GF 555 spares in the UK and help restoring

[NSG666]

Hi all

Sorry if I'm posting in the wrong forum.

Back in 198? I bought a Sharp GF 555 "The Searcher" brand new from Huddersfield Hi-Fi Centre, Cross Church Street. I seem to think it was c.£170 and I'm annoyed that I found the original invoice last year then threw it out!

Several years ago, as it had not been used for ages, I decided to throw it out but saw they were fetching £85 on ebay so put it back in the cupboard thinking my one careful owner from new 555 must be worth something. Having been meaning to do something with it for years I finally took it out of the cupboard last month to give her a whirl. I'll confess that I'm trying to get it working to sell it as it seems too good for spares or the skip.

The radio (original undamaged aerials) works on all 4 bandwidths

One cassette played ok but the other started to chew the tape - research suggested that rubber drive tyre had turned to black mush and it had. Having found some excellent videos on YouTube I took it to bits, cleaned out the gunk (from both decks) and fitted some silicone tube I'd bought and reassembled. I thought I'd fixed it as the cassette played but when I tried to rewind it would not budge and when I removed the cassette to turn by hand it was very stiff. It turns out the tube I'd used (2mm id 6mm od) was slightly too large and not allowing the necessary 'slip' that is needed to account for the take up reel going from small to large. It was pulling the tape past the capstan hence being tight on the reel. I swapped this tube for some sleeving from plasticised garden tie wire. It worked but I don't know how durable it will be so if anyone can advise where to buy something better (surely it can't just be available from Australia) I might swap them (again)

Despite the years the belts seem in good condition and the fast forward and reverse works on both decks as does the auto-stop on both fast and play. I saw the post with the cross references but does anyone know where I can buy replacements in the UK?

Power switch - does not work but I don't think this can be fixed?

Sliders - some crackling. I've got some electrical contact spray bought for something else; can this be used and is it a case of spraying some where the slider arm goes in to the pot?

Sound balance - using either cassette, line-in and phono the left speaker is quieter than the right (swapping Left and Right input cables makes no difference). It's also reflected in the VU meter lights e.g. if the RH lights are solid on the LH green will be solid and the red flickering (hope that makes sense). I've driven myself mad trying to tell whether there's a difference with the radio and I think there is.
I'm also not 100% sure whether it's a pure volume issue or whether the tone is different e.g. a tad bass light.
I was going to try some resistance checks on the speakers but as they are soldered I cannot test them individually.
I'm a bit stumped with this - any suggestions?

And thanks for sticking with me until the end!

 

[Wes125]

i gave my 555 a service a few weeks ago. she's running like new now

 

[Hisrudeness]

i gave my 555 a service a few weeks ago. she's running like new now

if you’ve just done yours, can you help the thread starter?

 

[NSG666]

i gave my 555 a service a few weeks ago. she's running like new now

Hi Wes. Any advice? Thanks

 

[Wes125]

switch cleaner spray doesn't last long and the unit will start playing up again..this is the best stuff to clean switch contacts de flux. it removes all the grime build up and makes it operate like new again £6.18 can on ebay

 

[dubout]

It sounds like you are completely new to restoring boomboxes? And you are doing this to fetch more money for the GF 555 than you think someone would pay now? If so then let me tell you, it is not easy to get a box running like new. There is always some compromise you have to make unless you are a don with loads of spares and experience. And there is a learning curve that makes you buy multiple spares in different sizes, qualities etc. You are experiencing this already with the rubber tyre. Then you will have to buy contact cleaner – but not the wrong one –, belts in different sizes – because one is too loose, the other one too tight – etc. etc. It accumulates and costs alot of time and money.

In the end, people always expect flaws and errors when buying boomboxes online, no matter how you advertise it, unless you have a reputation. I doubt that you get more money for it 'fixed' than in it's actual state.

My suggestion would be to stop trying to make it work perfectly and sell it as is. People pay more for units that are in original state than assumed to be repaired bad. You seem to know what you are talking about and with a detailled, honest and believable description people will know what to expect.

The different volume left / right might be record bar btw. Try hitting record (or move the bar by hand when the unit is open) for about ten to twenty times and see if it changes anything.

Good luck and give it to a good home!

