GF9000 - Sorry Saga to SAVED!

[MyOhMy]

Brilliant work so far, it so nice that you have saved this 9000 from the trash. I will keep an eye out for parts and give you a heads up if i spot any.

Great work so far and please keep us up to date

Thanks, T-STER and thanks for the parts offer. I've found a UK based Company listing a couple of part and I'll check with them next week. The only supplier for a new/replacement tape head I managed to find so far is USA based but that shouldn't be any hassle. I must say, though that the current doesn't look or sound too but although there is a bit of corrosion. I'll post an image soon.

MyOhMy, this might be interesting for you -
his twin brother, internal Japanese Sharp GF-535.

Well, to be precise, those are dizygotic fraternal twins, shall we say -
a few differences are there:
GF-535 - 100V power supply, AM/FM only tuner, more advanced mic mixing options, etc.

Sharp GF-535.jpg

Sharp GF-535_2.jpg

AHA - THAT one! Yes I happened to come across an image of those a couple of weeks ago and I'll be the first to admit it looks impressive. But mine is personal to me, I could love no other....(sniffle)....

ザスポーツマシーン = The Sports Machine

That may be so but you wouldn't catch me trying to jog with one of those full of batteries on my shoulder!

 

[MyOhMy]

Update:

Another small job to be done was to refit the spacer back between the 'rec mute' and 'Dolby NR' buttons as this was hanging loose and free, barely hanging on at one end. As soon as I touched it if fell off completely! It took a bit of delicate fiddling around and patience to get it lined up accurately then I just dripped a couple of blobs of superglue at either end. Once dried, I set to with the only file I have (which was a bit big & butch for this job so a very gentle touch was needed) to file away the excess glue to ensure the free movement of the buttons either side. Now done:




The next step was another few rounds of Tuning String Origami. I referred to a pdf service manual for a GF575 for help and this helped with the principles of restringing although the GF9000 has a couple of pullies which are very different and a little more complex. However, after a few more attempts I actually managed it at long last! I'm just so glad that is behind me now as I'd hate to try and repeat the process, It was probably more luck than any level of skill to get this little job done.

So, I put the machine back together again and couldn't believe how good it looked now 'cos it looked almost new, far better than I could ever expected and ready to live again. I slipped in a tape and the music filled the room, I switched to radio and.............nothing! Not a thing from any band other than a gentle hiss from the speakers. I don't know what the problem is so I 'reversed' the ariel connection to how it was with the old dangly wire as the ariel and still nothing. I can't see or find anything loose/damaged/missing etc. and I've tried to be very cautious, gentle and very careful in everything I've done to avoid an mistakes or mishaps. I must have done something wrong or am I missing something rather basic?

Can anyone offer any help or ideas to resolve this please? It's put a right damper on my euphoric mood at having a fully functional and very handsome GF9000 to show off in all it's glory!

 

[MyOhMy]

Further to my previous post: I've removed the front from the machine and all looks well. The tuning drum rotates as it should and moves the tuning indicator the full length of the band with display/tuning window as it should so all appears well so far. I've now found that the radio works on all frequencies apart from FM. I hope this clarifies the current situation somewhat.

 

[MyOhMy]

Well, here we are folks - new ariel fitted, cleaned, painted and sorted (except no FM reception at the mo), only a base/treble slider and a replacement clear Perspex cover for the cassette compartment needed for the outside now!





I never thought for one moment my GF9000 would ever look as good or work as well as this again so I say "Thank you, All" for your encouragement and inspiration! I'll replace the bands at some future point - GULP!!!

 

[caution]

Wow! That looks fantastic! Are you sure you haven't done this before?

The enthusiasm, the back story, the results... just.... !!

 

[Northerner]

Looks a real beauty now

 

[Hisrudeness]

Well done. Sit tight and be patient. Those parts you need will eventually turn up. Keep checking Icemelons auctions on EBay and stay in the collector network as mad as it is. There are a number of good UK collectors and technical wizards on S2go.

 

[MyOhMy]

Wow! That looks fantastic! Are you sure you haven't done this before?

The enthusiasm, the back story, the results... just.... !!

Thanks, caution! Nah, this is all new to me and still rather daunting. I have the time and patience to take a careful approach on a practical level using a little common sense but I'm totally hopeless at effective eclectic electrical eccentricity - I can change a light bulb but can't cope with capacitorationism, diddley diodes, tracerology etc., I've not an 'ology' to my name!

