Jukeboxes Unlimited ®

1946 Wurlitzer Model 1015 Jukebox

2010-11-20T14:15:00.000-08:00

1946 Wurlitzer
78 - RPM Jukebox
Model "1015"
24 Selections

It's a 1946 Wurlitzer "Bubbler"! By now, anyone considering purchasing one of the beauties probably knows enough about their history that it would seem unnecessary for us to attempt to elaborate here. What might set one apart from another would be the quality of workmanship applied during it's reconditioning.

We believe this particular jukebox was originally restored by Glenn Streeter of Antique Apparatus in Sherman Oaks, CA around 1982. That would be many years before he purchased the Rockola Corporation in Chicago.

Glenn did some pretty amazing cabinetry in those days and this one reflects his pride in workmanship. The marbling in the veneer is spectacular even if it doesn't show in the accompanying photos. We exchanged all the nickel castings, which would need constant polishing, with a nice set of chrome ones.

Because we sell jukeboxes worldwide, we frequently don't rebuild the inside "workings" until it’s sold and we know what country it will go to and at what speed it will be playing. Since we custom make records for our customers at any speed and with any music, we need to know what the tracking pressure will need to be.

Of course we might also need to install different gears and or idler wheels as well as step up transformers to accommodate the power (voltage / cycles) of the country when shipping to other parts of the world.

Thus the "innards" of this unit will be fully reconditioned and customized to fit the buyers' needs. This one's already set up for "free play". This is one beautiful jukebox and when we're done with it, it'll sound great and should give another 50 or so years of service.

Although we recondition a ton of jukes every year, the number of 1015s we can do is limited. 1015's are a much different beast and take a lot more time to rebuild.

Should we custom build this one for you?

1954 Seeburg Model "R" Jukebox

2010-10-28T15:40:00.000-07:00

1954 Seeburg
45 - RPM Jukebox
Model "R"
100 Selection s

Most everybody likes the "R". It has classy period styling and 5 speakers. Besides an improved Hi-Fi amp the "R" went to a permanent magnetic speaker system using various sizes. Previous Seeburgs used a dynamic 15-inch speaker. Thus the "R" was better capable of reproducing the "highs".

Some production units had UTAH and others JENSON brand speakers. Jenson was a very popular consumer brand at the time. The Pickering (red head) cartridge introduced the year before on the "G" model was retained, making this one very modern HI FI juke.

Lots were sold and even today the "R" registers as one of the more desirable of the '50s jukes. Like many jukes of the '50s, the coloring on the "R" cabinet was bland. In fact many manufacturers of the day used a type of Polaroid photograph decal as the final finish. That way all cabinets of a specific model were identical.

This particular unit had one original nice side and one that had too many scratches in the decal. Therefore, we opted to take it down to the original veneer and stain it. It came out dang nice so we clear coated it after that.

As for the burl wood effect that originally came as part of the decal set covering a portion of each side as well in the front below the grill we applied, with heat, a commercial grade vinyl designed to last many years, even outdoors. It won't shrink like contact paper that some folks apply.

As for where this specific juke came from, let's just call it an orphan. It and a Seeburg "JL" were discovered huddled together in a corner of the shop a few months ago. No one seems to know from whence they appeared or if they came in at the same time. This jukebox is looking for the attention your family can give it.

1962 Rockola "Empress" Jukebox

2010-09-16T13:05:00.000-07:00

1962 Rockola
45 - RPM Jukebox
Model "1496"
"Empress"
120 Selections

This is a great little stereo jukebox. By this time Seeburg had hidden the ablity to see the records play, but Rockola was late to the game. But, today that a good thing because eveybody would rather see the jukebox play the records. It's a part of the charm of having a jukebox.

This is a very 60's looking machine with lots of chrome and colors.

2010-08-14T18:19:00.000-07:00

1965 Rockola
45 - RPM Jukebox
Model "430"
100 Selections

This is one very rare machine. We believe Rockola was the only jukebox company that ever made wall mount 45 - rpm jukeboxes. There were three models produced in 1958, 1962 and 1965. We've sold more than 15,000 jukes since 1971 and have only seen 3 of them up close. We now own 2 of them.

This jukebox is fully contained with amplifier and speakers inclosed. It holds fifty 7 - inch records and playing both sides is 100 selections. The nifty part is if you have any of the "little LPs" or "Compact 33s" made from 1960 through 1971, they will play as many as 6 tunes per disc. You heard correctly: 6 tunes in STEREO at 33 1/3 RPM on a 7 - inch record. That could be 350 songs!

Originally this model is intended to have a remote speaker attached to it to provide stereo. We've modified it to do so with two 10 - inch full range speakers mounted, as originally, on the front door.

If lack of floor space is your concern, then this baby is the solution. It's only 18 1/8 - inches deep.

Be the first one on your block or in your state for that matter to have one of these nifty eye-catchers hanging on your pool room or apartment wall.

It comes with the original wall mounting bracket too!

