Philips front loading turntable - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Welsh Anorak · 14th Jun 2019, 12:54 pm

A customer just came in to pick up a repair and showed me 'something I might be interested in'. Alongside his mint boxed Grundig TK1 he had a Philips 7" front loading turntable.
I've only ever seen the one that fitted in a car - this one's a stand alone unit that connects to your amplifier by a couple of banana plugs. Anyone know these? It's in immaculate condition, but he's not tempted to sell it, though his wife was encouraging him to do so by shouting from the front of the car!

Robert Gribnau · 15th Jun 2019, 7:28 am

I think it is a Philips AG2100 "Mignon".

Robert

AC/HL · 15th Jun 2019, 8:14 pm

Another Philips front loader is the 22GF200, a battery powered portable. Again 7" only, but unusually the disc is stationary and the pickup rotates.

'LIVEWIRE?' · 15th Jun 2019, 9:43 pm

I've heard of, but never seen an AG2100 Mignon, which is essentially a domestic version of the AutoMignon Car record player. I've repaired a number of those over the years. Their main drawbacks, which also apply to the AG2100, are that they only accept mono 45s with the large center hole, and that the tracking weight is about 11g, together with a maximum playing time of 6-7minutes using an EP(remember those?). However I have never, until now, heard of the 22GF200 or any other player where the disc is stationary while the pickup rotates. Typical Philips approach I guess!

Paul_RK · 16th Jun 2019, 2:19 am

I've not met either the car or static home versions, but an example of the portable version which uses the same mechanism, the AG9123, chanced to come my way in about 1970.

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philip..._ag9123_1.html

I liked and enjoyed it for a while - there were a good many ex-jukebox 45s washing around at the time - but, not knowing that they were scarce at all, I didn't hang on to it. That's proved a moderately expensive mistake as nostalgia has driven me to acquire a couple of AG9123s from German sellers in recent years. Hard to see that the AG2100 had enough to recommend it to justify its existence as a standalone deck, whereas the car and portable versions were each very well suited to their roles but for the bugbear of disc wear.

Paul

Welsh Anorak · 17th Jun 2019, 1:53 pm

Hi
It's indeed the Mignon. I agree - exactly why you'd want a stand alone version of the deck is unclear. I wonder if it was to complement a portable radio so you could have records as well away from a mains supply?

Paul_RK · 17th Jun 2019, 3:10 pm

One problem with that, the AG2100 is mains-powered.

14th Jun 2019, 12:54 pm	#1
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,918	Philips front loading turntable A customer just came in to pick up a repair and showed me 'something I might be interested in'. Alongside his mint boxed Grundig TK1 he had a Philips 7" front loading turntable. I've only ever seen the one that fitted in a car - this one's a stand alone unit that connects to your amplifier by a couple of banana plugs. Anyone know these? It's in immaculate condition, but he's not tempted to sell it, though his wife was encouraging him to do so by shouting from the front of the car! __________________ Glyn www.gdelectronics.wales

15th Jun 2019, 8:14 pm	#3
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: Philips front loading turntable Another Philips front loader is the 22GF200, a battery powered portable. Again 7" only, but unusually the disc is stationary and the pickup rotates. Attached Thumbnails

15th Jun 2019, 9:43 pm	#4
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Philips front loading turntable I've heard of, but never seen an AG2100 Mignon, which is essentially a domestic version of the AutoMignon Car record player. I've repaired a number of those over the years. Their main drawbacks, which also apply to the AG2100, are that they only accept mono 45s with the large center hole, and that the tracking weight is about 11g, together with a maximum playing time of 6-7minutes using an EP(remember those?). However I have never, until now, heard of the 22GF200 or any other player where the disc is stationary while the pickup rotates. Typical Philips approach I guess!

16th Jun 2019, 2:19 am	#5
Paul_RK Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 4,255	Re: Philips front loading turntable I've not met either the car or static home versions, but an example of the portable version which uses the same mechanism, the AG9123, chanced to come my way in about 1970. https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philip..._ag9123_1.html I liked and enjoyed it for a while - there were a good many ex-jukebox 45s washing around at the time - but, not knowing that they were scarce at all, I didn't hang on to it. That's proved a moderately expensive mistake as nostalgia has driven me to acquire a couple of AG9123s from German sellers in recent years. Hard to see that the AG2100 had enough to recommend it to justify its existence as a standalone deck, whereas the car and portable versions were each very well suited to their roles but for the bugbear of disc wear. Paul

17th Jun 2019, 1:53 pm	#6
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,918	Re: Philips front loading turntable Hi It's indeed the Mignon. I agree - exactly why you'd want a stand alone version of the deck is unclear. I wonder if it was to complement a portable radio so you could have records as well away from a mains supply? __________________ Glyn www.gdelectronics.wales

17th Jun 2019, 3:10 pm	#7
Paul_RK Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 4,255	Re: Philips front loading turntable One problem with that, the AG2100 is mains-powered.