Philips EL3556 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Jimmyhaflinger · 11th Jan 2009, 11:59 pm

Just restored this 1966 Philips EL3556 tape recorder.

The mechanism needed the usual black rubber goo cleanup, new belts and a new FFwd idler, the pinch roller from a Philips N7300 i had in the junk pile was a perfect fit.

The erase/bias oscillator was dead, its +15v rail wasn't there even with the machine in "record" mode.
As it turned out, a section of the start/stop switch was bad, totally o/c,
this switch allows the oscillator to start only if both REC and PLAY keys are engaged.

Oddly the start/stop switch had two identical sections in series, and only one was bad, so i soldered in a little jumper to bypass the bad section and this fixed the problem (you can see it near the red arrow in the picture, i even used original vintage Philips wire to make it!) the oscillator is now working as it should.

This is a really nice recorder, the electronics are hybrid, with 3 valves and 6 transistors, and an EM87 "magic band" level indicator, the sound from the 5x7" built in speaker is simply unbelievable!

Steve_P · 12th Jan 2009, 12:03 am

Excellent machine, despite the Philips Goo problem. Well done on fixing it and describing the fault so clearly.

Another one set to last another 30 years.

Cheers,

Steve P.

Nickthedentist · 12th Jan 2009, 12:07 am

Very nice, looks like new inside!

We used to have one of these at primary school (London in the very early 1980s) along with a couple of Tandbergs.

Nick.

Jimmyhaflinger · 12th Jan 2009, 12:16 am

Also forgot to mention that i had to dismantle, clean and relube the motor as the upper bearing had gummed up grease in it and was frozen...

This machine is very clean, almost like new, and is really enjoyable to use!

Next project will be a 1972 Philips N4407, this machine uses the same basic mechanism as the EL3556 but the rubber "brake fingers" melted in this one, and i don't have another FFwd idler, this project is going to be a tough one...

Michael Maurice · 12th Jan 2009, 12:29 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmyhaflinger

Next project will be a 1972 Philips N4407, this machine uses the same basic mechanism as the EL3556 but the rubber "brake fingers" melted in this one, and i don't have another FFwd idler, this project is going to be a tough one...

Can I suggest you google Terry's rubber rollers. If you send the old idler, he'll make you a new one.

Very nice tape recorder, a worthwhile project.

stevekendal · 12th Jan 2009, 12:05 pm

Nice job Jimmy. I have a nearly-identical EL3576 and I'm just about to start a thread on it in another section. Steve.

ben · 13th Jan 2009, 11:05 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmyhaflinger

Next project will be a 1972 Philips N4407, this machine uses the same basic mechanism as the EL3556 but the rubber "brake fingers" melted in this one, and i don't have another FFwd idler, this project is going to be a tough one...

good job! I used pinch rollers from some old cheap and nasty sanyo portable decks to replace the idler on these. And for the brake fingers I made my own using bits of the rubber tape 'anti-slack' stabiliser from an old N1500 video cassette box! Like you, a 'period' philips repair through and through!

Ben

Reelman · 13th Jan 2009, 11:39 pm

I also have one of these to restore. Luckily the belts have just sagged rather than gone to goo. I see that one of the belts is triangular! - typical Philips. Can anyone suggest a source for replacement belts? If anyone needs it I have the service manual.

Cheers,

Peter

Jimmyhaflinger · 15th Jan 2009, 12:20 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reelman

I also have one of these to restore. Luckily the belts have just sagged rather than gone to goo. I see that one of the belts is triangular! - typical Philips. Can anyone suggest a source for replacement belts? If anyone needs it I have the service manual.

Cheers,

Peter

Beware, your sagged belts will turn into goo quite soon.

a regular square belt works fine in place of the triangular one.

Jimmyhaflinger · 15th Jan 2009, 12:22 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ben

good job! I used pinch rollers from some old cheap and nasty sanyo portable decks to replace the idler on these. And for the brake fingers I made my own using bits of the rubber tape 'anti-slack' stabiliser from an old N1500 video cassette box! Like you, a 'period' philips repair through and through!

Ben

I have a box of VCR tapes including a few broken ones, i'll try this!

11th Jan 2009, 11:59 pm	#1
Jimmyhaflinger Heptode Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: La Spezia, Italy Posts: 834	Philips EL3556 Just restored this 1966 Philips EL3556 tape recorder. The mechanism needed the usual black rubber goo cleanup, new belts and a new FFwd idler, the pinch roller from a Philips N7300 i had in the junk pile was a perfect fit. The erase/bias oscillator was dead, its +15v rail wasn't there even with the machine in "record" mode. As it turned out, a section of the start/stop switch was bad, totally o/c, this switch allows the oscillator to start only if both REC and PLAY keys are engaged. Oddly the start/stop switch had two identical sections in series, and only one was bad, so i soldered in a little jumper to bypass the bad section and this fixed the problem (you can see it near the red arrow in the picture, i even used original vintage Philips wire to make it!) the oscillator is now working as it should. This is a really nice recorder, the electronics are hybrid, with 3 valves and 6 transistors, and an EM87 "magic band" level indicator, the sound from the 5x7" built in speaker is simply unbelievable! Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Jimmyhaflinger; 12th Jan 2009 at 12:07 am.

12th Jan 2009, 12:03 am	#2
Steve_P Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 6,644	Re: Philips EL3556 Excellent machine, despite the Philips Goo problem. Well done on fixing it and describing the fault so clearly. Another one set to last another 30 years. Cheers, Steve P. __________________ If we've always had it, why is the Car Boot open? You're not sneaking another Old TV in are you...?

12th Jan 2009, 12:07 am	#3
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,844	Re: Philips EL3556 Very nice, looks like new inside! We used to have one of these at primary school (London in the very early 1980s) along with a couple of Tandbergs. Nick.

12th Jan 2009, 12:16 am	#4
Jimmyhaflinger Heptode Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: La Spezia, Italy Posts: 834	Re: Philips EL3556 Also forgot to mention that i had to dismantle, clean and relube the motor as the upper bearing had gummed up grease in it and was frozen... This machine is very clean, almost like new, and is really enjoyable to use! Next project will be a 1972 Philips N4407, this machine uses the same basic mechanism as the EL3556 but the rubber "brake fingers" melted in this one, and i don't have another FFwd idler, this project is going to be a tough one...

12th Jan 2009, 12:05 pm	#6
stevekendal Heptode Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Kendal, Cumbria, UK. Posts: 625	Re: Philips EL3556 Nice job Jimmy. I have a nearly-identical EL3576 and I'm just about to start a thread on it in another section. Steve. __________________ Knobs and tubes rule ok

13th Jan 2009, 11:39 pm	#8
Reelman Octode Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 1,723	Re: Philips EL3556 I also have one of these to restore. Luckily the belts have just sagged rather than gone to goo. I see that one of the belts is triangular! - typical Philips. Can anyone suggest a source for replacement belts? If anyone needs it I have the service manual. Cheers, Peter