1956 Seeburg Model "J L" Jukebox

2010-07-24T14:15:00.000-07:00

1956 Seeburg
45 - RPM Jukebox
Model "J L"
100 Selections

The 1955 J and 1956 JL (light color cabinet) Seeburg models moved away from the colors and flashy looks of previous Seeburg "C" and "R" models.

Through the years the "J"s seemed to take a back seat to these models. We at JUKEBOXES UNLIMITED on the other hand love them for their rugged cabinet with almost nothing to get broken easily like the fluted glass and plastics in the grill areas of the "C" and "R" models.

We've been using the "J"s for party rentals for nearly 40 years and they never come back broken. During the '80s and '90s, we had a fleet of 12 of them working their little butts off every weekend entertaining folks at parties in "So Cal".

When done right they can really crank out the sounds and pull it off all the way to the top. We like the very clean styling lines that are reminiscent of cars of the era. Think about a 1955 Cadillac El Dorado.

The "J"s had an improved Hi-Fi amp and great UTAH speakers. With two 12 - inch and one 8 - inch speakers, the right cartridge, they can sound amazing. We love the "J"s.

For the first 10 years of our company, folks would always ask me what juke I'd personally own if I could only have one. I'd answer: "a Seeburg "J". Luckily I don't expect to be in that position again of only having one jukebox in my collection.

Can't remember where this particular unit came from and it's been hiding in the back of the warehouse for quite some time. It was expected to be reconditioned for rental use.

We've redone the cabinet in its natural wood finish with a clear coat on top for protection. Because we like them for party rentals and keep them for ourselves, we seldom offer them for sale. It's just that our warehouse is busting at the seams and we need to reduce inventory … a lot!

2004 Rockola "Bubbler" CD Jukebox

2010-06-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

2004 Rockola
CD Jukebox
Model "CD-8-C"
Over 3,000 Selections

After Rockola in Chicago, was purchased by Antique Apparatus of Torrance CA, the "Bubbler" model they were making, underwent a number of changes. This "C" model is the most technically advanced of them all. (The yellow components inside the cabinet reveal that).

For years these 'bubblers' have boasted outlandish power, so don't expect to sit in front of it with it cranked up all the way.

One of the most appealing features of these Rockolas is the revolving color cylinders (animation) within the top arch of the cabinet. In a low light setting, this baby looks like Las Vegas on a Saturday night.

You might enjoy the story of how we got this one. It came to us from Vegas! Although we seldom find a reason to purchase jukes from very far away, this one gave me a personal reason to trade the bright lights of LA for those of Vegas.

This older guy calls from LV and says he's downsizing and needs to sell his "bubbler" right away. His story is that he bought it new in 2007 from a billiard store and never really used. I'm thinking, "sure, that's what they all say".

I ask him to send me some photos. From them it appears to be a CD-8. Then I have him read

me the model number on the ID sticker on the back. He tells me it’s a model CD-SC. Never heard of that one. He also says he just had eye surgery and to just come up to LV and buy it. The movers were coming the next day. So I hopped in one of the delivery trucks and headed to Vegas.

As soon as I saw this unit, I knew he was telling the truth about it not ever being used. He had told me that right after he bought it, he remodeled the house to the tune of $3 mil. So it sat in storage for 2 years.

It only had 10 CDs in it and no title strips. By the time the remodel was finished the value of his home had plummeted so he's moving to a smaller place.

The juke was immaculate. Here's the catch. What he though he read, with one bad eye, on the back of the cabinet as CD-SC, was really CD-8C. You see by 2007 Bubblers were touch screen and had no typical title strip display.

He assumed that when he bought it from the billiard store in 2007 that it was the current model. It was actually a floor model from 2004. Our experience is that billiard stores tend to do that. Thus he didn't get what he thought he was paying top dollar for.

(BTW, anytime a seller can't tell you the year of a Rockola Bubbler, have him send you a photo of the sticker on the back. It shows the year. Also have him go into the computer program and take a shot of the total plays shown in the display window).

When I got it back to the shop and lit it up, we found the computer only showing 575 total plays. That's like a weekend's worth of tunes. The envelope with all the instruction manuals was un-opened as was the remote control with batteries still sealed. It was still brand new!

This beauty will light up your room and your life.

1994 AMI/Rowe "Laserstar" Jukebox

2010-05-10T20:40:00.000-07:00

1994 AMI Rowe
Compact Disc Jukebox
Model "CD100C"
"Laserstar
Over 3,000 Selections

This AMI/Rowe model CD100C "Laserstar" jukebox plays over 3,000 selections and sounds great. This juke displays the complete cd covers, so theirs no problem reconizing your favorite artists. This is a great sounding and good looking jukebox.

1953 Seeburg "G" Jukebox

2010-04-18T21:00:00.000-07:00

1954 Seeburg
45 - RPM Jukebox
Model "G"
100 Selections

Following the tremendous success of Seeburg's M100C of 1952-3 came two nearly identical looking machines both introduced in September 1953 for the 1954 year. I wonder if the complaints that filtered back to the distributors regarding the fragileness of the front of the "C" had any bearing on the "100W" and "HF100G" being built considerably more rugged? Although the "W" had plastic pilasters, the noisy animation was even dropped.

