"Penny" slot record player. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Tractorfan · 4th May 2014, 9:03 pm

Hi,
Just thought I'd share this scruffy little item that I picked up today for the princely sum of 1 whole euro.
It was made in Italy and has a "Penny" badge. It plays (badly) 7" 45rpm records with a large centre hole. It runs on mains, or six U11 cells. There were a set of dead, rusty batteries within which must have been there for years but, luckily, hadn't done much damage to the contact springs. I think the stylus pressure would be quite horrendous as it had to work in any position (although I've not tried it while inverted). It had a label inside indicating that it was made in 1981, which seems quite late considering that cassette tape players were well established and very popular (and much more convenient) long before. I can't imagine many teenagers carrying one of these around with a bag full of discs! They were probably made in a variety of other jolly colours besides blue.
After replacing the belt, fitting a fresh set of batteries and removing the forest of fluff from the stylus I was rewarded with the warbling tones of Englebert Humperdinck.
Cheers, Pete.

unitaudio · 4th May 2014, 9:08 pm

I bet that will scrub up well. In the dim and distant past I remember seeing one of these in orange. Can't remember where though. Good find!

Regards,
Paul

Courtney Louise · 4th May 2014, 10:55 pm

That's a really interesting deck, the fact it's a pivot arm and not a linear one is quite different I think in a portable..

ben · 4th May 2014, 11:43 pm

I have a yellow one!
They were indeed made in the early 80s, but looks wise they are not unlike the Grundig originals about a decade before. They were badged Univox and Steepletone and doubtless others.

The stylus in mine looks like a Ronette copy, judging by the securing clip. Witha new belt the speed is actually pretty stable.

I note yours has a mains transformer, mine does not, having a DC input connector. maskes it lighter I suppose.

Peter.N. · 5th May 2014, 12:33 am

Its in good condition for the age. Reminds me a bit of the Philips Auto Mignon car player.

Peter

Dave Moll · 5th May 2014, 8:16 am

Now you're really trying to confuse me. That yellow looks remarkably like red (or in the first image, orange) to me.

4th May 2014, 9:03 pm	#1
Tractorfan Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.) Posts: 3,183	"Penny" slot record player. Hi, Just thought I'd share this scruffy little item that I picked up today for the princely sum of 1 whole euro. It was made in Italy and has a "Penny" badge. It plays (badly) 7" 45rpm records with a large centre hole. It runs on mains, or six U11 cells. There were a set of dead, rusty batteries within which must have been there for years but, luckily, hadn't done much damage to the contact springs. I think the stylus pressure would be quite horrendous as it had to work in any position (although I've not tried it while inverted). It had a label inside indicating that it was made in 1981, which seems quite late considering that cassette tape players were well established and very popular (and much more convenient) long before. I can't imagine many teenagers carrying one of these around with a bag full of discs! They were probably made in a variety of other jolly colours besides blue. After replacing the belt, fitting a fresh set of batteries and removing the forest of fluff from the stylus I was rewarded with the warbling tones of Englebert Humperdinck. Cheers, Pete. Attached Thumbnails __________________ "Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..." Last edited by Tractorfan; 4th May 2014 at 9:10 pm. Reason: rearranging the worms.

4th May 2014, 9:08 pm	#2
unitaudio Heptode Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 862	Re: "Penny" slot record player. I bet that will scrub up well. In the dim and distant past I remember seeing one of these in orange. Can't remember where though. Good find! Regards, Paul __________________ ...No, it's not supposed to pick up the World Service, it's not a radio!

4th May 2014, 10:55 pm	#3
Courtney Louise Octode Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Welshpool, Powys, Wales Posts: 1,327	Re: "Penny" slot record player. That's a really interesting deck, the fact it's a pivot arm and not a linear one is quite different I think in a portable.. __________________ *33, 45, 78, around and around they go...*

4th May 2014, 11:43 pm	#4
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	Re: "Penny" slot record player. I have a yellow one! They were indeed made in the early 80s, but looks wise they are not unlike the Grundig originals about a decade before. They were badged Univox and Steepletone and doubtless others. The stylus in mine looks like a Ronette copy, judging by the securing clip. Witha new belt the speed is actually pretty stable. I note yours has a mains transformer, mine does not, having a DC input connector. maskes it lighter I suppose. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Regards, Ben.

5th May 2014, 12:33 am	#5
Peter.N. Dekatron Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Charmouth, Dorset, UK. Posts: 3,601	Re: "Penny" slot record player. Its in good condition for the age. Reminds me a bit of the Philips Auto Mignon car player. Peter

5th May 2014, 8:16 am	#6
Dave Moll Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: West Cumbria (CA13), UK Posts: 6,127	Re: "Penny" slot record player. Now you're really trying to confuse me. That yellow looks remarkably like red (or in the first image, orange) to me. __________________ Mending is better than Ending (cf Brave New World by Aldous Huxley)