Mega-Overhaul: Zenith Stereo Console

Everyone sit back and prepare for yet another restoration video filled with weird issues and of course stupid mistakes from yours truly! But- it all worked out in the end.

[kensherwood]

Lovely unit, the quality shows in the sound and that real wood cabinet. Sorry, Seth, to hear you're having a tough time, your video's have helped many, so please accept my best wishes for better time's soon.

[vinalboy]

Things will get better Mr. Radio. That Zenith stereo console is exactly like the the unit our neighbors across the street had. However, the real surprise happened when you walked into the museum and low a behold you walked past the first television my parents owned. It was a Philco Model 50-T1443. A 12 inch roundie they purchased in 1950. I was all of six years old then. I still have the Sams Photofact that my dad used to keep the set working well into the late 60’s. I always thought the set was a cool. It makes me laugh when I think of my mother making us sit about 20 feet away from the set because she was afraid we’d be exposed to X-rays.

[barfoonisland]

Nice restoration. Lovely Zenith stereo console. back when home stereos were indeed furniture.

[ratrivervintage]

Recently found your channel. Great videos! Thank you for sharing. I've been learning basic repair on my own for a while and you are very helpful. An important step I'd love to see is how you discharge the capacitors. I've only watched a few of your console videos so far, I'll be watching many more. Thank you Seth!

[edwardhannigan]

Terrific unit Seth....Lots to do and great repair...Looks bullet proof, those old large units...Good job..Ed..uk..😀

[hestheMaster]

1959 Zenith console. Such quality built stuff it still works with it's original parts. Even the turntable wants to work.
You seem to be having issues with the Bluetooth to tuner section connection. Check all speakers for operation
in case one is bad. Otherwise: 1. Old disc caps can distort on higher frequencies. Replace those even if they test
good! Some guys tap on them with a wood stick to see if they are microphonic. 2. Use a shielded cable especially
for longer runs. 3. Remove the screws holding the speakers on one by one and use a 1/4 inch rubber spacer between
the speaker body and cabinet. Sea Foam SS14 is actually a good spray to use on moving metal parts but keep it away
from the rubber parts. Yes the cabinet is a (light) maple veneer but also came in ( dark) walnut too. Crazy Uncle Al
should know that I wouldn't know what "he" even does or even exists without a volunteer like you and your channel.

[vintageradios]

Very very nice stereo high-quality unit. These units work very well and sounded very good. The only drawback to Zenith sets is the iif cans breaking down and causing silver Mica disease that is very common with these type of cans in these sets.

[Raul_Gajadhar]

To prove to you just how unfriendly WD-40 is, it eats soft metal, and zinc electroplating.
But for a real TEST, spray some in a brand new padlock and leave it for 2 weeks. Not even the lock picking lawyer would be able to open it again.

I estimate that the carbon tracks in the pots would be messed up depending on use of the controls; in about 2 years. WD-40 breaks down grease and oils and resin, which means you have to clean and lubricate after use.

Everyone thinks that there is a grease on the pot shafts that gets hard, it's actually a resin, like what you find in 2-part epoxy, it gives the shaft a nice smooth but firm motion.

A similar resin in used on the gears in a cassette deck for the door you see the nice smooth motion when you press eject. Putting WD in there will mess up that smooth eject motion, and the door will fly open like a dust bin.

Nice job on the recapping.

[jim]

I used some brake cleaner on a very expensive N scale Kato GP-38 locomotive and it made all the gears to swell up and ruined the out of production motor. It also reacted with the plastic of the shell. Also got some on my Swiss Army knife and it started to melt the plastic on it also!

[vinylhound]

Seth, buddy, hang in there! Sending you good vibes and well wishes!
Fantastic work bringing this beauty back from broken.
I love that console; have always wanted that exact model and finish. It’s quintessential MidCentury crazy good!
The bipolar crossover electrolytic caps might need replacing to make units like this sound their best.
Have a great day!

[jeffreyhickman]

I like 👍 that ya got this. It looks so much like 👍 a console. Anyhow, the doors 🚪 open and close. I guess somebody kept this in pristine condition for the last 70 years. The original turntable 🥴 platter label 🏷, and owner’s manual 👨. It still needs a recap job, and possibly new tubes. This unit probably came out later than what I was originally thinking 🤔, since the speakers 🔊 are permanent magnet 🧲. GREAT 👍 stereo sound!! Your friend, Jeff.

[roqueortiz]

Thanks for this awesome video.
I have the same unit, for some reason I can't remove the center knob from the radio, the on and off and volume, shouldn't just pull out like the others?

[vintageradios]

Here is a trick that may work with that microphonic feedback problem when you play the records. Try putting pieces of a thick soft rubber underneath the springs that the turntable sits on. Those Springs are not enough to minimize vibrations and feedback. I have made thick rubber discs and put them under the springs on a couple of sets of the past and it worked. try it out good luck

[larryshaver]

if that was made in 1959 it isn't likely to have multiplex

[larryshaver]

does that have stereo tape receptacles?

[applebetrippin]

I have the same guts in my zenith I recently bought second hand. It was working great until it shocked me today while I was putting a new record on. I have no clue where to start but I want to try to save it

[cjmarsh]

That's a nice unit. By the name zenith, I know sounds great.

[timothyweers]

I have the same problem with a BSR turntable where it picks up the motor noise, I just need to clean and lubricant it better.
Now for sound adjustments, normal listening volume, in stereo should be bass over treble where bass is at 2 o'clock and treble is at 11 o'clock when you play hi fidelity monaural it is reversed. If you are playing it at lower volumes, you can turn bass all the way up and adjust treble accordingly to ear. When playing at extreme high volume you should not have bass or treble passed the middle unless sound permits it due to low incoming sound, but even then you can over tax the unit, it is almost like a safety volume to let you know the sound is too loud and bass and or treble is too high because they assume that for as long as you own the console, you will use the speakers provided or same ones in a replacement, not ones rated higher than the amp.

[suzakule]

does it really do multiplex stereo fm?

[willieyarger]

I have taken the horn tweeter apart and repaired it !! Lucky I Quess !!