The front of both the "W" and "G" was sturdy chromed metal and resembled the front bumpers of the cars of the day. That 'bumper' could probably hold its ground against the real front bumper of most of today's cars and even light duty trucks. The "G" went one step farther in ruggedness with stainless steel pilasters.

Ironically, those very features of the "C" that irritated jukebox operators of yesterday, (animation behind frosted plastic pilasters with round glass mirrors in the grill) is what drives buyers to seek out the "C" today.

Jukes can get pretty banged up while being drug from one location to another and pushed around in the shop. So a big difference between the "C" and the "W"/"G” was durability. Gone was the exposed wooden front covered only by a decal made from a Polaroid photograph. (You could order replacement decals).

From the earliest days, jukeboxes mimicked the styles of the new cars. So by 1954, with cars no longer having that "Tin Lizzy" look, it was natural for plastic to give way to chromed steel.

The "C" and "W" had basically the same sound system whereas the "G" was Seeburg’s first High Fidelity jukebox. It incorporated an advanced amp and tweeter with a primitive dividing network besides the 15 - inch woofer of the "C" and "W". The "G" did sound better. In fact we've even gone a step farther by adding one transistor. We might call it a "Hybrid".

1961 Wurlitzer "2500" Jukebox

2010-03-20T13:54:00.000-07:00

1961 Wurlitzer
45 - RPM Jukebox
Model "2500"
200 Selections

The 2500 series came along at a time when most jukebox manufacturers were beginning to hide their record playing mechanisms as well as the records. This was a transitional period for cabinet style. It was a time when rounded edges gave way to sharp corners. That said, the 2500 still seemed to have a "softer" yet classy look about it with its open, wide and rounded lid glass rounded front corner moldings.

By now, all the manufacturers had caught up with Seeburg in stereo and 200 selections, but by next year they were going to have to play "catch up" again following Seeburg’s switch to fully 'solid state' amplifiers. Therefore, the 2500 still had a nice powerful 2 channel, 'tube type' amplifier pushing two 12 - inch woofers and one 5 - inch round mid/high speaker.

This particular unit came from a large catch we made a while back. There was also a 2510 model in the bunch that we "parted out" expecting to need to need it to "rob Peter to pay Paul". However, all we took from the 2510 was the turntable motor and cartridge.

The cabinet is in nice "original" shape and the back doors look practically new. Half the time one or both doors are missing or have been pried open and bent with these models. We set it up to take coins, but it’s also easy to switch it to “free play”.

This is one very nice, good working, good sounding Wurlitzer.

1967-1971 Seeburg "AP-1" Jukebox

2009-11-10T16:00:00.000-08:00

1967-1971 Seeburg
33 1/3 - RPM Jukebox
Model "AP-1"
Over 1000 Selections

It's true that the music on CDs is compressed. In other words, parts of the sound are cut out. Maybe that's why many LP aficionados say vinyl has a warmer sound.

A lot of bands are releasing their new music on vinyl, bringing back the LP now more than ever. Some are going to thrift stores and buying up all they have of the "good stuff".

Many people hung onto their LPs even though they bought replacement CDs. Well if you were one of the smart (or frugal) ones who held onto your LPs, here's a reward for you. The reward is this amazing unit that stores and plays 50 albums.

These units were only made between 1967 and 1971 and sold through TV, Radio and Stereo stores. But the stores weren't really set up to display and properly market these wonderful machines. Even so, a sizable number were sold in the US.

Through the years they would quit working (the turntable belts would stretch) and no one knew who could service them. Seeburg closed up shop in 1980. Thus they were sold at garage sales and even turned into thrift stores who sold them to unsuspecting folks who in turn couldn't get them repaired either. When they would set not working, other problems would develop also.

Well, our people were the ones who would install them in the mansions of the rich and famous of Los Angeles. (Mr. Hefner has several in his Playboy Mansion.) Some were purchased by professional sound system installers who would tell their customers that they built the units by hand. Then they'd install them at a cost of $40,000 and that was back in the late '60s!

Now we have available a number of these gems in various shapes and sizes to either hide in a closet or proudly perform in your living room. It's kind of like Dad's Admiral or Westinghouse stereo console, but playing 35 hours of unduplicated music with the press of one button. (You can also dial up one side at a time or 20.)

The cabinet configurations allow a wide choice to fit anybody's needs. You can buy the mechanism alone to place in a closet and run wires to your present sound system through RCA phono plugs. Or you can buy a 5-foot long cabinet with it's own amplifier, radio and speakers.

They're so darn cool. Heck, they're RETRO if there ever was one. So dig out your old LPs (even The Beach Boys and The Who), plop down a few bucks and dig some great sounds from the days of vinyl.

This album player is a solid state, 50 LP, light tracking stereo. A great way to store and play 50 of your favorite LPs. 35 hours of constant play without repeating. Intended for home use and to be connected to an existing sound system.

