Unidentified Ekco record player with unidentified Collaro deck. Ekco RP350. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

humorist2751 · 8th Dec 2017, 1:41 pm

Greetings to one and all.

A while back, I received a record player, badged as "Ekco" (but with no sign of a model number) and with a deck that is obviously of Collaro origin, but again I have no idea of its model number either - and sadly, there is as yet no "sticky" thread on identifying this particular make.

Attention to the electronics was fairly straightforward, but sadly the unit had spent some time with no power and its turntable in "drive" mode, so of course the idler wheel had dimpled rather badly. I did remove this, put it in an arbor, and grind it against some abrasive paper - but sadly, this procedure has left the deck with an unacceptable wow.

Given the extremely compact arrangement of this model, offering up various alternative decks has shown that all of them foul some part or other of the amplifier, given that they have much more "underneath stuff" than the one that is fitted.

I could get hold of an empty case, and transplant the electronics into that, along with an alternative (and known good) deck - but if I could identify this particular Collaro deck, I may be able to find a replacement idler, or commission one to be made.

By the way, the rotary knob on the front panel in the photographs was not there originally; it was added because the original switch, ganged with the volume control, had failed, so a rotary one was used to take over that function.

ms660 · 8th Dec 2017, 2:31 pm

Ekco RP350:

https://www.***********/photos/bradfo...ine/6807238541

Apparently the record deck is a Collaro "Junior"

ECL82 plus bridge rectifier.

Lawrence.

Station X · 8th Dec 2017, 2:33 pm

Well done Lawrence. I'll update the thread title.

humorist2751 · 8th Dec 2017, 3:03 pm

May I add my own thanks for providing the information so promptly. Now to see, if possible, if the Collaro "Junior" shared the same idler as one of the numbered Collaro models!

vidjoman · 8th Dec 2017, 4:30 pm

You could re-tyre the old one. If it's now round you can fit a flat belt onto it to make it a larger diameter to touch the motor and platter.

Edward Huggins · 8th Dec 2017, 7:10 pm

Or the idler wheel it could be easily skimmed on a Lathe. The tone arm is the same as from the Collaro RC54, RC456, RC457 and Conquest autochangers. From the photo, it looks as if the original (excellent) Collaro Studio "O" medium output cartridge has been replaced with a mono, stereo-compatible type, possibly an Acos GP91 series.

RojDW48 · 8th Dec 2017, 7:39 pm

All the Collaros I have worked on so far have used the same idler wheel - and, indeed, the same wheel for driving the autochange mechanism - so....hopefully you can find another. I even managed to harvest a wheel from a dead Challenger (IIRC) to replace a dented one in my old Decca Stereo Decola.

8th Dec 2017, 1:41 pm	#1
humorist2751 Pentode Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Chelmsford, Essex, UK. Posts: 121	Unidentified Ekco record player with unidentified Collaro deck. Ekco RP350. Greetings to one and all. A while back, I received a record player, badged as "Ekco" (but with no sign of a model number) and with a deck that is obviously of Collaro origin, but again I have no idea of its model number either - and sadly, there is as yet no "sticky" thread on identifying this particular make. Attention to the electronics was fairly straightforward, but sadly the unit had spent some time with no power and its turntable in "drive" mode, so of course the idler wheel had dimpled rather badly. I did remove this, put it in an arbor, and grind it against some abrasive paper - but sadly, this procedure has left the deck with an unacceptable wow. Given the extremely compact arrangement of this model, offering up various alternative decks has shown that all of them foul some part or other of the amplifier, given that they have much more "underneath stuff" than the one that is fitted. I could get hold of an empty case, and transplant the electronics into that, along with an alternative (and known good) deck - but if I could identify this particular Collaro deck, I may be able to find a replacement idler, or commission one to be made. By the way, the rotary knob on the front panel in the photographs was not there originally; it was added because the original switch, ganged with the volume control, had failed, so a rotary one was used to take over that function. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Regards David F. Symes

8th Dec 2017, 2:31 pm	#2
ms660 Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 13,454	Re: Unidentified Ekco record player with unidentified Collaro deck Ekco RP350: https://www.***********/photos/bradfo...ine/6807238541 Apparently the record deck is a Collaro "Junior" ECL82 plus bridge rectifier. Lawrence.

8th Dec 2017, 2:33 pm	#3
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,288	Re: Unidentified Ekco record player with unidentified Collaro deck Well done Lawrence. I'll update the thread title. __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

8th Dec 2017, 3:03 pm	#4
humorist2751 Pentode Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Chelmsford, Essex, UK. Posts: 121	Re: Unidentified Ekco record player with unidentified Collaro deck. Ekco RP350. May I add my own thanks for providing the information so promptly. Now to see, if possible, if the Collaro "Junior" shared the same idler as one of the numbered Collaro models! __________________ Regards David F. Symes

8th Dec 2017, 4:30 pm	#5
vidjoman Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: East Sussex, UK. Posts: 3,326	Re: Unidentified Ekco record player with unidentified Collaro deck. Ekco RP350. You could re-tyre the old one. If it's now round you can fit a flat belt onto it to make it a larger diameter to touch the motor and platter.

8th Dec 2017, 7:10 pm	#6
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,327	Re: Unidentified Ekco record player with unidentified Collaro deck. Ekco RP350. Or the idler wheel it could be easily skimmed on a Lathe. The tone arm is the same as from the Collaro RC54, RC456, RC457 and Conquest autochangers. From the photo, it looks as if the original (excellent) Collaro Studio "O" medium output cartridge has been replaced with a mono, stereo-compatible type, possibly an Acos GP91 series. __________________ Edward.

8th Dec 2017, 7:39 pm	#7
RojDW48 Nonode Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 2,074	Re: Unidentified Ekco record player with unidentified Collaro deck. Ekco RP350. All the Collaros I have worked on so far have used the same idler wheel - and, indeed, the same wheel for driving the autochange mechanism - so....hopefully you can find another. I even managed to harvest a wheel from a dead Challenger (IIRC) to replace a dented one in my old Decca Stereo Decola. __________________ '....don't go mistaking Paradise for that home across the road!' (Bob Dylan)