Hereafter, as long as I stay away from the high tech side, I'll try to do more to get the machine as pristine as possible - as long as there's no more Tuning String Origami involved!

 

[MyOhMy]

Looks a real beauty now

I thang you, Sir!" Unlike me, I broke two fingernails getting this far!

Well done. Sit tight and be patient. Those parts you need will eventually turn up. Keep checking Icemelons auctions on EBay and stay in the collector network as mad as it is. There are a number of good UK collectors and technical wizards on S2go.

Thanks, I've not heard of Icelemons before but I've made a note already. I briefly visited S2go a couple of weeks ago, is this a rival site, competitor site, partner site or something? I'm very loyal by nature and, as I now have my cardigan hanging on the back of this forums' door and my slippers by the fire I feel very comfy here!

On the collectors point, I'm really impressed with some I've seen showcased on this forum and admit to having more than a passing thought on this since getting my GF9000 back!

 

[Hisrudeness]

I thang you, Sir!" Unlike me, I broke two fingernails getting this far!




Thanks, I've not heard of Icelemons before but I've made a note already. I briefly visited S2go a couple of weeks ago, is this a rival site, competitor site, partner site or something? I'm very loyal by nature and, as I now have my cardigan hanging on the back of this forums' door and my slippers by the fire I feel very comfy here!

On the collectors point, I'm really impressed with some I've seen showcased on this forum and admit to having more than a passing thought on this since getting my GF9000 back!

Icemelon is a boombox 'breaker' in South Korea. He strips all sorts of boomboxes and sells the parts on EBay. Quite a useful guy and his stuff has helped me with at least 4 projects.


Stereo2go is another boombox site. Don't know that it's a rival site as it's community is smaller. Quite a lot of people are members of both and I don't think anyone really gives a s##t about any imaginary rivalry.

 

[MyOhMy]

Thank you very much for the help and info, it's all very useful.

 

[trippy1313]

Stereo2go is another boombox site. Don't know that it's a rival site as it's community is smaller. Quite a lot of people are members of both and I don't think anyone really gives a s##t about any imaginary rivalry.

S2g is full of lame-o's!!!! Hahaha. Only kidding of course. It is indeed nother good community with many shared members. I'm not one, but have browsed the boards a few times.

 

[Terry]

That came up really nice. A classic saved from the dump. Well done.

 

[BoomboxLover48]

I am so happy for you.
There are lots of good members here.

 

[MyOhMy]

Thanks to the latest contributors, everything helps! Well I rechecked the internal ariel connection I thought I'd done so competently and saw that I'd not connected things quite as they should be so that's now rectified and FM is back on board.

I had a big smile on my face as I'd found the tuning string instructions in the GF-9000 pdf service manual, zoomed in, screen captured the sections, printed them off in a large format and stuck all the images together so something like A3 size. A large, easy to follow, step by step guide as clear as a sunny day! Thing is, I've tried 4 times now and, despite following the guide exactly, the tuning string ends up about 1" too short each time. Oh well, here we go again..............

 

[Mystic Traveller]

Great job done!!

 

[MyOhMy]

Great job done!!

Eee, Ta! I'll make fresh start in the morning. Thing is, I think I've also caught a bug of some kind 'cos..............unusually for me, I'm spending an awful lot of time on eBay looking at tempting boom boxes!

 

[k2j]

Thing is, I think I've also caught a bug of some kind 'cos..............unusually for me, I'm spending an awful lot of time on eBay looking at tempting boom boxes!

Oh no. Your in trouble now. Raise your right hand and repeat "I am a boombox-aholic"

 

[Northerner]

Eee, Ta! I'll make fresh start in the morning. Thing is, I think I've also caught a bug of some kind 'cos..............unusually for me, I'm spending an awful lot of time on eBay looking at tempting boom boxes!

Oh dear...its a slippery slope...I started the same way and now I'm at about 40 of them...all working and on display or in use though. And I'm restrained compared to many here lol

 

[MyOhMy]

Oh no. Your in trouble now. Raise your right hand and repeat "I am a boombox-aholic"

My Oh My , will have to attend group therapy sessions sitting in a circle and 'confessing my addiction to all and sundry???

Oh dear...its a slippery slope...I started the same way and now I'm at about 40 of them...all working and on display or in use though. And I'm restrained compared to many here lol

Restrained by comparison maybe but a collection of 40 is still quite an achievement so well done, Northerner!