BSR identification (UA15 or similar) - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Zouzounis · 15th Feb 2015, 4:29 am

Hey I'm looking for some advice on a vintage record player I've acquired. I know that it is a BSR model but I need help in identifying it. Also I am looking on where to source a new rubber mat for it.

Another problem I'm having with it is that at the end of a 78 or a 45 it automatically rejects but at the end of a 33 LP it doesn't reject most of the time by itself I have to manually reject it. I've tried adjusting the vertical adjusting screw but that doesn't work.

I'd also like to replace the cartridge to a stereo cartridge. This player has the 4 wires, I have a BST-SC5H. Would this be a good choice?
Photo's provided below.

Regards
Zouzounis

Nickthedentist · 15th Feb 2015, 9:41 am

Hello,

The deck is BSR's model UA15 or similar.

But the whole record player is made by someone else. We need pics of the front and insides to identify.

Nick.

Zouzounis · 15th Feb 2015, 10:14 am

Hi Nick

Photos provided as requested.

The one with the labelling is the only label that is inside the player. I might add as well that it was made by Fidelity just in case you can't see the label on the front of the player.

Regards
Zouzounis

'LIVEWIRE?' · 15th Feb 2015, 10:28 am

The SC5H (Stereo Ceramic High Output) Should be an ideal replacement for the Mono TC8 Cartridge fitted, provided you have the bracket with the SC5H, which, IIRC, isn't a Turnover type, but has a double tipped stylus which is turned one way for 33/45 rpm and the other for 78rpm records. THe two 'spare' wires in the pickup arm are then connected to the second channel of the 'new' cartridge, green to + , yellow (or white) to -ve. The red (+) & black (-) leads are used for the LH Channel, with the other two being the RH one. You may need to link together the green & red leads on the tagstrip under the chassis to parallel the two channel outputs from the SC5H, and the tracking weight may need adjusting, since the 5H almost certainly tracks at a lighter weight than the TC8 now fitted. On the UA15, the tracking weight is adjusted by repositioning the end of a long spring fitted at the rear end of the PU arm into a different hole in a perforated strip to which it is anchored.
N.B.THe vertical adjusting screw has nothing to do with the autostop function. It sets the height at which the Arm locates when dropping on to a record. Most problems with autochangers are caused by dried up grease in the mechanism, in this case almost certainly due to the trip pawl sticking (see the 'sticky' threads at the head of this section for more info.)

Zouzounis · 15th Feb 2015, 10:53 am

Livewire
Thank you for your info. I've just changed over the cartridge. I will pull it apart tomorrow as its night here and give it a clean and relube it all up again.
Muchly appreciated.

Zouzounis · 15th Feb 2015, 12:25 pm

Livewire,
I have cleaned the underside, and regreased it where needed. Now I have like a whirling clicking noise when the platter turns. This noise only happens when the record is playing and not when the record has finished and it goes into the reject cycle. Any ideas?

'LIVEWIRE?' · 15th Feb 2015, 1:13 pm

Are you certain that the Trip Pawl (The two pieces fitted to the cam gear in the gap in it's teeth) is completely free to move. No oil or grease should be applied to either of the two levers or the pivot pin, as correct operation of these parts relies on friction.

Zouzounis · 15th Feb 2015, 11:23 pm

Hi Livewire
I have made sure that the Trip Pawl was cleaned properly and it moved freely. It wasn't that dirty to start off with, but I cleaned it up all the same. Am I supposed to grease up the teeth of the wheel it sits on, and also the post the gear sits on as well or are these supposed to be grease free as well, as there was grease on these areas.
Photos have been provided.

jonnybear · 15th Feb 2015, 11:37 pm

These do need grease as does the platter bearing, and a little oil on the idler and motor bearings while you are at it making sure none gets on the rubber.
John

Zouzounis · 16th Feb 2015, 12:13 am

Hi John
I've recleaned everything and regreased it making sure the trip pawl is totally free of grease and oil. There is still a little audible rotating sound when the platter is moving but it's not as noticeable as it was before. I've also oiled the idler wheel bearings and I had already greased the turntable bearings as I knew that ball bearings have to be greased up. I will persevere with it until I have no audible sound.
Thank you so much for your help.
Also would you know where I can find a new rubber mat for the platter as the old one has half perished.
Regards
Chris

Zouzounis · 16th Feb 2015, 1:26 am

Update:
Have fixed the noise. I didn't have enough grease in the teeth of the gear. Now I just need a new rubber mat.
Thanks John for your informative help.
Chris

unitaudio · 16th Feb 2015, 3:22 am

Turntable mats for these are very hard to locate these days. You may have to try and find a scrap deck you can use for the mat. The advantage of this of course is that you'd also get a spare motor, idler wheel, and all the mechanism thrown in!

