Minstrel record player transistor - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

FIXITNOW · 20th Oct 2021, 7:30 am

this was gifted to me last night anyone know the maker just state made in Great Britain on the back

FIXITNOW · 20th Oct 2021, 7:32 am

More pictures, had to remove the grill which is held on by double sided tape to get the amp out

Edward Huggins · 20th Oct 2021, 8:56 am

This was made by FIDELITY in c.1966. It's an early discrete transistor (pre-chip) version.

Station X · 20th Oct 2021, 9:07 am

Looks very similar to the player in this thread, although the amplifier is different:-

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=148163

FIXITNOW · 20th Oct 2021, 9:16 am

thanks folks does look like one of these, had a look at the forum DVD's sadly not on them but there are model numbers missing so i guess we do not have circuits for the full range

Station X · 20th Oct 2021, 9:24 am

I think that once Fidelity started using semiconductor amplifiers they chopped and change quite a bit with externally identical players likely to contain different amplifiers.

The IC based amplifier in my Fidelity HF42 is nothing like the transistor based amplifier shown in the service sheet.

ben · 20th Oct 2021, 9:45 am

Looks like a Fidelity HF45 to me. Circa 1972.

vidjoman · 20th Oct 2021, 9:46 am

You could have just taken out the two screws that hold the amplifier to the panel without dismantling the cabinet front.

FIXITNOW · 20th Oct 2021, 9:50 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by vidjoman

You could have just taken out the two screws that hold the amplifier to the panel without dismantling the cabinet front.

there is no rear access from inside sadly the piece off hard board you can see behind post 2 picture 1 is fixed and covered with the finishing material leaving no access as in most other players ,the only way in was to remove the grill and then the speaker baffle with the electronics

there are no screws around the turntable either

FIXITNOW · 20th Oct 2021, 9:54 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by ben

Looks like a Fidelity HF45 to me. Circa 1972.

on the web pictures i can find the grille is different and all so marked Fidelity where mine only gives the model name

Nuvistor · 20th Oct 2021, 10:29 am

Fidelity could have made it for furniture shops, quite common in the 60’s and 70’s. The shop probably wanted it seem to be their own design.

Station X · 20th Oct 2021, 10:38 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIXITNOW

Quote:

Originally Posted by vidjoman

You could have just taken out the two screws that hold the amplifier to the panel without dismantling the cabinet front.

the only way in was to remove the grille and then the speaker baffle with the electronics.

That's exactly what I had to do although the grille on mine had obviously been removed before. I stuck it back with double sided tape.

Edward Huggins · 20th Oct 2021, 12:46 pm

You remove the BSR deck by putting your hand through the front opening you now have, and pushing up the two retainer fasteners on the transit screws so that they are upright. Then lift the whole deck out. Easy when you know how. Fidelity built these for a range of different outlets/sale channel. Very cheap and cheerful.

vidjoman · 20th Oct 2021, 1:30 pm

That has to be the cheapest and most unserviceable way to make a record player. Probably thought the customer would just throw it away when it went wrong.

Station X · 20th Oct 2021, 1:37 pm

Most of them didn't go wrong though. They got consigned to the attic when the owner bought something better or switched to CD's. They then started to deteriorate with the grease hardening etc. The new interest in "vinyl" means that more and more of these players are being retrieved from attics and sold on.

Then the new owner joins these forums and we all know what happens then............

AC/HL · 20th Oct 2021, 1:47 pm

Late to the party!

The case is unmistakeably Fidelity, but if I'd seen the amplifier on its own I'd have guessed at one of the BRC clones. The circuitry will be pretty conventional though, nothing to cause any headaches.

ms660 · 20th Oct 2021, 1:50 pm

Fidelity also did a "valve" Minstrel.

The front panel of the record player in question looks very similar to the Co-op/Defiant MP12.

Lawrence.

FIXITNOW · 20th Oct 2021, 1:57 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ms660

Fidelity also did a "valve" Minstrel.

The front panel of the record player in question looks very similar to the Co-op/Defiant MP12.

Lawrence.

good call a web search found this image with a loose model label in the corner where mine shows Minstrel

ms660 · 20th Oct 2021, 2:03 pm

The MP12 had a different lid, the lid on the Fidelity Minstrel (the valve job) looks similar to the one on yours so far as I can make out.

