ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Hi,
So this is my first post - I have however been stalking this forum for a long time due to my long time interest in B&O products. I currently have a Beomaster 900K, Beomaster 1900-2, Beomaster 3000 (80's), Beovox 2700 and a Beogram 1202, some working, some not, and I have a plan to restore all of them to their former glory this winter and the coming year.
The 900K is fully functional, but has some slight crackling when playing music through phono. Haven't been able to test FM yet since FM has been shut down in the country I live in. The panel lights are out, probably due to the bulbs having burnt out or oxidation of the fuses. I'll sand and oil the exterior, and try to fix the bulbs/fuses and probably try to refoam the speakers. Has anyone tried this and have some advice to share?
The 1900-2 is in a sorrier state. Cosmetically it looks almost new with very few dings and scratches. I've already changed all the bulbs, but it doesn't amplify anything, just outputs some very low crackling audio, so I probably have to change all the caps. The potentiometers need an overhaul as well as they are a little slow and jumpy. I could use some spare parts for this one, so if any of you have any, please don't hesitate to send me a message.
The 1202 doesn't do anything, so I'm in the process of troubleshooting it. I've already opened it up and cleaned all the parts, including the brass bearings. I haven't sanded them or tried to reinfuse them with oil using vacuum, so we'll see how it goes. Everything looks quite new, very little oxidation on the electrical components, so I'll try to put it back together and see how it goes.Funny story, in the process I managed to lose the tiny screw attaching the conical brass (suspension bracket?) in place. I ended up vacuuming the the whole house using a new bag in the vacuum cleaner which I emptied in a bucket, added water, stirred like crazy, removed the top layer of crap and then sifted through the bottom debris like a proper gold digger - and there it was! :D
The rest of the stuff is in such a good shape that I don't have any immediate plans to do anything on them. The speakers probably need refoaming and the 3000 could use some wetsanding of the aluminium cover, but I won't start do anything until I've completed the 900K, 1900-2 and the 1202.
So yeah, that's about it. I'll post some pics of the process when I can get around to it.
Thanks for reading :)
The 1202 should not give a lot of problems, the BM 1902 will need caps, trimmers, lamps and maybe slide poti repairs, go here for parts or ask Martin (Dillen), he also provide the correct caps kits and lamps
Collecting Vintage B&O is not a hobby, its a lifestyle.
Thanks Søren :) I will reach out to Martin to get that kit.
I've started doing some work on the 900K. The bulbs are all out and the level of oxidation on the fuses is quite substantial. I've cleaned everything and ordered new bulbs. I'll also stop by the store tomorrow tomorrow to buy some plastic wood (quickwood) to try and fix the veneer. I've sanded the cabinet using 80, 100, 120, 180 and 500 grit, and then oiled it using teak oil, and I'm quite happy with the result. Tomorrow I'l also remove the front plastic cover and polish it.
I'll post some pictures as soon as I figure out how to.
Thomas
All bulbs are out and quite a lot of oxidation on the fuses
Fuse socket. Interestingly only one, while Martin mentions two in an earlier post. What could be the reason for the missing fuse socket?
The area that I'll try to fix using some quickwood, sand paper and paint.
Nice projects!Beomaster 900K was produced in a number of different versions.Some have one fuse at the side board, others two.There's also the fuse for the dial lamps - it sits in the corner of the large tuner circuitboard. It's not uncommon to find thefuse holder here completely green with oxidation, eaten away to the point of falling apart when touched.Needless to say, fuse holders like that - and ones looking like the one in the above photo, must be replaced. And in most casesthe fuses themselves must be replaced too.
Martin
Thanks Dillen :) Yeah, all fuse holder probably need replacements. I have lamps, fuses and holders in shipment, so I'm patiently awaiting their arrival. In the meantime I've started doing some cosmetic work.
I started applying quickwood to to try to fix the veneer issue, but I quickly realised it wasn't as good as I hoped for.
I mean, it was quite even and everything, but it didn't help much when it fell off while I sanded it...
So I decided to make a cocktail of sanding dust and wood glue and it already looks way better, even before sanding. We'll see how it turns out.
I've also polished the knobs and removed the white paint from the meters/indicators. Right now I'm considering whether or not to paint the indicators in a silver paint and do the panel black, as well a the speaker grills to make it look like the black/rosewood edition. On a scale from 1 to blasphemy, what do you think about that?
Trying to make an old radio look newer? A matter of taste I suppose, - and it's your radio, - but It would look wrong in my opinion.Homepainted plastic rarely look good.
Reminds me of this guy who took all innards out and replaced it with modern stuff.Value now less than zero. I would rather buy the shown left over "scrap heap" than the "once a radio"-thing.Others will disagre, I'm sure, but having been a collector through decades, it's not really my thing.https://www.instructables.com/id/Bang-%2526-Olufsen-900k-Boombox/
Agree with Martin on this, I go a long way to keep my B&Os as near to original (in and outside) as possible, bear in mind that a lot of B&O models have won design prices and are exhibited on museums of modern art. And as Martin says, when changing the design or innards away from originals your value will be "0"