GEC Music Centre Loose Wire
 

Hello
This is the first time I’ve posted on this great site, but could do with some advice please.
My parents had a GEC 2817 music centre bought in the 70’s. I discovered it while clearing out the garage, where it had been stored for several years. Although covered it was filthy and looked ready for the skip. However, I love anything vintage so couldn’t resist dusting it off and powering up.
There was life but it was obvious that a lot of work was required i.e.
Tape deck played like it was under water.
Very poor radio reception.
All movements on the Garrard 6300 turntable were completely seized solid due to dried grease.
I’ve never worked on a music centre before, but being retired and a trained mechanical engineer I decided to give it a go!
I researched the amazing amount of expert advice on this excellent site, for which I am very grateful, and with much careful work and patience things have surprisingly improved: -
The tape deck is ok after head cleaning.
FM radio sounds good with a strong signal from a portable TV aerial. In fact lovely tone from the S1600 speakers.
The unfrozen turntable and mechanisms now function well again.
The only outlay has been a new stylus purchased from The Stylus Lady. However, upon fitting the stylus into the Sonotone 3549 cartridge, the rubber support ears crumbled to dust. Unfortunately The Stylus Lady only had a mono replacement, and other suppliers listed here were out of stock.
I was receiving a signal, so I tried a fix (from another website) using a folded slice of rubber band, glued together and inserted into the cartridge. The second attempt actually worked, couldn’t believe it!! Not top quality sound I’ll admit, but certainly acceptable, I realise that the Garrard 6300 is not the best. Luckily I’ve hung on to my Technics turntable bought in 1980 for playing vinyl.
Anyway, I’ve rambled on a bit, what I would really like to know is where to solder the loose brown wire shown in the attached picture??
Electrics are my weak point, so any replies would be very welcome.
Thanks
Olly

Re: GEC Music Centre Loose Wire
 

It's the M/L aerial (ferrite rod). I'd guess that if you move the wire around a bit it will naturally fall where it has been for all those years. Look for a soldered joint with a sharp point, and possibly (with luck) no other wires.

Re: GEC Music Centre Loose Wire
 

i like the look of that music centre very much, it cleaned up very well

Re: GEC Music Centre Loose Wire
 

I am not sure if the brown wire was ever connected to SW coil. Attached is a diagram from the service manual showing connections to the MW, SW, and LW coils. SC numbers refer to soldered PCB connections which from memory are usually marked.

Rich

Re: GEC Music Centre Loose Wire
 

Thanks for your replies, much appreciated.
I thought it was probably to do with the radio, since I can get FM stations but nothing on the other wavelengths.
Unfortunately I couldn't open the attachment, but thanks for sending.
AC/HL, I've looked for a soldered joint with a sharp point as you mentioned, and in one of my pictures I think I can see what you mean.
I'll open the music centre this week and check whether the wire feels if it should naturally go there.
I'll keep you posted once I've done this.
Many thanks.
Olly

Re: GEC Music Centre Loose Wire
 

If it's still not apparent, more photos may help.

Re: GEC Music Centre Loose Wire
 

Hi, I've taken another look at the music centre today.
I can confirm that the loose brown wire, or other wires near it, are not numbered.
The only spade around the ferrite rod without a coloured wire attached to it is the lower one, on the same side that the 2 red wires are soldered, see attached pictures.
However, the end of the coil wrapped around the ferrite rod is attached to this spade.
Please could someone advise whether the brown wire should be connected to the same spade.
Thanks
Olly

Re: GEC Music Centre Loose Wire
 

Hello. It looks as though the brown wire is tied in a knot around the ferite rod ?
If this is the case, maybe it isn't supposed to be connected and is inductively coupled.
Does this make any sense to anyone ?

Edit: Where does the other end connect ?

David.

Re: GEC Music Centre Loose Wire
 

It appears to go under the yellow tape on the ferrite rod, and also looks to be quite thin. Unless it's been re-routed it can only reach one or two places. What doesn't work, Medium or Long wave?

Re: GEC Music Centre Loose Wire
 

Noting your detail as to the Sonotone cartridge in your Post #1, you can buy a really cheap Chinese Stereo cartridge for around £1.75 or less to replace it. However, you will need to make a suitable mount for it. For around £11.00, there's a far better Chinese version that is easy to fit and has a flip-under LPS/78 stylus.

Re: GEC Music Centre Loose Wire
 

Looking at the helpful diagram in post #4 a brown wire connects the LW and MW coils together. Is there a brown wire linking these two coils?

There's also a brown wire commoned to the brown link wire on the MW coil and routed to SC137. Is that wire present?

Re: GEC Music Centre Loose Wire
 

Could the disconnected brown wire be the end of L101 which is supposed to be connected to a solder tag?

Re: GEC Music Centre Loose Wire
 

Hello, thanks for all of your responses.
I've been a bit tied up today, but I'll get back to you tomorrow pm with some answers.
Edward, thanks for the Chinese cartridge info, certainly worth considering once this other issue is solved.
Olly

Re: GEC Music Centre Loose Wire
 

Hello
Today I traced the loose brown wire back, it is taped and goes under the ferrite rod then is soldered at the rear.
There is also another brown wire coming off the same terminal, which then is soldered to the other end of the ferrite rod.
I then turned on the radio to double check whether it was all wavelength channels which were not working.
To my amazement I picked up a station on MW, it was weak but I then found others which were stronger! The radio was completely dead last I tried it apart from FM.
I pressed switches for LW and SW, which caused a lot of crackle, but again found I could tune in to stations.
It appears that the loose brown wire was a red herring, sorry about that.
Maybe me moving the wires has helped? I don't know.
Marconi MPT4 initially and Teetoon were right thinking the brown wire didn't connect anywhere.
Thank you all for your time and advice, it's a great website.
I've discovered 2 more vintage record players in the family, so I could well be in touch again sometime in the future!