Dansette Conquest record player - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Modforit · 8th Aug 2014, 10:03 pm

Hi,
Can anyone help, I picked up and old Dansette conquest player recently, it plays well apart from the fact when you turn the player on to play a disc (7")the tonearm drops about a quarter of an inch from the disc itself and lands on the platter is there any adjustment I can make to get it to actually come down on the record itself.

many thanks.

'LIVEWIRE?' · 8th Aug 2014, 10:37 pm

There is an adjustment under the base of the tone arm in the form of a screw which is turned one way to move the set down point outwards, and the other way to move it inwards. The usual recommendation was to make the adjustment so that the stylus makes contact about 0.125" in from the edge of a 10" disc. It will then (in theory!) be correct for 7" & 12" records.
However, before attempting any adjustments, bear in mind that many such problems are caused by hardened grease in various parts of the mechanism, which should be cleaned and relubricated.
There is a 'sticky' (no pun intended!) thread at the head of this section on this subject.

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=75401

Modforit · 11th Aug 2014, 11:10 am

Hi,

Thanks for the information, I've tried adjusting the screw you mentioned and after much toing and froing it seemed to do the trick but it's very hit and miss. I put a stack of 4 singles onto play, two of them played perfectly and the other two the tone arm again dropped short landing on the platter. Also when the tone arm returns after playing a disc it now misses the resting post it should rest down on. Also is there a way of adjusting the weight of the tone arm.

many thanks.

'LIVEWIRE?' · 11th Aug 2014, 9:14 pm

Getting the stylus set down point correct can be a bit 'trial & error', but it should be possible to find a point which is correct for all records of the three standard diameters. As to the tracking weight, it's adjustable on most, if not all decks. In the case of the BSR UA series of autochangers, there is a spring fitted to the underside of the tone arm, usually with the 'front' end hooked into one of several holes in a metal strip. The further forward the spring's end is hooked, the heavier will be the tracking weight & vice versa.

Modforit · 14th Aug 2014, 11:25 am

Hi,

My Dansette conquest had a problem whereby when the tonearm drops down towards the disc it misses it by a fraction and lands on the platter, I posted re this problem before and had some helpful information from "Live wire" who advised me of the screw you can adjust under the tone arm. After a lot of trial and error it seemed to right itself, however this only lasted for a couple of plays when it then seemed to develop a mind of its own the tonearm dropping down as though it were playing a 12" although there was a 7" on the platter or the tonearm would rise and then promptly go back down on the resting post or it would move across and rest down as though there were a 10" disc on the platter or it would again miss the 7" by a fraction and finally just for good measure it would play a disc perfectly, please can anybody help before I pull out whats remaining of my hair, the annoying thing is when a disc plays it's as loud and clear as when it was first purchased.

mark pirate · 14th Aug 2014, 12:07 pm

I would suspect your problems are being caused by the old dried up grease.
There is only one way to restore correct operation, that is to dismantle and clean off all traces of the old grease and relubricate with new.
See the 'sticky' (no pub intended) threads on how to do it.

Mark

Modforit · 14th Aug 2014, 8:18 pm

Hi,

Bearing in mind I'm not that mechanically minded is this relatively straight forward to do.

Many thanks.

Modforit · 12th May 2018, 10:54 am

Hi,

I have acquired a Dansette conquest record player but it appears the weight of the arm is too heavy as when I have lifted it manually it feels really heavy at the head, is there a way of adjusting the weight?

many thanks.

Russell Probert

AC/HL · 12th May 2018, 12:16 pm

See post 4, is the spring present under the pickup arm?

Edward Huggins · 12th May 2018, 1:59 pm

You have not posted any pics of your player, so do be aware that Dansette used 3 different types of BSR autochangers on the the "Conquest": the UA8, UA12/14 and UA15. Essentially the method of weight adjustment is the same for these - BUT - we do not know what type of cartridge is fitted? Some cartridges need to play at lighter tracking weights than others. These are ususally in range from 8 down to c.5 grams. Bear in mind we are making a number of assumptions at this stage without more details from you. At the very least, please describe the deck and the numbering on the cartridge.

8th Aug 2014, 10:03 pm	#1
Modforit Diode Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 7	Dansette Conquest record player Hi, Can anyone help, I picked up and old Dansette conquest player recently, it plays well apart from the fact when you turn the player on to play a disc (7")the tonearm drops about a quarter of an inch from the disc itself and lands on the platter is there any adjustment I can make to get it to actually come down on the record itself. many thanks.

