webcor educator phonograph with tube amp and portable speakers

hello,

this is my first post as a newbie and wanted to see what you guys/girls may have in suggestions for a) making my new amp safer to use and b) to let me know what i would need to do to make this set up more guitar friendly.

although this is the person i purchased the phonograph from's post there is some photo's of the unit there.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=252999

i too cannot find a schematic for this model and am really interested in finding one so i know what i'm doing under the hood!!!

thanks for any suggestions,

neil

Welcome to the forums. Right now, the AK link isn't working.
Bill Cahill

Link is working for me. Nice set!

Ah. Now the link worked. That is a mono phonograph as far as I can tell. Looks like it's got PP 6V6 audio output tubes.
Boy, I wish I had that one.
The guitar should work through either the microphone, or, auxillary jack.
I would highly reccommend re capping amp, and, installing new eledctrolytics, first.
That should also be a fine record player.
Apparently, meant for the school system.
Bill Cahill

yeah apparently it was a school issued model. i have played my guitar on it all ready and it hauls!!! it's got 2 x 12ax7, 2 x 6v6gt and a 5y3gt rectifier tube. i really want to remove the amp and keep the record player as is so that one day if i decide to i can put everything back and have a sweet bullet proof record player!!!

so bill, you suggest swapping out the old caps?! any particular reason? i am new to the vintage electronics thing and just searching for as much info as possible. any extra info would be greatly appreciated

thanks
neil

The reason it is right to replace the orignilal paper capacitors iwth new mylar caps is because old ones get electrically leaky. If you keep using it with leaky caps one, or, more likely to short out, and, cause dammage, perhaps major, such as blowing the power transformer. Tubes will also assuredly be dammaged.

On electrolytics they are old originals, and, likely, some of the insulation has broken down. In time, maybe short order, one, or, more will short out causing probable major dammage to power supply, including the power transformer.

Personally, I'd advise against taking amplifier out of the unit.
It, and, you, are better protected inside of the case.
At best, out of the cabinet it will be a shock hazzard.
This is a fairly scarce machine. I'll trade you an outside amplifier for it if you want a guitar amp.
I'd just love to have that baby....
Bill Cahill

thanks for the info bill!!! i'm going to take the amp out (temporarily) and build a enclosure for it so that i can carry it from place to place.
i'm going to pass on the trade as i'm really exited to see what this thing can do once in perfect working order and hooked up to a 2 x 12 or even a 4 x 12 set up.
any idea where i could find a schematic of this particular model?

thanks

I'm afraid not. Machines like this were not popular for general public use. Newcomb held the market for the phonograpsh, and, were most popular for schools, and, dance halls.
Bogen, which was the one I offered, and, a couple other compannies offered amplifiers for component use, such as what you are thinking of. The school machines were meant for class, dances, etc. Often mikes were used for announcements, etc....
The problem with schematics is Bogen shared little, Newcombe almost nothing, and, compannies such as Webcor they weren't popular enough to excite the schematic compannies enough to produce the schematic.
Good luck. With patience, you should be able to do it.
Bill Cahill

thanks, i'll stop in with any progress updates

Dismantling that old Webcor record player so that its amp can be used for a guitar amp is tantamount to putting a Duesenberg in a demolition derby just because it has a supercharger.

I pray that you will reconsider destroying an item that we are trying to preserve.

Regards

WC

wildcat 445 and bill cahill,

due to some unforseen issues i have decided not to continue with the project and would like to offer to you both (before everyone else) an opportunity to make me an offer for this record player. my email address is shoutatthedevil2000@yahoo.com if you wish to make an offer to take it off my hands.

thanks

neil