 

[Wes125]

It sounds like you are completely new to restoring boomboxes? And you are doing this to fetch more money for the GF 555 than you think someone would pay now? If so then let me tell you, it is not easy to get a box running like new. There is always some compromise you have to make unless you are a don with loads of spares and experience. And there is a learning curve that makes you buy multiple spares in different sizes, qualities etc. You are experiencing this already with the rubber tyre. Then you will have to buy contact cleaner – but not the wrong one –, belts in different sizes – because one is too loose, the other one too tight – etc. etc. It accumulates and costs alot of time and money.

In the end, people always expect flaws and errors when buying boomboxes online, no matter how you advertise it, unless you have a reputation. I doubt that you get more money for it 'fixed' than in it's actual state.

My suggestion would be to stop trying to make it work perfectly and sell it as is. People pay more for units that are in original state than assumed to be repaired bad. You seem to know what you are talking about and with a detailled, honest and believable description people will know what to expect.

The different volume left / right might be record bar btw. Try hitting record (or move the bar by hand when the unit is open) for about ten to twenty times and see if it changes anything.

Good luck and give it to a good home!

here here well said

 

[NSG666]

It sounds like you are completely new to restoring boomboxes? And you are doing this to fetch more money for the GF 555 than you think someone would pay now? If so then let me tell you, it is not easy to get a box running like new. There is always some compromise you have to make unless you are a don with loads of spares and experience. And there is a learning curve that makes you buy multiple spares in different sizes, qualities etc. You are experiencing this already with the rubber tyre. Then you will have to buy contact cleaner – but not the wrong one –, belts in different sizes – because one is too loose, the other one too tight – etc. etc. It accumulates and costs alot of time and money.

In the end, people always expect flaws and errors when buying boomboxes online, no matter how you advertise it, unless you have a reputation. I doubt that you get more money for it 'fixed' than in it's actual state.

My suggestion would be to stop trying to make it work perfectly and sell it as is. People pay more for units that are in original state than assumed to be repaired bad. You seem to know what you are talking about and with a detailled, honest and believable description people will know what to expect.

The different volume left / right might be record bar btw. Try hitting record (or move the bar by hand when the unit is open) for about ten to twenty times and see if it changes anything.

Good luck and give it to a good home!

Thanks dubout you are pretty much right. I've not previously and wouldn't buy a boombox to restore and had I taken my unit out of the cupboard and it had played the cassettes ok I would probably have given it a cosmetic wipe over and listed it. With it trying to chew the cassette I googled the symptoms and found Old School on You Tube showing what the problem was and how to fix it - it looked fairly simple so I thought that I'd give it a whirl and I would have replaced the belts for the sake of a few £££ had I been able to source them easily.

Crackling volume - I read, via this site, about the crackling could be due to (I think) capacitor leakage as it does it when there is no input. That's way more than I want to get involved in sorting out - a bit of a squirt and move the controls is as far as I'd want to go.

Volume imbalance - thanks for the advice. Again this could be circuitry stuff or something too complex that I just don't want to get involved with.

Regardless of what I've done or do to it I wouldn't try and pass it off as being serviced to any standard but simply list what I'd done - I'd rather throw it in the skip than try and fool someone for quick £s. That's also why I declared in my original post that I was going to sell it so I'm not trying to fool anyone on here that I'm trying to become a hardcore restorer. Interested in this particular unit only because I bought it from new.

Thanks again

 

[NSG666]

switch cleaner spray doesn't last long and the unit will start playing up again..this is the best stuff to clean switch contacts de flux. it removes all the grime build up and makes it operate like new again £6.18 can on ebayView attachment 53208

Thanks Wes

 

[Radio raheem]

switch cleaner spray doesn't last long and the unit will start playing up again..this is the best stuff to clean switch contacts de flux. it removes all the grime build up and makes it operate like new again £6.18 can on ebayView attachment 53208

wes is this stuff any better lad, i find normal servicol stuff a waist of time as it doesn't last long imho

 

[Wes125]

wes is this stuff any better lad, i find normal servicol stuff a waist of time as it doesn't last long imho

Radio raheem. when maplins was about they said switch cleaner is the stuff to use..well take it from me. that is crap..d-flux 160 does the job perfect. ive cleaned contacts- switches- plug pins- volume pots with it. and over 11 months ive stored these boomboxes in a cupboard. and every time i get them out they are as good as they were when i put em away..it does what it says on tin..removes flux as in grime build up on the contacts...i have heard people say it can damage some volume controls..but touch wood ive used it on hundreds of controls and ive never had a problem with it

 

[dubout]

Thanks dubout you are pretty much right. I've not previously and wouldn't buy a boombox to restore and had I taken my unit out of the cupboard and it had played the cassettes ok I would probably have given it a cosmetic wipe over and listed it. With it trying to chew the cassette I googled the symptoms and found Old School on You Tube showing what the problem was and how to fix it - it looked fairly simple so I thought that I'd give it a whirl and I would have replaced the belts for the sake of a few £££ had I been able to source them easily.

