The Ditchburn Mk2R Music Maker 30 by Rob’s Jukebox Restorations
www.jukeboxrestorations.co.uk
Restorations.
MK2R Music Maker 30 play 7” 45rpm Jukebox
During
the
late
1950s
the
7”
45rpm
single
became
more
and
more
popular,
most
of
Ditchburn’s
original
MK2
jukeboxes
that
were
still
situated
in
cafés
around
the
UK,
were
still
using
the
10”
78rpm
disks,
Geoffrey
Ditchburn
was
a
man
that
was
known
to
be
very
careful
with
his
money
and
and
in
1958,
rather
than
replacing
his
still
good
but
dated
78
jukeboxes
with
brand
new
45rpm
machines,
he
decided
to
convert
the
MK2
78rpm
Jukeboxes
into
the
MK2R
(
the
R
standing
for
Refurbished
)
this
conversion
actually
was
quite
complex
as
the
player
mechanism
was
totally
rebuilt
from
a
16
disk
78rpm
unit
to
a
30
disk
45rpm
unit,
the
cabinets
were
cut
down
and
a
new
top
was
added
to
make
them
look
more
in
keeping
with
the
latest
USA
machines.
The
Extensive
Restoration
below
was
done
by
Robin
Colvill
of
“Robs
Jukebox
Restorations”
for
a
customer,
the
original
jukebox
was
missing
some
components
including
the
amplifier
and
also
the
fibreglass
top
and
sides
had
deteriorated
and
needed
to
be
totally
rebuilt
from
scratch.
When
The
Jukebox
arrived
at
Robs
workshop
it
was
in
pretty
poor
condition,
the
broken
fibreglass
top
and
player
mechanism was removed and the metal trims and plates were removed from the box for cleaning and polishing.
The original Amplifier was missing and had at sometime been replaced by a cassette tape player and power supply
Rob had to replace the plywood side panels and windows
The Player mechanism was stripped down and the record trays removed for cleaning and polishing.
The
pin-bank
unit
that
selects
the
required
record
for
playing
was
removed
and
cleaned
and
the
brass
pins
polished
and
checked for conductivity.
The Player mechanism and frame was stripped cleaned and parts painted
The cabinet was masked in areas and then a coat of primer was applied, before being painted in its glorious final colour.
The metal trim was polished to a fantastic shine and refitted to the cabinet.
The Front and side windows were re-fitted along with the florescent tube assembly and cabinet roof
A new plywood back door was made and painted black, the player mechanism was tested and fitted back into the cabinet
The credit unit that remembers the amount of coins inserted was fully rewired and refurbished
Rob had totally remade the title strip holder to match the new colour scheme of the jukebox.
The
finished
machine
looks
superb,
and
although
the
original
amp
was
missing,
Rob
managed
to
replace
the
amp
with
a
Beam Echo valve mono amplifier of exactly the same era.
To view a YouTube video of the MK2R Jukebox in action
CLICK HERE
