Restoring a golden Grundig Majestic (SO161Ua) 1960's vintage tube console, w/record, reel, Part 1

[@jeffreyhickman3871]

Just came across your KZbin channel and subscribed 👍!! That's a VERY NICE console stereo. Sure wish 🤞 we could all go 🚶‍♂️ back to yesteryear!! Your friend, Jeff!!

[@ThomasGrillo]

I remember these. Ours was slightly different. It had speakers in the center, as well as ends, with storage in between the speakers. Sadly, it quit working in the 80s. Gone, now. Wish my parents could've at least put new components in. These things would make excellent stands for flat screen TVs. Thanks for sharing this.

[@jayman2261]

My dad bought a 1961 model like this from Polk Bros. in Chicago... It even had a reverberator, to give an echo to the music.....My sister convinced my mom to give it away to the senior center in Prescott the '70's........ WHAT A MISTAKE IT Also was a very beautiful piece of furniture........

[@Tojazzer]

Beautiful machine. I'd love to see it working. For all the things you know, I'm really surprised about the things you don't. The record player plays all conventional sizes: 7", 10" & 12". That spindle will take multiple records of different sizes. The little arm at 01:50, brushes against the record as it falls and tells the tone-arm where to set down at the start of each record.

[@JoyeMusiccom]

Haha. I knew the phono plays different sizes, I just don't know HOW to get it to play two. I didn't really grow up with records -- I was in the "cassette" era. BTW, you will get to see the console work soon enough! I have the video footage, I just need to process it.

[@surajitmazumder4837]

Fabulous system❤

[@dennisdemark8151]

... enjoy this video 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 very entertaining.

[@robertbergstrom9287]

On my SO-190aui I used a 5 pin DIN plug in the tape recorder plug in with a splitter for the Logitech blue tooth. Works amazing and did not have to splice anything. Used plastic cleaner on the face plate.

[@JoyeMusiccom]

Very interesting. So both the tape player and the Bluetooth work while plugged in? The tape player output impedance must be quite low then. I should try that. Do you have a link to the splitter? Those can be tricky to wire by hand!

[@tommorrow1931]

Nice video.

[@Hannah-lq2ps]

I have a Grundig SO model too and it came from one of the DaVega stores as well. You can see the sticker at 3:02; none of this matters by the way 😂 but I love these units.

[@pamjedlicka8451]

We have a Grundig that has been sitting in our garage for nearly 20 yrs. Husband won't get rid of it (it was given to him by his parents) but it doesn't fit with our home or my aesthetic. Has the components but is not functioning. Came here searching around to see if we could upcycle it into a bar or something and sell it. Otherwise, it's still just sitting there!

[@JoyeMusiccom]

Feel free to contact me at [e-mail] . If you're nearby, I might be able to get it working or I might be able to find someone to buy it.

[@bigtobacco1098]

Sweet

[@ChristianPinnock-u5c]

The only thing good about these radiograms is the nice rich bass they put out quite a enjoyable listening experience though

[@hannah9418]

Hi! Currently have my Grandfathers Grundig SO 171 Console radio with the cassette and turntable, it seems both are very similar looking to yours. All the documentation and labels are German but it appears the left dial under that tuning tube/light might power it up, not sure where you are at with it. I'm struggling just to get power to mine though so you're way ahead of me there!

[@JoyeMusiccom]

Very nice! Almost certainly all the electrolytic capacitors need to be changed out if they are original. It's pretty rare that a tube will be bad, I've found, except for the green tuning eye tube, which is usually really weak (very faint green screen when on). I had one radio that had a bad power switch, because the switch is rated for 2 amps, but often the rush of current when you turn it on or off is enough to damage the switch over time. I like to install a magnetic switch in the lid that triggers a solid-state relay to turn everything on. That way you can leave the radio in the "on" position (FM, AM, tape, etc) so you don't wear out the mechanical switch mechanisms, which are quite complex. Also, if it has a solid-state rectifier instead of a tube, the rectifier might be blown out.

[@hannah9418]

@@JoyeMusiccom Thanks for responding! Super excited because now today I realized you had a follow up part 2 video! You will be happy to learn those insanely over engineered dials in the center beside the Stop button are indeed changed out to pots just like you said on an update to this unit. You have the only reel to reel that looks like mine, apparently mine is a TM30 by the manual i have in front of me. Ran it through a lot of the controls and everything seems to be working, but that doesn't mean it will playback anything once i change the belts I presume which is unfortunate as this is way over my skill level to change out capacitors and the rectifier. I could manage to swap it, but its a big learning experience even knowing how they work, forget spec'ing them out. Anyway thanks for the video like I said i scoured the internet, and yours is the only similar unit to mine I could find.

[@JoyeMusiccom]

@@hannah9418 That reel player is a BEAST!! It's engineered like a missile! Everything is SO dense and it's constructed in the most complicated way possible. I got it spinning, but I can't get it playing tape, unfortunately. It seems like there should be something to pinch the tape more, but I can't find anything. I'm learning to dislike reel players. There is SO much to maintain on them just to get them to work. I buy most of my belts at McMaster. I just measure them as best as possible and go for some silicone substitute.

[@crandallscooking]

How easy is it to fix the AM FM tuning knobbs? The cords are dry rotted and broken.

[@JoyeMusiccom]

Hmm, I didn't run into that problem yet. On other consoles, I have to add a second "helper" spring to the main spring on the cord to tighten it.

[@crandallscooking]

@@JoyeMusiccom I'll search my area here in VA to see if someone works on these. Thanks

[@bones007able]

German capacitor goodness .... most will be blown out on the ends ....

[@ChristianPinnock-u5c]

Ah yes them old wima capacitors got a few of them in my tk20 reel recorder so what is the tube compliment I see five output tubes maybe el84 And ecl86 perhaps

[@ThePolaroid669]

you amerians are obsessed with RCA sockets, use the DIN socket that was already there.