We have numerous cabinet configurations, just ask us about them. You might want to purchase just the album player mechanism itself, without the cabinet and then it can be tucked away hidden from view.

1950 Seeburg Model "B" Jukebox

2009-10-14T14:06:00.000-07:00

1950 Seeburg
45 - RPM Jukebox
Model "B"
100 Selections

The "B" was introduced in Oct of 1950 for the 1951 year. It was a transitional juke between the "A" and the "C". The "A" was the last 78 - RPM jukebox Seeburg made and the "B" was the world’s first 45 - RPM jukebox.

Seeburg took essentially the same amplifier, Pickering cartridge and 15-inch speaker of the "A" and put it in a nearly identical cabinet, just not as wide. That was the point … size. Seeburg was the first with 100 selections in the "A" but strived for more tunes without increasing the size of the jukebox cabinet.

Earlier talks between Seeburg and RCA engineers lead to the creation of the new, smaller, faster 45 - RPM disc introduced in 1949. Thus with the smaller disc the wide "A" cabinet was shrunk down considerably while still accommodating the same number of (50) discs. Eventually Seeburg introduced 200 selections in 1955 with the V-200.

The "B" was nearly as good sounding as the "A" and continued Seeburg’s domination of the marketplace, through innovation, all the way through the '50s.

This unit was probably originally reconditioned about 15 or 20 years ago and done with a Southwestern motif. We chose not to strip down the painted cabinet even though it has some areas where the paint shows seems in the wood beneath.

Other than the freedom used on the cabinet the "workings" are all original. We've reconditioned everything operational and it works and sounds great. If you look out your backyard window and see cactus or want to add some music and color to a room, this is the juke for you.

1953 Seeburg "G" Jukebox

2009-09-21T17:31:00.001-07:00

1953 Seeburg
45 - RPM Jukebox
Model "G"
100 Selections

Ironically, those very features of the "C" that irritated jukebox operators of yesterday, (animation behind frosted plastic pilasters with round glass mirrors in the grill) is what drives buyers to seek out the "C" today.

Jukes can get pretty banged up while being drug from one location to another and pushed around in the shop. So a big difference between the "C" and the "W"/"G” was durability. Gone was the exposed wooden front covered only by a decal made from a Polaroid photograph. (You could order replacement decals).

From the earliest days, jukeboxes mimicked the styles of the new cars. So by 1954, with cars no longer having that "Tin Lizzy" look, it was natural for plastic to give way to chromed steel.

The "C" and "W" had basically the same sound system whereas the "G" was Seeburg’s first High Fidelity jukebox. It incorporated an advanced amp and tweeter with a primitive dividing network besides the 15 - inch woofer of the "C" and "W". The "G" did sound better. In fact we've even gone a step farther by adding one transistor. We might call it a "Hybrid".

Someone had already begun rebuilding this particular juke when we got a hold of it. So rather

than tear it down and start from scratch, we've corrected a few technical errors and completely rebuilt the workings.

Practically everything metal that could be removed, had already been chromed. Even the original stainless steel pilasters looked dang nice. We've also done a little cosmetic work to the cabinet. It's just about ready now, but here's the question for you:

If you're interested in this baby let us know if you'd like us to keep it original ($5295) or have us install quiet, colored, revolving cylinders and frosted plastic pilasters? With this upgrade, you get the "prettiness" of the "C" and ruggedness of the "G" for an additional $600 more. Your call.

1980 Seeburg "Phoenix" Jukebox

2009-08-22T17:25:00.000-07:00

1980 Seeburg
45 - RPM Jukebox
Model "Phoenix"
160 Selections

This 1980 Seeburg Phoenix is one great jukebox. With it’s disco ball rotating under high intensity spotlights it’s the life of the party. All you need is a dance floor.

1994 Rockola Model "CD-8" Jukebox

2009-07-21T14:29:00.000-07:00

1994 Rockola
CD Jukebox
Model "CD-8"
Over 1500 Selections

A while back I get a call from a fellow who runs a very respectable company in nearby Van Nuys. He says he's got this Rockola CD-8 Bubbler jukebox that he can only remember playing one song on since he bought it some 14 years ago. I'm curious and it's only a couple of miles away.

He meets me in his warehouse and points to it over in a corner, covered in plastic wrap and strapped to a pallet. We unwrap it and lift it off the pallet. It’s beautiful, but dusty. He hands me a key that he's recently gotten from the factory in Torrance, CA.

I open it up and see that there’s still a CD in the play position. He says that must be the one he's been missing all these years. Seems he got it brand new from a local pool table store. It was on the showroom floor playing at the time. He had it delivered, played part of one CD and turned it off.

Shortly afterwards he moved into another home and placed the jukebox in the back of his warehouse never to be played again. I wasn't sure about his story, but the price was right and the unit looked great.

I got it back to the shop and covered it up. Only recently did I get a chance to examine it. The insides were as dusty as the outsides with an extremely fine silt. Then I remembered he ran a wood molding company. Thus it was wood dust.

