Need Help to Find Electrohome Record Player

[Fin Eby]

Could anyone help suggest where I could start looking to find the original record player that went into my newly found Electrohome “Manhattan A” radio/record player? I believe this unit was manufactured in approximately 1951. Its a very nice little unit that I would love to complete. I recently found it in Penticton, B.C. and brought it home.

[Doug Parker]

I will keep my eyes peeled for you at the local auction mart. Electrohome or Viking cabinets had the very large original manual turntable. I have two Vikings that most likely would have had the same turntable that you are searching for but both of my cabinets had the BSR UA14 turntable substituted for it. They are a major size reduction as far as the space that the original turntable took. Major grafting and matching wood to fill the voids to make the UA14’s work. Do you have an Electrohome ID plate model number?

[Radio Nut]

Do you have a picture of what the changer should look like. I have a lot of changers but have no idea what they are from.

[Fin Eby]

Hi Doug,
Thanks for your reply. I’ve been doing a whole lot of looking and learning. I’m still not to sure what turntable went into it, but tend to think it could have been a Webster Chicago. I watched a YouTube video of a guy fixing-up a Viking hifi/record player/radio. It looked around the same vintage, probably a little newer and it had a Webster Chicago that looked original to the set. My set is not a hifi.

[Fin Eby]

Hello Radionut,
Thanks for your reply. I don’t have any photos of what record player went into this set, but think it could have bee a Webster Chicago. I did watch a video on YouTube with a fellow fixing-up a Viking (made by Electrohome) that had a Webster Chicago record player. It had a model 100.38 in it. I am still not absolutely sure what make I’m looking for, but Webster Chicago was a company that was located relatively close to Electrohome. Webster Chicago, from what I have read was a company that made record players, wire recorders, microphones and lots of other electronic items of that sort.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by Fin Eby.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by Fin Eby.

[Rick]

In I951 many of the better Electrohome consoles use the Gerrard RC-80 turntable with a GE variable reluctance (Magnetic) cartridge. If you console has a built-in phono pre-amp this is most likely the correct changer.
https://www.vinylengine.com/library/garrard/rc80.shtml

[Fin Eby]

Hi Rick,
Thanks for the info. I don’t think my Electrohome was considered a higher end model, it is only an A.M. receiver. The turntable output plugs into the radio chassis. The turntable base (plinth?) is still with my set. It slides out of the cabinet on slides, so as to access the turntable. I think what you have suggested might help me, in so far as identifying the mounting bolt pattern. So far Webster Chicago and now Garrard are my best suggestions. I might be able to get closer to finding something using the mounting bolt pattern for these different makes. So far I have been using Ebay for photos. It also looks like there are plenty of manufactures manuals on line. Again, thanks very much for your help. Maybe I’m one step closer.

[Fin Eby]

Hi Doug,
Thanks for your reply. The ID plate on the back does not show a model number, but does show the model name as “Manhattan A”. I have found the “Manhattan” RCC schematic for the radio (1951), but nothing showing on the record player. I have been doing a lot of looking and learning on line, but nothing “for sure” on the record player. I watched a video on youtube with a guy fixing-up an old Viking model that had what looked like the original Webster-Chicago player in it. When I went to https://radiomuseam.org I saw a picture of a model 71 radio/phono that also showed what was maybe a Webster-Chicago player in it. Regardless these are still just guesses. If it happened to use a Webster-Chicago player, I am leaning on the idea that it was a model 100 series. I am a bit of a fusser when it comes to keeping things original. I would prefer not altering my cabinet. Any more suggestions or thoughts? Regards, Fin

[Andrew Black]

Hello Fin,

I have no idea if you have already solved this problem or moved on, but I have just restored an Electrohome Manhattan for a friend and I can tell you that my unit had a Webster Chicago 100 record player in it. After a spot of bother or two, it is working fine.

Hope that helps,

Andrew

[Author]

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