Help with Ferguson StereoMinor record player - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

The Wrong Era · 18th Jun 2016, 8:59 pm

Hi.

I have a Ferguson 3024 StereoMinor record player, and the stereo balance is only working in the right speaker - if I turn the balance knob to the left, only humming is heard, if I pull the knob towards me a little it comes out of the right speaker, despite being set to the left.

Someone please help - I can not figure this one out!

'LIVEWIRE?' · 18th Jun 2016, 10:53 pm

Could be anything from a faulty pickup cartridge, to a fault in the LH channel of the amplifier. If you gently pull off the leads from the back of the cartridge (note which lead goes where!) and can touch the terminals with a screwdriver or similar( Take care if this model is a 'live chassis one) a 'buzz' in both speakers, with the balance control set midway, will confirm that the amplifier is OK, or at least working, and the cartridge is faulty

Edward Huggins · 18th Jun 2016, 11:37 pm

This is a transistor model and is safe to work on. It's becoming more and more clear that around 50% of all record player, radiogram, music-centre and turntable problems are down to cartridge issues. Edward

peter_sol · 19th Jun 2016, 5:05 am

Try cleaning the control or you may have a dry joint on the PCB

The Wrong Era · 19th Jun 2016, 11:04 am

Thanks guys - I will try these out and let you know

The Wrong Era · 19th Jun 2016, 2:31 pm

Okay,
So only the red wire (see attached) hummed when touched, the other did nothing, I fairly novice really - so not sure what the next step would be.

Thanks for all your help so far & sorry for the ignorance, this is something I would really to become good at - just don't have the background so I'm learning as I go.

paulsherwin · 19th Jun 2016, 2:53 pm

It sounds as if the cartridge is OK and you have an amplifier fault.

Edward Huggins · 19th Jun 2016, 3:08 pm

Only one channel working then. Is each channel fused? You may need to look inside. If it's a connecton problem, could be any easy fix. If an amplifier fault you are likely to need 3rd party help. Edward

ben · 22nd Jun 2016, 11:32 am

That fact you get hum from the other speaker means the amp is not totally dead.
Get a pin or something and poke the black connector, just to check. You should get a buzz from the speaker.

'LIVEWIRE?' · 22nd Jun 2016, 11:43 am

Are those leads correctly connected to the cartridge? IIRC the red and yellow leads are the two signal wires, whilst the green & black ones are the negative (return or earth) leads, and will almost certainly be joined together via the tagstrip(or phono socket strip, whichever is used) ubderneath the deck. Those cartridges should have + &- marks on the top, either side to indicate which pin is which.

Cobaltblue · 22nd Jun 2016, 11:48 am

According to trader

Guessing white is actually yellow.

Cheers

Mike T

ben · 22nd Jun 2016, 12:12 pm

The leads look fine to me. Yellow was used as arm tube ground on 70s BSRs.

18th Jun 2016, 8:59 pm	#1
The Wrong Era Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Northamptonshire, UK. Posts: 20	Help with Ferguson StereoMinor record player Hi. I have a Ferguson 3024 StereoMinor record player, and the stereo balance is only working in the right speaker - if I turn the balance knob to the left, only humming is heard, if I pull the knob towards me a little it comes out of the right speaker, despite being set to the left. Someone please help - I can not figure this one out!

18th Jun 2016, 10:53 pm	#2
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Help with Ferguson StereoMinorin record player Could be anything from a faulty pickup cartridge, to a fault in the LH channel of the amplifier. If you gently pull off the leads from the back of the cartridge (note which lead goes where!) and can touch the terminals with a screwdriver or similar( Take care if this model is a 'live chassis one) a 'buzz' in both speakers, with the balance control set midway, will confirm that the amplifier is OK, or at least working, and the cartridge is faulty

18th Jun 2016, 11:37 pm	#3
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,338	Re: Help with Ferguson StereoMinorin record player This is a transistor model and is safe to work on. It's becoming more and more clear that around 50% of all record player, radiogram, music-centre and turntable problems are down to cartridge issues. Edward

19th Jun 2016, 5:05 am	#4
peter_sol Octode Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Welwyn Garden City, Herts. UK. Posts: 1,906	Re: Help with Ferguson StereoMinor record player Try cleaning the control or you may have a dry joint on the PCB

19th Jun 2016, 11:04 am	#5
The Wrong Era Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Northamptonshire, UK. Posts: 20	Re: Help with Ferguson StereoMinor record player Thanks guys - I will try these out and let you know

19th Jun 2016, 2:31 pm	#6
The Wrong Era Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Northamptonshire, UK. Posts: 20	Re: Help with Ferguson StereoMinor record player Okay, So only the red wire (see attached) hummed when touched, the other did nothing, I fairly novice really - so not sure what the next step would be. Thanks for all your help so far & sorry for the ignorance, this is something I would really to become good at - just don't have the background so I'm learning as I go. Attached Thumbnails

19th Jun 2016, 2:53 pm	#7
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,969	Re: Help with Ferguson StereoMinor record player It sounds as if the cartridge is OK and you have an amplifier fault.

19th Jun 2016, 3:08 pm	#8
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,338	Re: Help with Ferguson StereoMinor record player Only one channel working then. Is each channel fused? You may need to look inside. If it's a connecton problem, could be any easy fix. If an amplifier fault you are likely to need 3rd party help. Edward

22nd Jun 2016, 11:32 am	#9
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	Re: Help with Ferguson StereoMinor record player That fact you get hum from the other speaker means the amp is not totally dead. Get a pin or something and poke the black connector, just to check. You should get a buzz from the speaker. __________________ Regards, Ben.

22nd Jun 2016, 11:43 am	#10
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Help with Ferguson StereoMinor record player Are those leads correctly connected to the cartridge? IIRC the red and yellow leads are the two signal wires, whilst the green & black ones are the negative (return or earth) leads, and will almost certainly be joined together via the tagstrip(or phono socket strip, whichever is used) ubderneath the deck. Those cartridges should have + &- marks on the top, either side to indicate which pin is which.

22nd Jun 2016, 11:48 am	#11
Cobaltblue Moderator Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Exeter, Devon and Poole, Dorset UK. Posts: 6,878	Re: Help with Ferguson StereoMinor record player According to trader Guessing white is actually yellow. Cheers Mike T Attached Thumbnails __________________ Invisible airwaves crackle with life or at least they used to Mike T BVWS member. www.cossor.co.uk

22nd Jun 2016, 12:12 pm	#12
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	Re: Help with Ferguson StereoMinor record player The leads look fine to me. Yellow was used as arm tube ground on 70s BSRs. __________________ Regards, Ben.