Advice on what players to look for.

[Keithcan]

Hello all,

My 11 year old grandson would like a record player (he's already bought a couple of singles by Queen and just likes looking at them) but for some reason he likes older, retro things as opposed to modern so I thought I would look for something for him but soon realised that a bit of advice on what was good and what wasn't would be helpful.

Space is at a premium in their house so a Midi system with their biggish separate speakers would be too big. From what I have seen I think it would go from a 1960s record player to a 1970s record player/receiver/amp with built in speakers but could probably manage with a pair of small separate speakers. Ideally the latter if possible as I think the machine itself would be much more interesting to him (more buttons and knobs and even a dial with things like Athlone and Luxembourg on it.

So can anyone offer any advice on what makes/models I could look for. Also the best places to actually look for something.

Thanks for looking,

Keith.

[Viscount]

Record player wise i would go for a Hacker GP42, plenty on on eBay, (with the transistor amp) built to last and sounds good as well

[Edward Huggins]

The Hacker GP42 does not have a transistor amplifier. It's a valved unit and all the better for it. It's very important that if the OP goes for buying a 1960s portable record player, it's one that's been fitted with a stereo-compatible cartridge and ideally one with a mains isolated chassis.

[paulsherwin]

1960s record players are now over 50 years old, and using one is a significant commitment. It's not like buying a flat screen telly from Argos. It's a bit like using a classic car as everyday transport.

[Station X]

Judging by most of the threads in the record player section, the OP is going to have difficulty in finding a fully working player. Statements such as "fully overhauled" may simply mean that the player has been wiped down with a damp cloth.

I'm not a great one for health and safety, but I wouldn't let an 11 year old anywhere near a live chassis player even if the mains plug was fitted correctly.

[FIXITNOW]

may be a hacker Grenadier GP45 would be a better choice

[Scimitar]

Originally Posted by Station X

I'm not a great one for health and safety, but I wouldn't let an 11 year old anywhere near a live chassis player even if the mains plug was fitted correctly.

How many 11 year olds died of electrocution in the 60s, whilst using one?

[AC/HL]

Not much consolation if the worst happens though. They're safe as manufactured, or at least were, as long as they're left alone as intended. The trend now is to mess about adding MP3s and suchlike, which was never envisaged when these were regarded as safe.
Judging by the questions we get asked here, not everyone is aware of the risks and challenges involved.
Only Keith is able to answer for his Grandson, but at 11 I was certainly inquisitive enough to start wondering, and that was without the duffers guide to instant knowledge (Internet)

[Keithcan]

Thanks everyone so far.

The Hackers do look nice but maybe Paul is right in that they may not be apt for an 11 year old to play his modern records on, probably continually as we all used to do.

Graham, Bill, he is certainly inquisitive. He's went through the electronic sets that can buy and can solder pretty good (changing motors and making up battery packs etc on remote control cars). He could well be delving inside an old player to see what goes on and I certainly wouldn't want anything to happen to him.

I think a one box item may still be better in terms of portability, to use upstairs and down, but maybe a separate record deck, amp and small speakers would be better for now and see he keeps up his interest in vinyls. Would be easy enough to pick up a tuner later if he wanted one.

Keith.

[ajgriff]

Worth noting that Keith mentions the possibility of something with buttons, knobs, a dial, Luxembourg & Athlone which would rule out the Hackers already mentioned. Perhaps something transistorised from the 70s with a built in tuner would be appropriate. Some of the smaller Dynatron stereo units spring to mind. The teak finished retro look might appeal to an eleven year old and stereo might enhance his listening pleasure. Budget and whether or not the player has to be in full working order on receipt are also factors to be considered of course.

Alan

[Station X]

Originally Posted by Scimitar

How many 11 year olds died of electrocution in the 60s, whilst using one?

Probably none. By the time I'd reached the age of 11 I'd received many electric shocks, mainly through my own stupidity. I didn't tell my parents about them because I'd probably have got a clip round the ear and my activities experimenting with electrics and electronics might have been curtailed.