I covered the player and hit the whole machine with the compressor. Wow! It really did look brand new. But I was still curious if the fellow had only played one CD since 1995. So I punched up the code and asked the computer how many actual CDs it had played. (Keep in mind, this reading can not be cleared). It was just over 3,000 plays. It was manufactured 11-3-94.

But if you remember this was playing in the store when he bought it. Yet 3,000 plays is nothing if you consider that people who rent jukeboxes for weekend parties put 500 plays on one in a few days. We actually rent out this model ourselves through our other company, JUKEBOXES FOR RENT ®.

So here we have a real beauty with barley any mileage on it from an era when jukebox manufacturers weren't cutting corners to save a buck. It was in it's own personal time warp waiting for me to come along and release it.

What's nice about the Rockola reproduction "Bubbler" verses the Wurlitzer "Bubbler" is that even the top section has revolving color wheels. These are glorious in the dim light of a party.

Isn't it time you had a party?

1974 Rockola Model "456" Jukebox

2009-06-08T22:16:00.000-07:00

1974 Rockola
45 - RPM Jukebox
Model "456"
160 Selections

"The Sophisticated Jukebox".

At first glance it could easily pass for your folks old Admiral or Magnavox home stereo system. Remember the one that sat stately at one end of the living room?

Well this ain't your Dad's old AM/FM, 5 record, 3 speed changer. It's a 2 speed, 160 to 480 selection "retro" style juke that would just plain smoke that Westinghouse console from back in the day.

The stereo separation and killer sound that emits from this beautiful cabinet are unachievable in conventional jukes unless you connect remote speakers to them. The speakers are an amazing 31-inch apart! If you sit somewhere between 5 and 15 feet in front of this lovely beast, you'll be blown away by the stereo separation.

The rugged Shure M-44 cartridge (we used them in radio stations) sends its signal through a powerful (100 watt) solid state stereo amplifier into two 6-inch mid and high frequency speakers and two 12-inch full range speakers.

Although intended for use in fancy restaurants and classy lounges it came along during a time when jukebox use in exactly those places was waning. Thus not too many of this style were ever sold.

Then once they were retired from service by the jukebox operators, they tended to get banged around a bit. They normally ended up acting as storage since they had a nice flat top. Luckily that surface was a burn and mar proof polyester material. In the end they'd get torn down and stripped for parts that could be used in conventional jukes.

This particular unit has been in the living room of a sweet little ranch house in fashionable Porter Ranch in the San Fernando Valley of LA since it was new. The minor dings on the cabinet come from helping raise a family over 35 years.

The "innards" are spotless and the playmeter shows an accurate 3500 plays. As a comparison, a typical jukebox rented for a weekend party chalks up 200 to 500 plays in 3 days.

The mechanism is tried, true, dependable and simple. For a few bucks more, we'll throw in a nifty Rockola motorized remote control so you won't have to get up from your easy chair to turn it up or down, on or off or even cancel tunes.

So if you have a comfortable place in your home for the fun of a jukebox and the sophisticated look of a fine piece of furniture, this is it.

1946 Wurlitzer Model "1015" Jukebox

2009-05-29T19:36:00.000-07:00

1946 Wurlitzer
78 - RPM Jukebox
Model "1015"
24 Selections
Previously owned by Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson

This is one from our "Celebrity Jukes Collection". This was Burt Reynold's personal jukebox in his home in Florida. It was also in his and Loni Anderson's home together off Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles and in Loni's home off Mulholland Drive after they split up.

Don Muller (JUKEBOXES UNLIMITED ®) saw a 1015 on the set of "Evening Shade" years ago when Dom Deluise introduced him to Burt. But, Loni and Don’s memories are a little fuzzy on whether this is the same one. This could easily be verified by viewing an episode to see if the Wurlitzer decal on the front window of the jukebox on the show is missing the "W" as this one is. The decal on this machine can easily be replaced it if the buyer prefers.

What an amazing history this jukebox has. Owned and loved by Burt Reynolds, the number-one box-office attraction for five straight years (1978-82) and lovely Loni Anderson, the sultry co-star of "WKRP In Cincinnati".

JUKEBOXES UNLIMITED ® has been servicing this beauty since Burt brought it to Los Angeles in the early 1980's. Photos taken when Don purchased it one year ago show some discolored metal moldings and veneer that is lifting slightly.

We've completely rebuilt the "workings" of the jukebox including the sound system. We've installed updated components that allow this baby to really crank out the sound. The speed is "right on" and it sounds great!

The speed had been changed to 45 - rpm when we bought it, but we've brought it back to it's original 78 - rpm glory. Also in keeping with originality, most exterior cosmetics will be left the same as when Loni owned it. The unit is on permanent free play.

This was part of the private lives of these two beloved superstars and it could very well be sitting in your business, office lobby or home game room. All original papers and digital photos included.

1949 Seeburg "A" Jukebox

2009-04-22T16:00:00.000-07:00

1949 Seeburg
78 - RPM Jukebox
Model "A"
100 Selections

First of all this is, hands down, the best sounding 78 rpm jukebox ever made. It had been in development for nearly 8 years. Star Title Strip Company of Pittsburgh had already begun printing the new double strips for the "A" by 1947. Needless to say this is the jukebox that revolutionized the industry.

