[ggregg]

My experience with these is that the Seeburg mechanism, while the most complex, is the most reliable in the long run and the gentlest on records, even the 50's ones. The older mechs can be set around 5 grams or maybe a little less and that won't kill your records. After about 1966, they could be adjusted to about 3 grams or just slightly more than a professional turntable. You find many that have lubrication issues (grease that turned into glue usually) but once degreased and relubed, most will pop right back and as long as you keep using them, at least once in a while, will keep running. But they are very complex. If you start putzing with them, and don't know what you are adjusting or taking apart, you can be in for big trouble and many many adjustments.

Seeburg has some amp issues but even the LPC 1, which seems to be the worst, can easily be modified to sound much better. The R from 1954 is one of the best sounding 45 jukeboxes, ever, and easily the best in it's time frame. The G from 1953 is probably the second best.

I have a tube Wurlitzer and have had very little trouble with it. It sounds good and the only mod I think I might make someday is to adapt a magnetic cartridge to it and fit a phono preamp in the box somewhere. The Seeburg's, with their Pickering magnetic cartridges, have noticably more punch.

If I had to rate the sound of jukeboxes by brand, overall, based on what I have heard, I would have to say Seeburg, AMI, Wurlitzer, Rockola. Each brand has some standouts. The AMI Stereo Round system works and sounds very good. The Seeburg R and even the G are amazing on how a mid 50's juke can sound so good.

Some solid state Seeburgs from the late 60's and early 70's, like the LS2 and 3 and UPC 1 and 2 sound really really good, rivaling good home component systems. By that time, they were using ported speaker boxes which really makes a difference. I've seen some mid 60's boxes, like the LS series and the PFEAU where the title strips were moved so you could see the entire mechanism. That is actually the only thing blocking the view of the mech. On the PFEAU, there is enough room to mount the title strips above the woofers in the front of the cabinet.

Don't know that much about NSM. It seems they came on the scene mostly after Seeburg got into bankruptcy to fill a void since for most of the eighties, Seeburg was on again, off again, then eventually off for good. Happened to Wurlitzer too and they sold to a German company. Only AMI and Rockola left standing.