Lawrence.

roffe · 21st Oct 2021, 5:24 pm

Circuit diagram for both transistor and IC versions:

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...=171605&page=2

20th Oct 2021, 7:30 am	#1
FIXITNOW Octode Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 1,976	Minstrel record player transistor this was gifted to me last night anyone know the maker just state made in Great Britain on the back Attached Thumbnails

20th Oct 2021, 7:32 am	#2
FIXITNOW Octode Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 1,976	Re: Minstrel record player transistor More pictures, had to remove the grill which is held on by double sided tape to get the amp out Attached Thumbnails

20th Oct 2021, 8:56 am	#3
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,336	Re: Minstrel record player transistor This was made by FIDELITY in c.1966. It's an early discrete transistor (pre-chip) version. __________________ Edward.

20th Oct 2021, 9:07 am	#4
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,289	Re: Minstrel record player transistor Looks very similar to the player in this thread, although the amplifier is different:- https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=148163 __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

20th Oct 2021, 9:16 am	#5
FIXITNOW Octode Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 1,976	Re: Minstrel record player transistor thanks folks does look like one of these, had a look at the forum DVD's sadly not on them but there are model numbers missing so i guess we do not have circuits for the full range

20th Oct 2021, 9:24 am	#6
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,289	Re: Minstrel record player transistor I think that once Fidelity started using semiconductor amplifiers they chopped and change quite a bit with externally identical players likely to contain different amplifiers. The IC based amplifier in my Fidelity HF42 is nothing like the transistor based amplifier shown in the service sheet. __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

20th Oct 2021, 9:45 am	#7
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	Re: Minstrel record player transistor Looks like a Fidelity HF45 to me. Circa 1972. __________________ Regards, Ben.

20th Oct 2021, 9:46 am	#8
vidjoman Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: East Sussex, UK. Posts: 3,326	Re: Minstrel record player transistor You could have just taken out the two screws that hold the amplifier to the panel without dismantling the cabinet front.

20th Oct 2021, 10:29 am	#11
Nuvistor Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 9,433	Re: Minstrel record player transistor Fidelity could have made it for furniture shops, quite common in the 60’s and 70’s. The shop probably wanted it seem to be their own design. __________________ Frank

20th Oct 2021, 12:46 pm	#13
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,336	Re: Minstrel record player transistor You remove the BSR deck by putting your hand through the front opening you now have, and pushing up the two retainer fasteners on the transit screws so that they are upright. Then lift the whole deck out. Easy when you know how. Fidelity built these for a range of different outlets/sale channel. Very cheap and cheerful. __________________ Edward.

20th Oct 2021, 1:30 pm	#14
vidjoman Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: East Sussex, UK. Posts: 3,326	Re: Minstrel record player transistor That has to be the cheapest and most unserviceable way to make a record player. Probably thought the customer would just throw it away when it went wrong.

20th Oct 2021, 1:37 pm	#15
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,289	Re: Minstrel record player transistor Most of them didn't go wrong though. They got consigned to the attic when the owner bought something better or switched to CD's. They then started to deteriorate with the grease hardening etc. The new interest in "vinyl" means that more and more of these players are being retrieved from attics and sold on. Then the new owner joins these forums and we all know what happens then............ __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

20th Oct 2021, 1:47 pm	#16
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: Minstrel record player transistor Late to the party! The case is unmistakeably Fidelity, but if I'd seen the amplifier on its own I'd have guessed at one of the BRC clones. The circuitry will be pretty conventional though, nothing to cause any headaches.

20th Oct 2021, 1:50 pm	#17
ms660 Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 13,454	Re: Minstrel record player transistor Fidelity also did a "valve" Minstrel. The front panel of the record player in question looks very similar to the Co-op/Defiant MP12. Lawrence.

20th Oct 2021, 2:03 pm	#19
ms660 Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 13,454	Re: Minstrel record player transistor The MP12 had a different lid, the lid on the Fidelity Minstrel (the valve job) looks similar to the one on yours so far as I can make out. Lawrence.

21st Oct 2021, 5:24 pm	#20
roffe Hexode Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Linkoping, Sweden Posts: 493	Re: Minstrel record player transistor Circuit diagram for both transistor and IC versions: https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...=171605&page=2