Here's my take on this jukebox and the record industry and you can correct me if I'm wrong. Before the 1920s phonograph records were engineered to sound good on a crank up Victrola. Remember there were no radio stations until the1920s.

But by the mid 1920s just about all of America could hear music on a radio. Yet no matter how good a 78 rpm record sounded in the control booth of a radio station, it still was going to be heard thru either a tiny speaker in a table radio or a large 15-inch full range one in a floor model.

Eventually Paul Galvin introduced in 1930 Motorola radios for cars. Now the recording engineer was up against the dilemma of trying to make tunes sound good coming from small and large home radios and those tiny little oval speakers in dashboards.

Although Americans invented jukeboxes at the turn of the 20th century, their sound systems were quite primitive until into the 1930s. But by the 1940s jukes were becoming a powerful force for demonstrating new music to the public.

Even with a limited array of artists on a handful of labels, the public's appetite became insatiable. Jukeboxes were showing up at bars, lounges, restaurants, U.S.O. halls and even drug stores.

It didn't take long for record companies to realize the marketing possibilities of "jukes". Where better to hear your favorite new artist's newest hit but on a jukebox.

All the public had to do is hear a tune sound great on a jukebox for them to go out and buy the record. It didn't matter what it sounded like after they bought it. The sale was done and the jukebox did it!

With improved jukebox amplifiers and cartridges, recording engineers worked hand in hand with the industry leaders in developing records that sounded good on jukes.

From the beginning, jukes were made large so a customer walking into an establishment would spot it immediately. The big cabinets made for excellent acoustic devises or speaker enclosures.

Now record companies could engineer records with a standard in mind. That of sounding good coming out of a 15-inch jukebox speaker. The jukebox became their best salesmen.

To continue with my theory, it just stands to reason that this marriage of recording engineers and jukebox manufacturers would be at it's peak, at least for 78 rpm, in the years before and just after 45 rpm came along in 1949. Thus I believe tunes produced between 1940 and 1959 were intended to sound their best emitted from a jukebox.

(Motown records of the 60s and Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" recordings were intended to sound their best in mono car radios.)

To hear the original 78 rpm RCA version of Elvis Presley's monster 1956 hit "Don't Be Cruel" or even Glen Miller's "In the Mood" on a Seeburg "A" can be breath taking. You'd be blown away by the fullness of sound coming from the little black Pickering cartridge through a 16 watt push-pull tube type amplifier out a 15-inch full range speaker inside a massive wooden cabinet. All the components were "tuned" with each other.

It's how '40s big band and early rock and roll was meant to sound. It's absolutely amazing and no other means of reproduction comes any where near matching it. As far as I'm concerned, the M-100 A is the best sounding 78 rpm jukebox in the world.

On a side note: Seeburg took essentially the same amp, cartridge and 15-inch speaker and installed it in the worlds first 45 rpm jukebox, the M-100 B in 1951. Although the only difference was the speed of the record and the size of the cabinet, the "B" only sounds half as good as the "A".

Remember, the faster the record spins, the better it sounds. So L.P. versions of early Rock and Roll at 33 1/3 rpm leave a lot to be desired compared to a 78 rpm juke. "Rock Around the Clock" was produced before "HI-FI" came along. By the way I'm a radio engineer with a "First-Class" ticket, the highest broadcast license the FCC issues.

Here's another side story: Shortly after starting JUKEBOXES UNLIMITED ® in Phoenix AZ, a guy calls me and asks if I buy 78 rpm jukes. He had 25 "A"s in a shed behind his hair saloon in Mesa (a city outside Phoenix). He wanted to jump on the bandwagon of making tons of coins from jukeboxes, so he invested in 25 brand new "A"s at the end of 1948.

He placed the first one in a little Italian restaurant on 7th street near downtown Phoenix called the Blue Grotto. By 1951 the Seeburg "B" model playing the new 45 rpm records came along and made his "A"s obsolete.

He never placed another one on location again. So in 1971 I bought them all including the one from the Blue Grotto for $25 each. I should be shot, huh?

So you should buy this wonderful music machine and breakout the old Rock and Roll 78s. Does anybody still know how to "Bop"? You should hear Gene Vincent’s "Be-Bop-A-Lula" on an "A". And what’s also cool about an "A" is you can hear "Woman Love" on the other side without flipping the record over.

1957 Rockola Model "1455" Jukebox

2009-03-17T20:02:00.000-07:00

1957 Rockola
45 - RPM Jukebox
Model "1455"
200 Selections

Compact, cute and colorful.

This was Rockola's first foray into 200 selection jukeboxes and offered Seeburg's V/VL models of previous years some decent competition. It was considerably smaller and lighter which was achieved by using its Ferris wheel record basket configuration.

Even it's sound was competitive with other jukes of the time through the use of a huge 15-inch speaker in conjunction with a small high frequency horn. (AMI was the first to use a horn in it's great sounding F model of 1954.)

