Zenith Console combo

[radiotvnut]

They were good for what they were; and, that is their use in cheap "all in one" systems of the '70's and early '80's and they usually did their job until whatever sort of grease that they used turned to cement. Since these are so cheaply made, one has to be very careful when freeing one of these up as the parts bend very easily. BSR did make some changers that used a metal platter, a four pole motor, and a magnetic cartridge; but, the mechanism was basically the same as what was used in the lower end plastic platter models. When I was about 14, I bought a used Electrophonic 8-track/radio/BSR 3 speed record changer combo along with it's matching speakers for $2 at a church rummage sale because they thought something was wrong with it. It turned out that what was wrong with it was that they were plugging the speakers into the AUX input jack. That stereo was quite a step up from the late '60's el cheapo Westinghouse portable with seperate L and R volume controls that I'd been using; but, it didn't take long for me to find a '70's era component stereo system and once that happened, the Electrophonic with it's BSR changer found a new home. And, I have a '58 Magnavox console that someone pulled the original micromatic changer from and replaced it with a cheap BSR (which is frozen solid by now). One day, I plan to correct that. I don't mind sticking a BSR in a cheap '70's "all in one"; but, I tend to frown on doing it to an older instrument.