Philips AH988/35 music Centre.

[Singlofty]

Good evening
I purchased one of these, and although everything seems to be working to some extent it needs some TLC. I've trawled the net but can't find any service information. It looks similar to the Boots own brand unit highlighted in the "greatest music centre" thread. Any assistance gratefully received.
Cheers
Dave

[Sideband]

/35 suggests that is wasn't for the UK market. Philips used /05, /15, /25 for UK products. How about posting some pictures? It may be similar to something else.

Is the FULL number 22AH988?

[Nickthedentist]

Googling shows a auction listing or two, with photos.

It would seem to date from about 1980. A fairly low-end unit c/w BSR record deck (albeit with Dolby noise reduction for the cassette) but it should sound OK with the right kind of speakers.

Is there anything specific you're looking for, Dave? I suspect all it will need is the usual "servicing" including dismantling and lubricating the decks, new belts for the cassette deck, a new stylus, cleaning the cassette heads, cleaning the switches and pots with Servisol etc.

Nick.

[Maarten]

Originally Posted by Sideband

/35 suggests that is wasn't for the UK market. Philips used /05, /15, /25 for UK products. How about posting some pictures? It may be similar to something else.

Pictures would be useful indeed, preferably including one of the type label.

Execution number /35 on a pre-1980 set would usually point to destination Portugal, but on a post-1980 set it could very well be a second or third execution for the UK. I don't have enough data to know for sure.

As a side note on the other execution numbers, pre-1980 /15 was the first execution number for the UK, post-1980, /05 was used. The exact year the system was revised, is still a bit unclear to me but it must have been between 1978 and 1982 so it could possibly be that this model year 1978 set was already numbered according to the new system.

[Singlofty]

Thank you for the replies, the main issues are,
Broken dial cord,
Severe inward skating of cartridge,
Pick up arm raise and lower inoperative.
The radio works as does the tape deck although it needs a clean and there is some corrosion on the record deck surface.
Cheers
Dave

Photo's of the unit and record deck labels. My main issue at the moment is removing the fascia to repair the dial cord.
Dave

[jamesperrett]

Those record decks were pretty bad at tracking, even when new, but I would suggest that you check that you actually have a stylus on there to start with.

[Singlofty]

Sorry, should have said the stylus looks like it's shot. The cartridge fitted is a SC 11M checking the BSR sticky above ST16/17/20/21 are all compatible, all seem available online, will any of these do?

[Nickthedentist]

I agree. The cartridge will no doubt be a BSR SC12 (printed in gold on the side), for which replacement styli are readily available, and relatively cheaply too.

Also check that the pickup is free to descend to below the level of the record, i.e. that it's not being held in a partially-raised by the defective lift mechanism.

EDIT: Sorry, crossed with James.

[Singlofty]

Got the chassis out, just need to work out how the dial cord goes back. Some of the fixings were loose so I'm assuming it's been got at although I can't imagine what happened to the lower heatsink on the left hand board. It may have been designed that way to give access to the fuses.
Dave

[ben]

Originally Posted by Singlofty

Sorry, should have said the stylus looks like it's shot. The cartridge fitted is a SC 11M checking the BSR sticky above ST16/17/20/21 are all compatible, all seem available online, will any of these do?

You should probably get the ST20 or 21. As this deck has no 78 speed, if you get the ST16 or 17 dual tipped stylus, ensure you get one with two LP tips NOT LP/78 .

[Nickthedentist]

Originally Posted by Singlofty

...I can't imagine what happened to the lower heatsink on the left hand board. It may have been designed that way to give access to the fuses.

Or possibly bent so that it clears some part of the record deck.

[Singlofty]

Originally Posted by ben

You should probably get the ST20 or 21. As this deck has no 78 speed, if you get the ST16 or 17 dual tipped stylus, ensure you get one with two LP tips NOT LP/78 .

Thanks Ben I have an ST21 on order.

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

Or possibly bent so that it clears some part of the record deck.

Didn't think of that, the way it's bent looks a bit rough, I'll check when I reassemble.