Hi there,
I have a 1949 Webster Chicago Model 100-29 Phonograph record changer. It is in a beautiful Emerson 604 Cabinet I recently acquired (everything works!). It is cosmetically in great shape. It is not operating exactly as it should. I have the manual (Thanks to a previous post). I was wondering if these are worth following through with the troubleshooting adjustments as stated in the manual? I am a 31 year old mechanic, so I do not mind tinkering with things.But forgive me, this technology is foreign to me. Just wondering about the reputation of this phonograph (good or junk?) and if there are cartridges and needles easily available at a reasonable price? Or should I think about replacing it with a "Newer" one? Keeping in mind, I would really like to keep this unit as original as possible. I really want to use this stereo to it's full potential.
Thanks!

Ian

I don't think Webster-Chicago could be called a "premium brand" of record changers. W-C was mainly known for wire, and later, tape recorders, and the platter-spinner business was a sideline that never really took off for them- lots of competition from established major brands like Garrard, VM, and Perpetuum-Ebner.

Don't think that I would use a turntable like this to play prized LPs (if it is even capable of 33 RPM) due to high tracking force/low compliance but it should be able to be restored to do an OK job with 78s.

Hello again CV,
Thanks for your input. I would like to play my prized LPs on this rig. So I guess that leaves me looking for a good alternative. The W-C does have 33 RPM but I guess this is not worth sacrificing good vinyl to have an "original" phonograph?
Do you have any suggestions for a replacement that would mount in the drawer of my cabinet? Maybe I will start another thread about this in the forum.
As well, could you elaborate on your comment below? I am very new to the old technology. Thanks again!

due to high tracking force/low compliance but it should be able to be restored to do an OK job with 78s.

(...due to high tracking force/low compliance but it should be able to be restored to do an OK job with 78s. )

Mid-50s turntables had some design compromises to allow them to play both the then-still-common 78 and the just-getting-popular 33 RPM records. Generally speaking, these compromises made the turntables pretty harsh on LPs, tending to wipe the highest-audible-frequency components off them in just a single play or two.

In the 1960s advances were made in the area of pickups- magnetic P/Us became common in hi-fi gear. These worked by moving a tiny magnet within a coil rather than physically warping a chunk of piezoelectric material. So the force required to generate the cartridge output signal was greatly reduced ("high compliance")- this translated to much less stress and wear on the records themselves.

Unfortunately, the voltage output of a magnetic cartridge is a fraction of that of a piezo cartridge, so some kind of preamp is needed to boost the signal coming out of the cartridge.

Just about any "modern" turntable (made after 1972 or so) will fit in your cabinet, although you may need to make a thin-plywood adapter plate for it to sit on.
You can find decent turntables on eBay for very little money- the audiophiles who originally shelled out big bucks for them have long since moved on to CDs or all-digital media. I'm partial to the linear-tracking sort, but the more-conventional pivoting tone arm type are OK, too.

You will need some sort of preamp to boost the signal coming out of the magnetic cartridge pickup. Tube units are available but solid-state ones are cheap and easy to find (also on eBay). If you plan to use your tube radio as a final amp you will need to tie the two channels together via a resistor network in order to blend them for input into your monaural radio amp.

The above is a pretty superficial treatment of the possibilities. but Googling "hi fi turntable" should expose you to more info that will give you some better ideas of the physics involved. There are still quite a few turntable audiophiles around but the new media options have doomed this technology to the same eventual status as that of our beloved tube radios.

:(...due to high tracking force/low compliance but it should be able to be restored to do an OK job with 78s. )
:
:Mid-50s turntables had some design compromises to allow them to play both the then-still-common 78 and the just-getting-popular 33 RPM records. Generally speaking, these compromises made the turntables pretty harsh on LPs, tending to wipe the highest-audible-frequency components off them in just a single play or two.
:
:In the 1960s advances were made in the area of pickups- magnetic P/Us became common in hi-fi gear. These worked by moving a tiny magnet within a coil rather than physically warping a chunk of piezoelectric material. So the force required to generate the cartridge output signal was greatly reduced ("high compliance")- this translated to much less stress and wear on the records themselves.
:
:Unfortunately, the voltage output of a magnetic cartridge is a fraction of that of a piezo cartridge, so some kind of preamp is needed to boost the signal coming out of the cartridge.
:
:Just about any "modern" turntable (made after 1972 or so) will fit in your cabinet, although you may need to make a thin-plywood adapter plate for it to sit on.
:You can find decent turntables on eBay for very little money- the audiophiles who originally shelled out big bucks for them have long since moved on to CDs or all-digital media. I'm partial to the linear-tracking sort, but the more-conventional pivoting tone arm type are OK, too.
:
:You will need some sort of preamp to boost the signal coming out of the magnetic cartridge pickup. Tube units are available but solid-state ones are cheap and easy to find (also on eBay). If you plan to use your tube radio as a final amp you will need to tie the two channels together via a resistor network in order to blend them for input into your monaural radio amp.
:
:The above is a pretty superficial treatment of the possibilities. but Googling "hi fi turntable" should expose you to more info that will give you some better ideas of the physics involved. There are still quite a few turntable audiophiles around but the new media options have doomed this technology to the same eventual status as that of our beloved tube radios.
:
Hi Ian, here is a sight that will tell you how to build an adapter to take two channels and put them into one. I have built several of them and they work great and you can get the parts from Radio Shack. Also if you look through the sight you should be able to find a DIY amp to build. Go to the Build section. antiqueradio.org Best of Luck, George T

Hi CV and George,
Thank you both for your replies.

CV, your information has been great and taught me a lot about the history and what direction I need to take this project. Again, thank you.

George, Thanks for the site information. I have looked into this adapter and I plan on making one of these myself. From your experience, this provides enough boost to volume without requiring any power? That sounds great.

CV, you said below:

If you plan to use your tube radio as a final amp you will need to tie the two channels together via a resistor network in order to blend them for input into your monaural radio amp.

I do plan on this, the adapter that George mentioned will accomplish this. Right guys?

George, you mentioned below:

Also if you look through the sight you should be able to find a DIY amp to build.

What amp are you referring to? Is this the adapter or something else?

Again, thanks so much guys. I really appreciate it!

Ian

A very simple stereo-to-mono mixer is just a 10K ohm linear taper potentiometer. Feed the two "hot" sides of the left and right channel preamp outputs to the outer terminals of the pot (one channel to each terminal), then run the center (wiper) pot terminal to the input of your mono amp. Tie all returns/grounds together.

This pot now not only accompishes signal mixing, it also serves as a balance control.

:A very simple stereo-to-mono mixer is just a 10K ohm linear taper potentiometer. Feed the two "hot" sides of the left and right channel preamp outputs to the outer terminals of the pot (one channel to each terminal), then run the center (wiper) pot terminal to the input of your mono amp. Tie all returns/grounds together.
:
:This pot now not only accompishes signal mixing, it also serves as a balance control.
:
Hi Ian, The box should work well, I made another one yesterday for a radio I'm selling and it worked GREAT. I bought extra componets so if the need arrises I can build up to five more boxes. I just mentioned the DIY amp in passing or if you would need one. They have a lot of neat stuff on that site. Best 2 U, George T