The 200 tune title strips in the 1455 are displayed at a slight angle in increments of 40 in a 5 sided rotating drum.

This particular unit is from the personal collection of a very talented Southern California

jukebox operator. And although one to always be trying technical experiments with jukes on his route, this one seemed to have escaped his trials.

It’s in amazingly nice, original condition. The top part of the side of the cabinet is all original, which by now would’ve been painted over 5 times. The bottom half is not originl, but in good shape. This is one sweet little juke.

1958 Rockola Model "1465" Jukebox

2008-11-19T19:52:00.000-08:00

1958 Rockola
45 - RPM Jukebox
Model "1465"
200 Selections

Once Seeburg came out with a 200 selection jukebox in 1955 all the other manufacturersfollowed suit with one of their own in 1957. This 1958 Rockola went one better than Seeburg with its light, compact cabinet taking up less of the valuable space in diners.

Employing the same tried and true mechanism Rockola had begun using back in 1952 this is one nice little juke. AMI actually used the same principle on its 1946 model "A". The 1465 also employs a rotating title strip drum like the Seeburg's.

The fact that we have way to many jukes is forcing us to sell some of the duplicates and ones that will require extra time to rebuild. Thus we’ll be selling this cutie in an "AS-IS" working state.

What's nice about this unit is that just about anybody can do the necessary work to bring it up to snuff and it could be a fun project for just about anyone.

It's been staying in the home of a British couple in Santa Monica for about 25 years. They were sad to see it go, but their new home was going to be smaller.

1992 NSM Model "The Performer Classic" Jukebox

2008-10-31T20:04:00.000-07:00

1992 NSM
CD Jukebox
Model "Performer Classic"
Over 2,500 Selections

Here's a great machine if your looking for good looks and a great sounding jukebox for your place. 100 CD's played through a solid state high power amplifier into 2 bass and 2 high/mid range speakers. Over 2,500 tunes at the touch of a button. You can even control this juke from across the room with its wireless remote control unit.

All the CD's are stored in a dust free atmosphere inside the world's fastest CD changer. You can even put your own CD covers and their list of songs for people to recognize and choose their selections. You can watch this jukebox work through the big front window. Kids love to watch it work through the glass.

1978 Seeburg Model "Disco" Jukebox

2008-09-05T19:45:00.000-07:00

1978 Seeburg
45 - RPM Jukebox
Model "Disco"
160 Selections

This jukebox might just be the best sounding and loudest 45 - rpm stereo jukebox ever made. Unlike most jukeboxes with only cone speakers, the Disco also has horns. Extremely efficient, horns are capable of reproducing amazing highs. You'll hear sounds from your records you never heard before. It's killer amplifier will blow your socks off. With the Disco's unique shape and great colors it makes a stand out in any home.

The Seeburg Disco was the last juke made by Seeburg before the Stern pinball/video game company bought it in 1980.

1973 Wurliter Model "1050" Jukebox

2008-08-25T19:25:00.000-07:00

1973 Wurlitzer
45 - RPM Jukebox
Model "1050 Nostalgic"
100 Selections

I've got a lot to say about this baby and Wurlitzer on a whole. I'll start back in 1969-70 with the model "3400 Statesman". This was a good looking, good sounding jukebox with a lot of problems with the numerous micro switches. I believe this is the machine that brought Wurlitzer to its knees in America.

In 1973 a big time Louisiana jukebox operator offered to sell me 25 of these machines for $40 each. Even though he warned me of the problems, I jumped at the deal. They turned out to be pure lemons.

He had told me he purchased 400 of them and they broke down so frequently that Wurlitzer had sent a mechanic to stay in a motel in the area.

By 1972 Wurlitzer had the problems worked out with the model "3600 Superstar", but it was too late for Wurlitzer's reputation. They made basically 6 more models in the USA before closing down the North Tonawanda plant in New York around 1975.

One of those decent working machines happened to be the model "1050". This was sort of a salute to Wurlitzer's hey day of flashy "Bubblers" designed by Paul Fuller in the '40s.

It was a nice looking, good working unit but didn't necessarily sell very well. By 1977 after JUKEBOXES UNLIMITED ® relocated to West Los Angeles, I was offered 10 of these units brand new in the crate for $1600 each.

By now Wurlitzer had sold the rights to build the "1050" in Mexico. It was called the "Soñata". This was an extremely bad reproduction of the "1050", made cheaply and assembled poorly. Personally they're "junk" to me.

Some unscrupulous sellers would swap the front glass that shown the "Soñata" name with one that said Wurlitzer in an attempt to pawn them off to unsuspecting buyers.
At this same time an Arizona restaurant chain, Googie's, approached JUKEBOXES UNLIMITED ® to install nostalgic looking jukeboxes in their many locations.

Although I offered them the Wurlitzer's, they opted for the new "Soñatas". I had the first 3 drop shipped to Phoenix where it took me an entire day to make one of them work out of the three. The buyer cancelled the remaining order. Enough said about the "Soñata" here.

