Easy or Hard?!?!?

[prg333]

Hello fellow BB enthusiasts! I know that we all want to fix those CLASSIC OLD SCHOOL BB from 1980-85! Today what the HELL is collectible ?? A I Pod Nano? Will the first I-Pod ever offered be collectible someday like a sweet BB!??!

Anyway I wanted to find out what BB are relatively easy to do work on and which are nearly impossible! I would assume that when made only the best of the BB were expected by the manufacturer to have a life of 8-10 years. Those that carped out under warranty prob were replaced rather then fixed .

So here is a list of the BB that I may try to buy in the near future. Since they will most likely need new belts and general service to the cassette deck. The tech I will bring it to is very experienced. However if has has to spend hours taking apart and putting back together a radio VS an easy job to open service and close up with no damage, it makes a difference as to the one I will buy .

I know some are packed so tight it is so hard to get to the tape deck to do any work. Others have the machined screws which are so hard to get out that the plastic breaks and can't be fixed!

So has anyone worked on a Panasonic RX-C-100 to install new belts or do other service? If so was it easy to get at the belts or a big headache . How about the speaker foam?

Panasonic RX-5350 same deal

JVC-M-70 bets hard to get to? Work on cassette deck?

JVC PC-5 Easy to service or a bear?

JVC-PC 55

JVC-PC 550

JVC-M-90

Realistic SCR-8

Thank you guys!

 

[baddboybill]

For the most part if you are bringing these to a tech to work on he will charge hourly rate. I personally have not worked on all the decks on your list but I can say Panasonics are fairly easy and so is the scr8 but the problem with the realistic is there is a part that breaks and causes the heads not to lift and lock in play mode As for JVC I had done the belts and other work on my M70 and its not that bad But beware there are not an abundance of techs that will work on these so the ones that do will charge a hefty amount Good luck

 

[monchito]

any box can be a pain but once you are in its a defferent story plus if you are tech savy then you should not have to much trouble on some boxes other might be a pain but once you have done it then it becomes second nature... one box that took me forever to work on was the 9998 trying to chance a couple belt but after doing 2 it was so easy that in about 30 min i had the belts ready to go and the box put back together ,, its always the first time you confront the box but after you have opened it up and played with it it become pretty easy

 

[prg333]

Thank you for the advise so far! I have a friend that can work on a BB for me. He gives me a better rate, but still would charge $60.00 to re-foam speakers and $40.00 to work on the cassette deck. So that does add up fast! I would LOVE to get one with no problems with the foam and no need to work on the cassette deck (belts, lube, or replacement of other parts)

 

[josojuru]

i think pc5 is the most easy to change belts because first it's possible to separate desk part to others parts (quintet system)
and the desk section don't have reverse mode and it's very well built

the most complicated it's to find new belts mainly for olders ones