Vintage Magnavox steroe console with turntable

jfin2002

New Member
I was given this console steroe yesterday and I am looking for some information on it (what year, is it worht anything, etc) I've tried to find another one online but havent. I snapped a picture of the model and serial number but am not able to make it out. The AM radio works great, and the speakers sound surprisingly good! I cannot get the FM to work....any ideas why? Also the turntable is locked I canot get it to turn.











 
That's a very nice looking console. As far as fm reception I can't help. With the stuck turntable I'm guessing the lubricant for platter bearing is probably dry. You could try dripping a very small amount of thin oil where the platter is supposed turn and let it set and it might free up. What I would suggest thought is pulling the turntable out and get the platter removed. Then you can clean and regrease the platter bearing. I've had two turntables that wouldn't turn and that was the problem.

Edit: possibly on the fm, if you can hook an external antenna try that. It could also be dirty switches that need cleaned that aren't allowing audio to pass through. Does the stereo light ever come on or the signal meter move for fm strength?
 
Last edited:
The turntable in that looks just like one in my zenith integrated stereo. Mine had dry grease on the platter bearing. Theres a snap ring that comes off the top then the platter will pull off and you can clean the bearing, after you take the belt off, if I remember correctly.

Edit: Actually I think the belt and platter come off at the same time.
 

Attachments

  • 20150525_120234.jpg
    20150525_120234.jpg
    58.9 KB · Views: 27
Last edited:
That's a very nice looking console. As far as fm reception I can't help. With the stuck turntable I'm guessing the lubricant for platter bearing is probably dry. You could try dripping a very small amount of thin oil where the platter is supposed turn and let it set and it might free up. What I would suggest thought is pulling the turntable out and get the platter removed. Then you can clean and regrease the platter bearing. I've had two turntables that wouldn't turn and that was the problem.

Edit: possibly on the fm, if you can hook an external antenna try that. It could also be dirty switches that need cleaned that aren't allowing audio to pass through. Does the stereo light ever come on or the signal meter move for fm strength?

Thanks for the info! I got the turntable working by forcing it and then applying 3m oil to the platter bearing!

As for the FM reception, it does have an antenna on the back stapled along the top edge of the cabinet. The switch is the rotary type so I tried, switching it back and forth a lot of times, but still nothing. I'll have to keep digging I guess
 
I wouldn't rely on that 3m oil to work for very long. I would suggest taking the platter off and cleaning the bearing, then regreasing, i used white lithium grease. Hopefully someone can help you with the fm reception.
 
OP:

When you say "You can't get the FM to work" what do you mean exactly? Do you hear STATIC? Do you hear ANYTHING?

It could be a bad (Dirty) rotary selector - I can't quite tell in the pic if it's rotary or SPST switch. It could be a bad FM module, it could be many things.

We'll need to know what you are hearing or not hearing. Is there ANYTHING coming out of the speakers when you select FM? Let's start there.

PS, You need to grease the bearings, not just rely on 3m oil. White Lithium is preferred as previously posted.

PSS - AWESOME CONSOLE! Congrats. I'd love to own it. My Dad's 45's would sound spectacular on it. :)
 
Last edited:
OP:

When you say "You can't get the FM to work" what do you mean exactly? Do you hear STATIC? Do you hear ANYTHING?

It could be a bad (Dirty) rotary selector - I can't quite tell in the pic if it's rotary or SPST switch. It could be a bad FM module, it could be many things.

We'll need to know what you are hearing or not hearing. Is there ANYTHING coming out of the speakers when you select FM? Let's start there.

PS, You need to grease the bearings, not just rely on 3m oil. White Lithium is preferred as previously posted.

PSS - AWESOME CONSOLE! Congrats. I'd love to own it. My Dad's 45's would sound spectacular on it. :)

It is a rotary selector switch. When I turn it to FM, I hear nothing at all, no static, nothing.
 
Wow I can really see the Mag to Philips cross over with that one. I have a few Philips and none worked until I cleaned the switches. I'd pull it and spray switches with deoxit, access from inside, work all the switches and knobs back and forth before I'd try anything else. imo, early 70s, just a hunch. I have Mag console, the tt is direct drive on the one I have, but it's an earlier model. I took the motor apart and re-lubed everything. It plays too fast now, most people wouldn't notice but I mess around with a guitar and my guitar tuned properly is tuned lower than any song played on the tt, I don't know if I can tune that motor down.
 
Last edited:
Wow, that's one of the nicest consoles I've seen. The components look really good.

On the FM, make sure the muting is off or set to mono, see if that gives you static. Then make sure the antenna is actually connected to the antenna terminals on the back of the receiver. Somebody may have jury-rigged some other kind of antenna connection in the past. Good luck, I hope it works out.
 
Since everyone else gave all the great advice already, I'll just point out that it's STER-E-O not ster-o-e. Well, somebody had to be picky this morning, it might as well be me. :D
 
Wow I can really see the Mag to Philips cross over with that one. I have a few Philips and none worked until I cleaned the switches. I'd pull it and spray switches with deoxit, access from inside, work all the switches and knobs back and forth before I'd try anything else. imo, early 70s, just a hunch. I have Mag console, the tt is direct drive on the one I have, but it's an earlier model. I took the motor apart and re-lubed everything. It plays too fast now, most people would noticed but I mess around with a guitar and my guitar is tuned lower than any song played on the tt, I don't know if I can tune that motor down.

Thanks for the info, I will take the back off and try cleaning the rotarty switch. It is indeed direct drive (no belt) I had the back off and could see the gear that dives the tt. It was initally frozen, but got it to move, but it still seems a little slow.
 
Wow, that's one of the nicest consoles I've seen. The components look really good.

On the FM, make sure the muting is off or set to mono, see if that gives you static. Then make sure the antenna is actually connected to the antenna terminals on the back of the receiver. Somebody may have jury-rigged some other kind of antenna connection in the past. Good luck, I hope it works out.

I see there is a muting switch just to the right of the selector switch. Turn it OFF and try FM again, hopefully you will at least hear static. If so continue checking the antenna connection as I said above. GOOD LUCK! :thmbsp:
 
Thanks for the info, I will take the back off and try cleaning the rotarty switch. It is indeed direct drive (no belt) I had the back off and could see the gear that dives the tt. It was initally frozen, but got it to move, but it still seems a little slow.

I'd clean all the switches, along the rotary knobs, spray from the inside because couple I have didn't work at all until I cleaned the switches also. It's OK to wet the switches and knobs down pretty good with deoxit, it slowly evaporates, I put an old towel underneath receivers when doing that. Then like others have said, there may be something disconnected or turned off.
 
I'd be interested to find out what other information you or anyone knows about this Magnavox console. I just got the same model. I have not been able to find any other pictures online other than these from this post. A number of Magnavox units have the same or similar front, but have a slide top, not a pull out, making this a bit rare (at least in finding online pictures).
Also, any idea what needle to purchase? The player arm indicates W747; I'm not sure what that indicates though. Any help and/or information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
 
These very late model Magnavox consoles were uncommon, as few sold when new. This was a last of the line console roughly. 1980's model.
 
Back
Top Bottom