Back to the "1050". At this time JUKEBOXES UNLIMITED ® was making a rather sizable splash in its new digs in Los Angeles. Numerous print articles and radio interviews brought us to the attention of the producers of a local TV program featuring Regis Philbin.

I brought a "1050" on his show and told Regis this was going to be a machine that would increase in value dramatically in the next few years to at least $5,000. I was offering that one for $3500.

A day or so later a lady comes into JUKEBOXES UNLIMITED ® and wants to buy a jukebox for her celebrity husband, but it has to be a good investment. I sell her the "1050". Some day I'll have to tell you the story of that Christmas Eve delivery.

Later I ran across 2 real nice "1050’s" in Tucson, AZ, one of which I took home for myself. Then the bottom fell out for the "1050" with Wurlitzer's introduction in 1988-89 of the "O.M.T." (One More Time) built in Germany.

This was a sweet reproduction of the famous 1015 of 1946. All of a sudden the "1050" lost its value and although a few were offered to JUKEBOXES UNLIMITED ® , none were purchased. In fact I sold my own and the other one right away.

Now we come up to present. In all our years in business, I believe we've only had 3 "1050" go through the company. In comparison, we've probably sold 300 or 400 of the Seeburg model "C". Off hand, I’d say "1050's" are awful dang rare.

The one we have now was purchased brand new for a home in fashionable Encino, CA. It is absolutely immaculate. Cabinet parts that would normally show wear are like new. This machine has never had a coin run through it and the clean cash bag reflects it.

The playmeter reads 004259 and there's no doubt those are the true numbers. It's one thing to find one of these for sale at a lower price, but to find one as immaculate as this is a rare find.

If you're like the celebrity back in 1978, looking for an investment jukebox that will, at the same time, give you years of enjoyment, this is the unit. We don't think you’ll find a cleaner, better working "1050" anywhere. And tell us this isn't a beauty? - Don

1952 Seeburg Model "C" Jukebox

2008-07-20T20:13:00.000-07:00

1952 Seeburg
45 - RPM Jukebox
Model "C"
"Happy Days" style
100 Selections

By 1949, Seeburg had been instrumental in getting RCA to create 45 rpm records. Seeburg wanted to reduce the size of jukeboxes, to fit in small establishments like diners, while offering more selections than the bulkier 78 - rpm units. Of course when the first 45 rpm jukebox was introduced in October of 1950 it was a Seeburg. This was the model "B" and it’s successor in 1952, the “BL”.

The model M100 "C" was introduced in May of 1952 for the 1953 year. It was a "B", glorified with frosty white pilasters and revolving color wheels, but it took the world by storm. It turned out to be Seeburgs’ biggest seller.

The Family "C".

This wonderful jukebox has been entertaining friends and family in the home of Don Muller, owner of JUKEBOXES UNLIMITED ®, since his shop rebuilt it back around 1980. Many a party was held with this beauty as the main attraction cranking out good old Rock and Roll. Freshly reconditioned, it's ready to start a new life entertaining new friends. Maybe even you and your friends?

The original cartridge has been updated with the later version Thorpe for great sound through the original 15-inch speaker. A newer model mechanism motor runs smoothly under the original mechanism cover. A rugged new motor runs the chain to drive the color wheel assemblies. New mirrors installed behind the mechanism. All coin equipment (including cash bag) in and working with a "free play" button installed to avoid burning up the latch bar solenoid.

Standing sentry in front of the speaker are the 100% original thick round mirror grill tubes, not the thin ones they make today or the metal plumbing pipes. Covering the speaker is real speaker cloth not some pretty fabric from a linen store. Speaker cloth doesn't restrict the sound the way fabric does.

As big as JUKEBOXES UNLIMITED ® already was at the time this machine was rebuilt, nearly all reproduction parts were either made "in house" or exclusively for the company. One prominent item was the pilasters protecting the color wheels. And protecting is exactly what these pilasters do. They were hand made on a custom built wooden form using several heating strips to bend the General Electric Herculite plastic. You couldn't even kick these baby in. Never fear of children damaging the front of this gem.

Through the years we've seen all sorts of refurbishing jobs that time has taken a toll on. "C" pilasters were one thing but also on Seeburg "B" and "C" models the methods of covering the original wood cabinet went from contact paper and vinyl sheets that would shrink or loose glue to veneer that would get all nicked up.

Between 1978 and 1985, the craftsmen at JUKEBOXES UNLIMITED ® applied Formica brand laminate on many of the cabinets they did. Even three decades later these jukeboxes look exactly like they did the day they were sold. Formica can really take a beating.

In fact this is one of those Formica cabinets that actually did take a beating during the infamous 1994 Northridge earthquake in California’s beautiful San Fernando Valley. (See close up of said nick.) Aside from this flaw, this is one beautiful, good working, great sounding jukebox.

Once again, let's picture it in your entertainment area. Maybe even with a small dance floor in front of it? Where do you want to hang the disco ball? And chaser lights around the dance floor? Can't forget them! Oh, and then you'll want a strobe light somewhere.