Cornwalled Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 I know this is a long shot here, but I'm hoping someone can help me. I got a 1982 Rockola jukebox a few weeks ago and am having serious problems with it's tracking ability (or complete lack thereof). It has a Shure M44 cartridge that won't play a single record without skipping. I've cleaned the living bejesus out of my records to no avail. It got me so irritated I've ripped two records out and smashed them in half (including a brand new limited release Jimi Hendrix single that wouldn't play 4 seconds between skips). The seller claims it's got a new stylus on it, so I don't understand what goes. It just skips constantly. Always forward in the song, never back. If this were a REAL turntable, I would give it more anti-skate. However this has no such adjustment. Looks really cheap inside and shoddily built. Very crude compared to my Denon DP-23F. I've raised the tracking force from 1 to 3 grams also to no avail. I've noticed genuine Shure styli aren't available anymore, just really cheap generic ones. Reviews seem to indicate others are very unhappy too. Unfortunately as far as I can tell, the M44 is the only cartridge that can be installed on this arm, as the spacing of the cartridge mounting screw is very wide, unique to that cartridge. Apparently more than a few jukeboxes have been binned over this. I'm not sure what to do. There's tons of complaints from people that can't get this era jukebox to play with the proprietary cartridge with crappy generic styli. I can't help but feel that I'm at a total dead end. I'd have to re-engineer the tonearm, or perhaps the entire phonograph assembly. I'm flabbergasted Rock-Ola would engineer a complete line of jukeboxes to use a proprietary cartridge. Further, I can't believe Shure chose to abandon customers in need. I know I will never buy another Shure product again. Not that their products of late have been any good anyway. I've been more of a fan of Pickering or Ortofon as I find their cartridges sound far better and track more reliably. Shures just sound so dull and lifeless. Does anyone have any ideas, or do I throw a new to me $500 jukebox to the burn pile? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornwalled Posted August 7, 2018 Author Share Posted August 7, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panelhead Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 Make Shure the platter is level. If your cartridge is the issue, there are replacements listed at 40.00. I looked on Jico’s website and they show several different stylus for M-44.Starting at 29.00. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wdecho Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 Sounds to me like a problem with the arm if the stylus and cartridge are truly new. Tracking problems have to be cartridge or either arm. If it were mine I would remove the arm and give it a good going over. Take a close look at the stylus with some magnification also. Make sure the diamond is fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornwalled Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 As I play it more, I think most of my records are just complete garbage and should be melted down. They're destroyed. Grooves so shallow I can't even feel anything with my fingers at all. Smooth as glass. Glad I paid $100 for them! Jesus... Gonna have an empty jukebox when I'm done with them. Wonder how hot a fire has to get to melt vinyl? Let's find out... I've already perfected a new method of snapping records in half with only one hand! It takes practice, but with enough effort and discipline, anything is possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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