Zenith Cobramatic Self-contained record Player Information needed

[Sandy G]

I THINK my Granny had one of these Bad Bois when I was a Tadpole. As I remember, it was Bakelite, black or dark brown, had an integral AM radio, & I THINK it had a changer, too. It was all curvy & swoopy looking, maybe put you in the mind of Buck Roger's Space ship, sorta like. I'm thinking it died-at least the record player part, anyhow, when I was 4 or 5, which would been 1961-62. It got tossed-Over my vigorous protests, but them's the breaks. They bought my Gran a wood tabletop Zenith AM-FM radio, which looks down at me even as we speak from a bookshelf.

[jr_tech]

Sandy, was it like the one in this ‘bay listing?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Zenith-Cobr...UAAOSw04Vcwldg

not affiliated,
jr

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by jr_tech

Sandy, was it like the one in this ‘bay listing?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Zenith-Cobr...UAAOSw04Vcwldg

not affiliated,
jr

I wonder if that 45rpm adapter in that listing is correct for that changer? I've got that changer in a leatherette table model R/P sans adapter, and one of those adapters pictured that came in a box of odds'n'ends from a different place.

[vortalexfan]

I've cleaned it up a little bit, you could tell this unit was in a smoker's home origtinally as it was just covered in tobacco tar from top to bottom, and I was able to power this thing up briefly and surprisingly enough the amplifier had no 60 hz hum coming out of the speaker! which is amazing for a record player from the early 1950s like this unit is, it even still has its original Zenith branded tubes in it yet. with a date code of 1953.

sadly enough the speed control marker placard is coming off now, and I'm wondering if maybe the person who had this in their booth at the antique mall might have the record size marker pacard still in his possession as it seems like it might of fallen off while it was in his possession and he may of just forgot to put it with the record player for the new owner to glue back on the unit, which is why I'm going to see if I can go back to the antique mall and see if the mall owner can get ahold of the booth owner who had the record player in their booth and see if they have that placard still.

[vortalexfan]

OK so I finished recapping this record player and I hooked it back up like it was supposed to be and for some reason or another I can't get any audio to come out of the speaker for some reason.

I know it isn't the needle/cartridge because I can hear audio coming out of the cartridge/needle, the sound for some reason just isn't making it from the needle to the amplifier stage for some reason, and I checked and replaced the preamp tube (the 12AU6) and that didn't help any either, I even tried replacing the output tube and that didn't seem to help either.

So I don't know what's going on.

Anyone have any ideas as to what I could look into?

Thanks.

[zeno]

Unplug the cartridge. One of the wires is GND the other audio.
Touch the audio wire with your finger with the volume up abt 1/3.
You should get a very loud hum. If you do its the cartridge, if not
its further down the line. The wires are quite thin to the tone arm.
Easy to break or get pinched. If its in the amp you will need to
either trace or inject to find the problem usually. No big deal but you
will need a manual. Its a good learning event !

73 Zeno
LFOD !

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by zeno

Unplug the cartridge. One of the wires is GND the other audio.
Touch the audio wire with your finger with the volume up abt 1/3.
You should get a very loud hum. If you do its the cartridge, if not
its further down the line. The wires are quite thin to the tone arm.
Easy to break or get pinched. If its in the amp you will need to
either trace or inject to find the problem usually. No big deal but you
will need a manual. Its a good learning event !

73 Zeno
LFOD !

I figured out part of my problem, the replacement needle I ordered had the wrong contact points so in a sense I ordered the wrong needle.

But also when I touched the wires for the "Cartridge" I got a hum out of it, but it was very quiet and distorted sounding, even at 1/3 volume.

Does this sound like anything you've experienced before on one of these record players?