AMI r81

[kardenm]

Have an r81(1976) juke box Im cleaning up for a friend.  Does anybody know what is the large dial mechanism with lots of moveable pins mounted on front of the player?

[ami-man]

Hello Kardenm,

The item you are talking about is located below the turntable on the lefthand side of the mechanism as you look at it.

The manual name for this part is the Playmeter Wheel Assembly however it is know as the Pop Meter.
You will find under the number strip a layer of foam that puts a resistance or loading so when the pin actuator pushes the pin it only pushes it out a step.
The pop meter was an operator/collector aid of what records to replace, the pins that had been pushed out the least were changed. On the next version of jukebox from Rowe Ami  the R-82 the pop meter was replaced with the electronic version the Selection Computer 401-07139 known as the Memmorec.

If you are cleaning up this jukebox and especially the mechanism do not grease or oil the parts in any way without consulting the manual. Only 5 drops of oil are required on this mechanism in total.
Should you require any advice please contact me off of list.
Regards
Alan Hood
ami-man
alan-hood@datex.co.uk

[kardenm]

Thanks so much for the reply Ami-Man. Very interesting! I'll keep your info for future reference.

[ami-man]

Hi kardman,

No problem, glad to help. The Rowe Ami R-81 was produced in 1977 there were a number of cabinet front panel versions of this jukebox.
Laser Blue, Laser Red, Pulsar Orange, Moondrops and Constellation.

A number of jukeboxes were produced in late 1976 and early 1977 using the older R-80 cabinet ( I guess to use them up) with a inserted panel that took the new digital keyboard rather that the larger letter and number keyboard. These jukeboxes were the R-80S.

Bruce Wentworth in the USA works on all the electronic boards used on the R-80S through to the R-83 like I do in the UK.
If you need to contact Bruce  do a search on google for Bruce Wentworth jukebox for his full details and services.

Regards
Alan Hood
ami-man
UK

[kardenm]

Alan (AmiMan): 

Thanks so much for the additional info.  Dont know if this one is worth putting much into, it's seen better days, but you never know.

I'm always amazed by how easy it is to find someone who is knowledgeable about whatever it is I'm working on and someone (like you) who is so helpfull.

I work on lots of different kinds of things, often old and outdated.  This is a great forum, saves lots of time and it's a great way to learn more!

[ami-man]

Hello Kardenm,

There is a guy in the UK that is selling a CD on how to make a copy cabinet of the Ami Continental one of the donor jukeboxes he suggests to use is the R-80S to R-83.
 
I have given advice to a number of people that have built this copy jukebox.
Have a look on Ebay, here is the item number.

Item number: 220588520945
Item location: York, United Kingdom


Regards
Alan

Alan Hood
ami-man
UK

[kardenm]

Thanks.