8th Aug 2014, 10:37 pm	#2
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Dansette conquest record player There is an adjustment under the base of the tone arm in the form of a screw which is turned one way to move the set down point outwards, and the other way to move it inwards. The usual recommendation was to make the adjustment so that the stylus makes contact about 0.125" in from the edge of a 10" disc. It will then (in theory!) be correct for 7" & 12" records. However, before attempting any adjustments, bear in mind that many such problems are caused by hardened grease in various parts of the mechanism, which should be cleaned and relubricated. There is a 'sticky' (no pun intended!) thread at the head of this section on this subject. https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=75401 Last edited by 'LIVEWIRE?'; 8th Aug 2014 at 10:43 pm.

11th Aug 2014, 11:10 am	#3
Modforit Diode Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 7	Re: Dansette conquest record player Hi, Thanks for the information, I've tried adjusting the screw you mentioned and after much toing and froing it seemed to do the trick but it's very hit and miss. I put a stack of 4 singles onto play, two of them played perfectly and the other two the tone arm again dropped short landing on the platter. Also when the tone arm returns after playing a disc it now misses the resting post it should rest down on. Also is there a way of adjusting the weight of the tone arm. many thanks.

11th Aug 2014, 9:14 pm	#4
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Dansette conquest record player Getting the stylus set down point correct can be a bit 'trial & error', but it should be possible to find a point which is correct for all records of the three standard diameters. As to the tracking weight, it's adjustable on most, if not all decks. In the case of the BSR UA series of autochangers, there is a spring fitted to the underside of the tone arm, usually with the 'front' end hooked into one of several holes in a metal strip. The further forward the spring's end is hooked, the heavier will be the tracking weight & vice versa.

14th Aug 2014, 11:25 am	#5
Modforit Diode Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 7	Dansette conquest - continued problem! Hi, My Dansette conquest had a problem whereby when the tonearm drops down towards the disc it misses it by a fraction and lands on the platter, I posted re this problem before and had some helpful information from "Live wire" who advised me of the screw you can adjust under the tone arm. After a lot of trial and error it seemed to right itself, however this only lasted for a couple of plays when it then seemed to develop a mind of its own the tonearm dropping down as though it were playing a 12" although there was a 7" on the platter or the tonearm would rise and then promptly go back down on the resting post or it would move across and rest down as though there were a 10" disc on the platter or it would again miss the 7" by a fraction and finally just for good measure it would play a disc perfectly, please can anybody help before I pull out whats remaining of my hair, the annoying thing is when a disc plays it's as loud and clear as when it was first purchased.

14th Aug 2014, 12:07 pm	#6
mark pirate Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK Posts: 5,185	Re: Dansette Conquest record player I would suspect your problems are being caused by the old dried up grease. There is only one way to restore correct operation, that is to dismantle and clean off all traces of the old grease and relubricate with new. See the 'sticky' (no pub intended) threads on how to do it. Mark

14th Aug 2014, 8:18 pm	#7
Modforit Diode Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 7	Re: Dansette Conquest record player Hi, Bearing in mind I'm not that mechanically minded is this relatively straight forward to do. Many thanks.

12th May 2018, 10:54 am	#8
Modforit Diode Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 7	Dansette conquest - arm weight. Hi, I have acquired a Dansette conquest record player but it appears the weight of the arm is too heavy as when I have lifted it manually it feels really heavy at the head, is there a way of adjusting the weight? many thanks. Russell Probert

12th May 2018, 12:16 pm	#9
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: Dansette Conquest record player See post 4, is the spring present under the pickup arm?

12th May 2018, 1:59 pm	#10
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,335	Re: Dansette Conquest record player You have not posted any pics of your player, so do be aware that Dansette used 3 different types of BSR autochangers on the the "Conquest": the UA8, UA12/14 and UA15. Essentially the method of weight adjustment is the same for these - BUT - we do not know what type of cartridge is fitted? Some cartridges need to play at lighter tracking weights than others. These are ususally in range from 8 down to c.5 grams. Bear in mind we are making a number of assumptions at this stage without more details from you. At the very least, please describe the deck and the numbering on the cartridge. __________________ Edward.