Nowadays children are expected to have an idyllic trouble free childhood and any child receiving an electric shock would go howling to his parents. They'd take the attitude that it was someone else's fault, rather than that of their angelic child and call in a personal injury lawyer. There's also the fact that things electrical are generally much safer these days and people have lost their fear of electricity.

[ms660]

I can't off hand remember anyone getting electrocuted in the '60's but I reckon a fair few did, one bloke in our workshop nearly did, he got in a bad way as did another engineer in a customer's house, the customer 'phoned the service dept. and said that the engineer was in the house and he wasn't looking look very well.

Lawrence.

[nicam49]

Take a look on gumtree
And type 'record player' in the search box. Plenty of those retro models seem to be available for around £30.

[PaulR]

Originally Posted by Station X

By the time I'd reached the age of 11 I'd received many electric shocks, mainly through my own stupidity. I didn't tell my parents about them because I'd probably have got a clip round the ear and my activities experimenting with electrics and electronics might have been curtailed.

How very true. At 11 I foolishly admitted about my latest electric shock to my mother and the offending McMichael 135 was promptly given to the bin men! One less old radio in the world and I have to admit that it didn't stop the electric shocks!

I have a Marconiphone 4028 solid state record player which sounds great. It has a stereo cartridge as there was an add on amplifier available. No radio, but that and the upmarket wooden version 4042 might answer the need. I don't think that a valved player is appropriate here.

[Keithcan]

Alan,
Hadn't seen the Dynatrons in my searches but they do look like a good possibility. There's one on ebay now, a SRX30A for £60, that could be alright but with a couple of reservations.
First the seller says it works fine with headphones but he hasn't tested it with speakers. I'm always dubious when someone says anything like this. Have they really not tested it or have they tested it and it doesn't work. If the latter could it turn out to be an expensive fix. I could have a look for basic problems but anything else and I'd have to find someone to look at it.
Secondly there is a knob missing and the end caps of a few others. Would these be available as I think it spoils the appearance quite a lot.
Are the speaker plugs available.

Keith.

[ToneArm]

When I used to go to to record fares you’d occasionally see collectors more serious about it than I was with portable record players, to check their potential purchases before buying. I wish I could remember the name of the “serious” portable player. I think it was a Vestax, and you can still get them according to google.

It sounded tinny to me but it was very small. The main thing is it must have been kind on the records or the dealers wouldn’t have allowed them to play the records. Unlike a dansette or similar it was compact, stereo, didn’t hum and safe enough to use in the bath!

Glyn

[paulsherwin]

Originally Posted by Keithcan

Alan,
Hadn't seen the Dynatrons in my searches but they do look like a good possibility. There's one on ebay now, a SRX30A for £60, that could be alright but with a couple of reservations.
First the seller says it works fine with headphones but he hasn't tested it with speakers. I'm always dubious when someone says anything like this. Have they really not tested it or have they tested it and it doesn't work. If the latter could it turn out to be an expensive fix. I could have a look for basic problems but anything else and I'd have to find someone to look at it.
Secondly there is a knob missing and the end caps of a few others. Would these be available as I think it spoils the appearance quite a lot.
Are the speaker plugs available.

Keith.

I haven't looked at the eBay listing (discussion of identifiable eBay auctions contravenes forum rules) but it's very likely that the amp is OK if the headphone output works, as it uses the same circuitry. The speakers use DIN plugs which can still be found, or you can connect bare wires to the sockets using matchsticks or bent paperclips.

My previous advice holds true though - these things are pretty old and not trouble free to use.

[Ekcoman]

If you want to go safe then Philips/Stella had some fairly decent battery portables AG4100 comes to mind.

[crackle]

How about one like this, https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/rgd_p8...rd_player.html I just happen to have one available .
Send me a PM if interested.

Mike

[music-centre]

The Bush SRP41 or SRP51 work well if you just want a one box player - I would certainly avoid the new production retro type players personally.
Steve.