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Vintage Audio (record players, hi-fi etc) Amplifiers, speakers, gramophones and other audio equipment.

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Old 24th Nov 2019, 1:49 pm   #1
Chris55000
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Default Rigonda Cartridge Repair?

Hi!

I picked up a Rigonda "Party Time" (mono version) from a local seller about three months ago and my endeavours weren't all that successful as the cartridge seems to have a cracked suspension · I tried another one I had in my Rigonda Stereogram awaiting repair but that appears to be intermittent – in fact there was goop leaking out of it!!

What are my chances of reclaiming this and can you get replacements?

Chris Williams

PS!

Technical Note for anyone who's got a Rigonda Symfonia 2 or the Bolshoi Symfonia 3 – an ECC83 will NOT directly replace the double–triode preamplifier valves – the Russian Original in mine has a 6.3V heater across 4 & 5 and NO heater centre–tap!
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It's an enigma, that's what it is! This thing's not fixed because it doesn't want to be fixed!

Last edited by Chris55000; 24th Nov 2019 at 1:59 pm.
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Old 24th Nov 2019, 4:04 pm   #2
Techman
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Default Re: Rigonda Cartridge Repair?

I had one of these to repair a few months ago and managed to make it up with a spare that was with the gram. The three flat spade carrier connectors were all adrift and needed sticking back in place - it was a bit of a bodge to be honest, but it worked. The alternative would have been to fit one of those marvelous, and very cheap, Chinese cartridges in place of the original if I hadn't been able to do anything with what was already there.

As a note on these Rigonda decks - they don't like tracking at below about 7-8g due to the cumbersome auto stop trip mechanism knocking the stylus from the grove at anything lower towards the end of the record, regardless of cleaning and messing with it, so this can be permanently removed to get the tracking weight down to around 5g or possibly even lower if you dare, but five is good enough - the removed trip part can be bagged and fixed within the cabinet base for future return to original if ever required.
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Old 24th Nov 2019, 4:50 pm   #3
Chris55000
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Default Re: Rigonda Cartridge Repair?

Hi!

Thanks for that tip on the auto–stop Member Techman – I found that was exactly the problem I had whilst I was testing the Party Time!

I originally bought the Party Time to provide a replacement deck for the Bolshoi as the speed–change linkage of the radiogram's original deck was in fragments and unrepairable!

There doesn't seem to be a lot of information on the Party Time, so I'll draw it out and post at a later date when I have spare time!

Chris Williams
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Old 24th Nov 2019, 7:22 pm   #4
astro63
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Default Re: Rigonda Cartridge Repair?

my parents had a Bolshoi with big floor standing speakers fantastic sound but also leaked that sticky goo, im wondering looking at you cartridge it looks like it has ceramic elements compared to crystal, if it was mine id buy one of the cheap Chinese black cartridges with the red stylus bit and take the ceramic strips out, they are fragile but the casing opens up easy and with nibble fingers i reckon its poss to fit em the cartridge u have, positive not the cheapo Chinese cartridges only couple of quid so worth playing it
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Old 24th Nov 2019, 11:19 pm   #5
Beobloke
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Default Re: Rigonda Cartridge Repair?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris55000 View Post
Hi!

I picked up a Rigonda "Party Time" (mono version) from a local seller about three months ago and my endeavours weren't all that successful as the cartridge seems to have a cracked suspension · I tried another one I had in my Rigonda Stereogram awaiting repair but that appears to be intermittent – in fact there was goop leaking out of it!!

What are my chances of reclaiming this and can you get replacements?

Chris Williams
Ping me a PM with your address - I have a spare you’re welcome to.
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Old 25th Nov 2019, 12:26 am   #6
Ted Kendall
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Default Re: Rigonda Cartridge Repair?

Goldring made a plug-in replacement in the '70s - worth grabbing if you see one - I think it was CS91 based...
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Old 26th Nov 2019, 11:37 pm   #7
ben
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Default Re: Rigonda Cartridge Repair?

I seem to recall the drop in replacements having a Garrard GCS23 cart. I would strip the old disintegrated cart out and try and fit one of those - if you want to go for a 'period replacement'! You would need some push on tags and a little wire.
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