank it up and we could enjoy the music as well as the beauty of the machine in action, but in time it did not work anymore so it sat idle.
    I, not knowing it at that young age, was a budding mechanical headed person and was just in awe of all that was going on within that jukebox.
    As I got older I would go downstairs, uncover that jukebox, open it up and just look at it, taking in all it had to offer. I marveled at the level of detail and great attention to aesthetics as well as mechanical function. I never did get caught, at least I did not get in trouble anyway...and YOU DID NOT MESS WITH GRANDPAS STUFF!!!
    But MAN that machine drew me in and I could not help myself. Well, as the years passes that grand machine just sat there, unused, unloved, but in good order due to good storage.
    When I was in High School I got to talking about the jukebox with my grandpa and my dad (grandpa was moms dad) We posed the idea of my dad and I taking it home, refurbishing it completely, and bringing it back for all to enjoy. Grandpa was surprisingly okay with this idea and said sure. My aunt ( 3 girls in grandpas family) was not so keen on the idea as she figured she should get it. No matter how we explained we were taking it, repairing it, and bringing it back, was she able to understand that I was not "taking" the jukebox.
    So, my grandpa said let it go for now..and we did. Then, years later, after I was staying at his house helping take care of him in his ailing years (all three daughters and some of their kids helped) he said something along the lines of, Hey, you still want to fix that old jukebox. Of course I said, yes and I added I would love for you to enjoy it again.
    He said why don't you just take it. I said something like Sure, I'll call my dad and we can use his truck to move it and we will bring it back when we are finished.
    He then directly said, No, you TAKE it, it will be yours. You have liked that thing more than anyone I know. I want you to have it....I was floored, honored, and taken aback because grandpa NEVER gave anything away. I called my dad a few minuted later and asked him if he could come with the truck and help me move it. He and mom lived about an hour away and he said sure, I'll be there in two hours. Well, about the time dad and I were just bringing the jukebox up the stairs my aunt, the one who fought about it so many years ago, pulled up too. She often stopped in to see her dad and chat with whoever was watching him that day. A bit of a dust up occurred because of her reaction but it was not a "fight". She figured she should get the jukebox because she was a daughter. Grandpa said let it go for today and I did, dad went home, and my aunt stuck around for a lot longer than most days. Grandpa tried to explain to her about how he can do what he wants with his stuff and so on...she was having none of it. Well, when my mom got wind of this (when dad got home) it escalated and she said something to her sister like, If you want to play that game I should get it because I am the oldest. But mostly mom stood fast with let dad do what he wants. After a few weeks I was back watching grandpa and my aunt was there like a hawk. This triggered grandpa to say, nobody is getting that jukebox. Well, he was right. That jukebox was sold at his estate auction, an auction I could not attend, and went somewhere I do not know. Up until that time I never really looked into what that jukebox was. I knew it was a Wurlitzer from the art deco era. I knew my family had enjoyed it and my mom probably danced to the music it was playing. I knew I wanted to fix it regardless of who got to play it or where it landed as long as it stayed in the family. Many years after the auction I stumbled upon a collectors book dedicated to the Wurlitzer jukeboxes and I though, hey, I wonder if Grandpas jukebox is in there. It sure was, right smack in the middle of the book with a centerfold photo. That day I learned that my grandpa just happened to have the most rare and expensive Wurlitzer ever made. It was a Wurlitzer 850 Peacock.
    Regardless of rarity I really wish I could have that exact jukebox. Oh sure, I could buy another jukebox like, they sell in the $20,000-$45,000 range depending on condition, but it would not be Grandpas so why bother. Here is a photo, not the exact photo, of the 850 Peacock that caught my eye so many years ago, and was almost mine...twice.
    In my mind it is honestly a piece of art.

    [​IMG]
     
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  13. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    My Seeburg M100a, 78 rpm from 1949/50 (part two) …

     
  14. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    Oh, lord. A Wurlitzer Peacock! Probably the most beautiful jukebox ever made and now very scarce. I feel your pain. What a shame your aunt didn't let you restore it. Hope it eventually went to a good home.
     
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  15. wcarroll

    wcarroll Senior Member

    Location:
    Baton Rouge, LA
    Wurlitzer also had at least one jukebox that could play both sides of a 78. I know the 1250 is one that can, but only uses 10 inch records. For playing the "bottom" side, the turntable motor would reverse and the second tone arm would raise up to play. These era Wurlitzer mechanisms were way more crude in operation than the Seeburg, which is a brilliant design!
     
  16. wcarroll

    wcarroll Senior Member

    Location:
    Baton Rouge, LA
    Very nice HF100R! I've had mine for over 25 years now. Will see if I can get a photo posted.
     
  17. Rick Bartlett

    Rick Bartlett Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Hi Everybody! I'm LOVING everything that is being posted here, and learning 'tons' of stuff.
    Please keep the 'goodies' coming. Incredible photos and information..
    When I have a decent camera, I will do a video of my 'juke' in detail to show how mine works.

    Cheers, RickB
     
  18. MonkeyLizard

    MonkeyLizard Forum Resident

    Location:
    Philadelphia
    Whoah. Really cool, man.
     
  19. gd0

    gd0 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies

    Location:
    Golden Gate
    What. A. Story.

    :cheers:
     
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  20. Yeah, me to. I honestly do not know where it went. My Mom and Dad, who were able to make it to the auction in the early 1990's, said it sold for around 8K in its non running condition. I had given them a few grand to bid on it and unknown to me, my Dad threw in another grand on top of my bid just to help, it was not enough. At that time I did not have enough money, probably 10K to make it worth the buyers time, to even pursue the situation. That is why I chose to let it be what it had become.
    I try to not let this be a wedge between my aunt and myself, so far so good.
    I try to keep a good perspective on the subject knowing that my initiation into the world of jukeboxes began with possibly the best looking version ever.
    Had my aunt not been...well...petty about it. I would be the very proud owner of Grandpas jukebox. A jukebox that just happens to be very rare and beautiful as well.
     
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  21. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    Thanks for the info, as I had no knowledge of the Wurlitzer 1250 and that it was capable of playing both sides of a 78 rpm record. No question that the Seeburg M100a design was brilliant, as it changed the entire jukebox playing field, from that point on. Not only was it a great design, workmanship wise, but it offered the playing of "50" records, while the other jukeboxes of the time only played "24". Naturally, Seeburg knew that it had a great design, which they quickly made minor modifications with, when 45 rpm arrived soon after.

    Most Seeburg M100a's and 100b's have been modified from 78 rpm to 45 rpm and I know that some even changed the M100a to play 33 1/3 rpm LP's, which could fairly easily been done, with some minor tinkering and change of motors. By the way, for those reading this thread and not knowing that much about jukeboxes, may be interested in knowing that Seeburg also made "home" jukebox units that actually played entire LP's and used the old crude rotary phone dialing way of making your selections.

    Not mine, but still interesting to see …

     
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  22. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
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  23. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    MisterNines likes this.
  24. tiger roach

    tiger roach Forum Resident

    This is a great thread. I don't own a jukebox but have always found them fascinating. :righton:
     
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  25. Michel_LeGrisbi

    Michel_LeGrisbi Far-Gone Accumulator ™

    I'd love one, but I don't trust anyone not to pull a Fonz.
     
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