Have a look at your internet auction site of choice. There will probably be a few candidates out there and they won't be expensive.

Regards,
Paul

Zouzounis · 16th Feb 2015, 11:05 am

Well I thought I fixed the problem. It's back again. It's like a ticking noise when the platter spins. It's starting to frustrate me.

Tractorfan · 16th Feb 2015, 11:37 am

Hi,
The ticking sound might be the trip pawl tapping against the cam on the underside of the platter. Does it get louder towards the end of the record? It's not normally audible, but if you're conscious of it, then it appears louder than it actually is!
As the arm traverses the record one spiral at a time, the trip pawl approached the cam and is knocked back by it. When the music finishes, the arm is moved across by the run-out groove faster than the cam can knock back the pawl, thus tripping the change cycle. Some decks can be noisier than others.
Cheers, Pete.

Zouzounis · 16th Feb 2015, 11:54 pm

Hi Paul
No I've fixed the problem. I didn't have enough grease on the underside of the platter. The noise has totally gone now. I have been using white lithium grease though and I've been informed that this can eventually slow down the speed and cause more problems. I was wondering what is the best grease to be using.

ben · 18th Feb 2015, 12:19 am

Be sure the ball race and washers are fitted correctly on the platter's central bearing.

Zouzounis · 18th Feb 2015, 3:58 am

Thanks Ben
I always write down or take pictures of things when or before I remove them. The noise has gone totally now.

Zouzounis · 25th Feb 2015, 4:36 am

Would still like some advice on what type of grease I should be using

Tractorfan · 25th Feb 2015, 10:19 am

Hi,
I tend to use the same grease as on my tractor! It seems to work OK, but I only use the bare minimum (on the decks, not the tractor!). The centre cogs on my BSR decks have hardly any grease at all on them.
I think that a lithium based grease has been mentioned on here from time to time, but I don't think it needs to be too specific.
Cheers, Pete.

15th Feb 2015, 4:29 am	#1
Zouzounis Triode Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17	BSR identification (UA15 or similar) Hey I'm looking for some advice on a vintage record player I've acquired. I know that it is a BSR model but I need help in identifying it. Also I am looking on where to source a new rubber mat for it. Another problem I'm having with it is that at the end of a 78 or a 45 it automatically rejects but at the end of a 33 LP it doesn't reject most of the time by itself I have to manually reject it. I've tried adjusting the vertical adjusting screw but that doesn't work. I'd also like to replace the cartridge to a stereo cartridge. This player has the 4 wires, I have a BST-SC5H. Would this be a good choice? Photo's provided below. Regards Zouzounis Attached Thumbnails

15th Feb 2015, 9:41 am	#2
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,865	Re: BSR identification Hello, The deck is BSR's model UA15 or similar. But the whole record player is made by someone else. We need pics of the front and insides to identify. Nick.

15th Feb 2015, 10:14 am	#3
Zouzounis Triode Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17	Re: BSR identification Hi Nick Photos provided as requested. The one with the labelling is the only label that is inside the player. I might add as well that it was made by Fidelity just in case you can't see the label on the front of the player. Regards Zouzounis Attached Thumbnails

15th Feb 2015, 10:28 am	#4
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: BSR identification The SC5H (Stereo Ceramic High Output) Should be an ideal replacement for the Mono TC8 Cartridge fitted, provided you have the bracket with the SC5H, which, IIRC, isn't a Turnover type, but has a double tipped stylus which is turned one way for 33/45 rpm and the other for 78rpm records. THe two 'spare' wires in the pickup arm are then connected to the second channel of the 'new' cartridge, green to + , yellow (or white) to -ve. The red (+) & black (-) leads are used for the LH Channel, with the other two being the RH one. You may need to link together the green & red leads on the tagstrip under the chassis to parallel the two channel outputs from the SC5H, and the tracking weight may need adjusting, since the 5H almost certainly tracks at a lighter weight than the TC8 now fitted. On the UA15, the tracking weight is adjusted by repositioning the end of a long spring fitted at the rear end of the PU arm into a different hole in a perforated strip to which it is anchored. N.B.THe vertical adjusting screw has nothing to do with the autostop function. It sets the height at which the Arm locates when dropping on to a record. Most problems with autochangers are caused by dried up grease in the mechanism, in this case almost certainly due to the trip pawl sticking (see the 'sticky' threads at the head of this section for more info.)

15th Feb 2015, 10:53 am	#5
Zouzounis Triode Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17	Re: BSR identification Livewire Thank you for your info. I've just changed over the cartridge. I will pull it apart tomorrow as its night here and give it a clean and relube it all up again. Muchly appreciated.

15th Feb 2015, 12:25 pm	#6
Zouzounis Triode Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17	Re: BSR identification Livewire, I have cleaned the underside, and regreased it where needed. Now I have like a whirling clicking noise when the platter turns. This noise only happens when the record is playing and not when the record has finished and it goes into the reject cycle. Any ideas?

