BSR record player deck identification.

[Jimmyhaflinger]

I think I once had one in an early 80s stereo, it has a hard plastic turntable with fake strobe segments and a fake tonearm counterweight, right? a real sad end for BSR.

I also had a manual player based on the same old changer deck, it had belt drive and a small DC motor with a simple electronic speed control.

[Jimmyhaflinger]

Here are a couple of pictures of the Monarch UA12 deck and the RCA player it's fitted into, the original turntable rubber mat is missing and was replaced with this black rubber mat from my junk box.
.
This RCA (model S114) is a strange beast, it was assembled in Italy from a mixture of American and Italian components, has a 5-valve mains-isolated chassis and has a selector for 110, 140, 160, 220 and 240v mains voltages.

[record-changer]

Originally Posted by ben

is it this one? I have never seen one 'in the flesh'

That's not a BSR, it's a Glenburn.

[batterymaker1]

So, which model was BSR's Top of the Line unit, their Gold Standard?

[Nickthedentist]

Probably the 810 from c.1972, which was described as "transcription quality" and looked the part with gimbal-type arm bearings, proper counterbalance, etc. etc.

http://www.vinylengine.com/library/bsr/810.shtml

However, the aforementioned book says its auto features "operated with all the speed and gutso of a dinosour", and that it was "big, cumbersome and heavy to operate".

The most common "upmarket" model you see over here is the MP60.

Nick.

[ben]

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

The most common "upmarket" model you see over here is the MP60

Quite. This had a meaty metal platter, better arm than yer bog standard BSR changer.

[Aerodyne]

Here's a photo of the BSR UA25. I couldn't (quickly) determine if a shot has already been uploaded, so this is here just in case!
-Tony

[Beobloke]

The 710 and 810 were impressive units but the book is quite right about their operation. Their automatic mechanism was so complicated and difficult to set up it was a fine line between the auto-trip not operating at all and operating far too soon in the middle of the record!

I restored one once and was quite impressed by its performance when I finally got it running after an entire weekend of tweaking (and swearing...) - it was very different to the rest of the shoddy tat (IMHO of course!) that BSR churned out.

After this, I did what my dad told me to when I first developed my obsession with turntables at the age of about 10, and stuck to Garrards!

[Jimmyhaflinger]

I have recently found this high-end BSR deck, the red sticker inside reads C139/1 and BC2863/437, the round date stamp under the platter indicates a 1972 mfg year, it looks almost identical to the famous BSR-McDonald 810 Transcription deck but there's no mention of "McDonald" or "810 Transcription" anywhere on this deck, the name plate just reads "BSR din 45 500 HIFI"

This deck is mounted in an Italian made GBC plinth, so it was sold as a drop in deck, it came complete with its autochange spindle and after resurfacing the hardened idler wheel it works flawlessly!

[ben]

Originally Posted by Jimmyhaflinger

it came complete with its autochange spindle !

No overarm - was this a Dual-style umbrella type spindle then? if not, I can't see how the discs would stack steadily.

[Jimmyhaflinger]

the spindle is indeed of the umbrella type, the fingers are quite wide so the record stack is fairly stable unless disturbed, especially if you stack 7" 45s

having no overarm means that when you use the short spindle, you have a nice single play deck.

[michael thoms]

Originally Posted by ben

I have a music centre with a c142R with some small cosmetic differences from the image shown (4).
attached are a couple more, the p157, small c114 and the c141R1 , my favourite BSR arm; a lightweight type with small head, which is like BSR's equivalent of the garrard 2025tc-

Ben, I have a BSR which appears to be the same as the third photo shown on your 4 photos, mine is a 3 speed with he multi record spindle, is fitted to a New Zealand made radiogram by Willard, have just fitted a new stylus which means I can now play both LPS and 78s.
What model is it and were can I get some info as to ajustments?
thanks in advance Michael

[ben]

Hi Michael
the model is usually on a red sticker under the deck. Yours is probably a C142 or variant.
Info online is scare for these later units, but most adjustments are straightforward even for non-techs, what do you need to do exactly?

[annemarie]

Alright, here's mine. Do you think this is a UA12 deluxe? I'm not sure what needle to use in this. It looks different from the UA12s I seem to see, and this has no needle in it to compare.

[Techman]

Just dug this one out today.

BSR UA25. c1965, I think?

[af024]

Another to add to the list ...

This time it's a BSR C129R 2-H-5BS1 MD4788/528 O28W L3 bet your life! Trips off the tongue that.

Regards,


Andy

[gezza123]

Hi Andy,

Just scannining in part list for C129R1+R2
This deck has three different pickup heads,
part No.d.110872 pick-up head no.195
part No.c.110397 pick-up head no.11
part- 7 on part list was a Custom Design Head.

[howard]

I only have one record player, a Bush SRP41 and it's sold and that has a BSR deck as yet unmentionned, a Monarch UA15 Superslim 4 speed autochanger in black. It's the same as the metallic blue UA15 deck in the earlier Bush SRP31C/D but around 1" lower to fit in the sleeker SRP41 so the spindle will only accomodate six records rather than ten.

The platter doesn't slow down at the end of a record now, I found the problem, the screw and washer upon which the operating plate slides had come loose so the plate was moving over it at an angle. It's tightened up now with a bit more grease on the plate and it works perfectly.

There's only a very light coat of black paint on this deck, BSR should have sprayed a bit more on it .....

Howard

[af024]

I wonder why so many different heads for the C129? Ooh err.

[ben]

The C129 is basically the C141 with a plastic platter.