Monday, June 8, 2009

1974 Rockola Model "456" Jukebox

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.

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