15th Feb 2015, 1:13 pm	#7
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: BSR identification (UA15 or similar) Are you certain that the Trip Pawl (The two pieces fitted to the cam gear in the gap in it's teeth) is completely free to move. No oil or grease should be applied to either of the two levers or the pivot pin, as correct operation of these parts relies on friction.

15th Feb 2015, 11:23 pm	#8
Zouzounis Triode Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17	Re: BSR identification (UA15 or similar) Hi Livewire I have made sure that the Trip Pawl was cleaned properly and it moved freely. It wasn't that dirty to start off with, but I cleaned it up all the same. Am I supposed to grease up the teeth of the wheel it sits on, and also the post the gear sits on as well or are these supposed to be grease free as well, as there was grease on these areas. Photos have been provided. Attached Thumbnails

15th Feb 2015, 11:37 pm	#9
jonnybear Octode Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Cullompton, Devon, UK. Posts: 1,435	Re: BSR identification (UA15 or similar) These do need grease as does the platter bearing, and a little oil on the idler and motor bearings while you are at it making sure none gets on the rubber. John

16th Feb 2015, 12:13 am	#10
Zouzounis Triode Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17	Re: BSR identification (UA15 or similar) Hi John I've recleaned everything and regreased it making sure the trip pawl is totally free of grease and oil. There is still a little audible rotating sound when the platter is moving but it's not as noticeable as it was before. I've also oiled the idler wheel bearings and I had already greased the turntable bearings as I knew that ball bearings have to be greased up. I will persevere with it until I have no audible sound. Thank you so much for your help. Also would you know where I can find a new rubber mat for the platter as the old one has half perished. Regards Chris

16th Feb 2015, 1:26 am	#11
Zouzounis Triode Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17	Re: BSR identification (UA15 or similar) Update: Have fixed the noise. I didn't have enough grease in the teeth of the gear. Now I just need a new rubber mat. Thanks John for your informative help. Chris

16th Feb 2015, 3:22 am	#12
unitaudio Heptode Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 862	Re: BSR identification (UA15 or similar) Turntable mats for these are very hard to locate these days. You may have to try and find a scrap deck you can use for the mat. The advantage of this of course is that you'd also get a spare motor, idler wheel, and all the mechanism thrown in! Have a look at your internet auction site of choice. There will probably be a few candidates out there and they won't be expensive. Regards, Paul __________________ ...No, it's not supposed to pick up the World Service, it's not a radio!

16th Feb 2015, 11:05 am	#13
Zouzounis Triode Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17	Re: BSR identification (UA15 or similar) Well I thought I fixed the problem. It's back again. It's like a ticking noise when the platter spins. It's starting to frustrate me.

16th Feb 2015, 11:37 am	#14
Tractorfan Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.) Posts: 3,184	Re: BSR identification (UA15 or similar) Hi, The ticking sound might be the trip pawl tapping against the cam on the underside of the platter. Does it get louder towards the end of the record? It's not normally audible, but if you're conscious of it, then it appears louder than it actually is! As the arm traverses the record one spiral at a time, the trip pawl approached the cam and is knocked back by it. When the music finishes, the arm is moved across by the run-out groove faster than the cam can knock back the pawl, thus tripping the change cycle. Some decks can be noisier than others. Cheers, Pete. __________________ "Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..."

16th Feb 2015, 11:54 pm	#15
Zouzounis Triode Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17	Re: BSR identification (UA15 or similar) Hi Paul No I've fixed the problem. I didn't have enough grease on the underside of the platter. The noise has totally gone now. I have been using white lithium grease though and I've been informed that this can eventually slow down the speed and cause more problems. I was wondering what is the best grease to be using.

18th Feb 2015, 12:19 am	#16
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	Re: BSR identification (UA15 or similar) Be sure the ball race and washers are fitted correctly on the platter's central bearing. __________________ Regards, Ben.

18th Feb 2015, 3:58 am	#17
Zouzounis Triode Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17	Re: BSR identification (UA15 or similar) Thanks Ben I always write down or take pictures of things when or before I remove them. The noise has gone totally now.

25th Feb 2015, 4:36 am	#18
Zouzounis Triode Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17	Re: BSR identification (UA15 or similar) Would still like some advice on what type of grease I should be using

25th Feb 2015, 10:19 am	#19
Tractorfan Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.) Posts: 3,184	Re: BSR identification (UA15 or similar) Hi, I tend to use the same grease as on my tractor! It seems to work OK, but I only use the bare minimum (on the decks, not the tractor!). The centre cogs on my BSR decks have hardly any grease at all on them. I think that a lithium based grease has been mentioned on here from time to time, but I don't think it needs to be too specific. Cheers, Pete. __________________ "Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..."