Crackling volume - I read, via this site, about the crackling could be due to (I think) capacitor leakage as it does it when there is no input. That's way more than I want to get involved in sorting out - a bit of a squirt and move the controls is as far as I'd want to go.

Volume imbalance - thanks for the advice. Again this could be circuitry stuff or something too complex that I just don't want to get involved with.

Regardless of what I've done or do to it I wouldn't try and pass it off as being serviced to any standard but simply list what I'd done - I'd rather throw it in the skip than try and fool someone for quick £s. That's also why I declared in my original post that I was going to sell it so I'm not trying to fool anyone on here that I'm trying to become a hardcore restorer. Interested in this particular unit only because I bought it from new.

Thanks again

Good to see that you didn't think that I wanted to lecture you. This sounds like you want to go on with the restoration so here is what I would do:

Nearly all your problems could be solved with two cans of contact cleaner and spray if you are lucky. Buy contact cleaner, the stuff that dissapears 100 percent and is only for cleaning. Flood the potis, sliders, switches and record bar with it while moving them many many times. Try to spray directly into the sliders etc. it is the most effective (or just flood it). They might be dry and stiff afterwards.

Then use a squirt of contact spray. But be sure to use the stuff that prevents corrosion and preserves. NOT the aggressive 'oxide removing', it will corrode the contacts if you don't wash it out!

I use Kontakt Chemie WL as a cleaner and Kontakt Chemie 61 afterwards. Kontakt Chemie 60 for example is the stuff you should stay away from. (I don't know the cleaner Wes125 recommends but it looks fine to me.) (Nearly) all crackling and the volume imbalance should go away. If not it might be a leaking capacitor but in 99 percent of the cases it is oxidation on the contacts.

There is no use in changing the belts with cheap belts from a set from ebay/china. But I don't know the online shops in UK, maybe someone else can recommend some.

For the tyre, does this help? https://www.ebay.de/itm/283517268106?hash=item4202f2308a:g:NWgAAOSwbhBgvmDw

I still think all of this might only bring a few pounds more or maybe even less. Who knows. So if this is only about money, stop right now! But you seem curious and who knows, maybe this is the start of a new hobby?!

 

[NSG666]

Thanks for the advice an

Good to see that you didn't think that I wanted to lecture you. This sounds like you want to go on with the restoration so here is what I would do:

Nearly all your problems could be solved with two cans of contact cleaner and spray if you are lucky. Buy contact cleaner, the stuff that dissapears 100 percent and is only for cleaning. Flood the potis, sliders, switches and record bar with it while moving them many many times. Try to spray directly into the sliders etc. it is the most effective (or just flood it). They might be dry and stiff afterwards.

Then use a squirt of contact spray. But be sure to use the stuff that prevents corrosion and preserves. NOT the aggressive 'oxide removing', it will corrode the contacts if you don't wash it out!

I use Kontakt Chemie WL as a cleaner and Kontakt Chemie 61 afterwards. Kontakt Chemie 60 for example is the stuff you should stay away from. (I don't know the cleaner Wes125 recommends but it looks fine to me.) (Nearly) all crackling and the volume imbalance should go away. If not it might be a leaking capacitor but in 99 percent of the cases it is oxidation on the contacts.

There is no use in changing the belts with cheap belts from a set from ebay/china. But I don't know the online shops in UK, maybe someone else can recommend some.

For the tyre, does this help? https://www.ebay.de/itm/283517268106?hash=item4202f2308a:g:NWgAAOSwbhBgvmDw

I still think all of this might only bring a few pounds more or maybe even less. Who knows. So if this is only about money, stop right now! But you seem curious and who knows, maybe this is the start of a new hobby?!

Thanks for the advice and info dubout