[Jukebox-list] AMi G-200 questions

[David Breneman]

--- "S.R. Boland" <digiovanni13 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> I want a jukebox strictly for home use -- I'm not a
> collector -- and I've decided on the AMi G-200.  It
> seems to be a not-so-popular model (even called ugly
> by many), but I like its funky, squared-off style. 

If you've been reading the archives then you know that
the F and G seem to be (to me at least) a direct evocation
of the hi-fi corner horn speakers that were the mark of
a state-of-the-art home entertainment system of the area.
The design is deliberate; not, as some would claim,
incompetent is its conception and execution.  The fact that
the "language" didn't make it in the marketplace just 
shows that the dime-wielding public didn't make a real
connection between jukeboxes and home hi-fi's.

> (I don't see a
> jukebox as an investment for turning a future profit;
> for me, it's just a form of entertainment that I'll
> hold onto).

That is a very good attitude.  If you're looking for
an investment, buy things that will fit in a safe
deposit box.  A good jukebox will never lose its
value in the *long term* but buying them *as* an
investment is silly because they will lose value in
a recession (the time when one is most likely to be
unemployed and desperate for cash) and there is a
definite cost associated  with storing them in a
favorable environment.

>  I was also pleasantly surprised to find
> out that it is one of the best-sounding boxes of its
> era.  

I've never done extensive A/B/C comparisons, but I'd
say it's the best sounding machine ever.
 
> -- What are common mechanical and electrical problems
> on this model?

All in all it's very reliable.  I've had mine plugged in
and powered up in my workshop 24/7 for about 15 years.
One thing to look out for in a well used machine is the
condition of the various wipers that control the record
changer and selection system.  Also, the selenium
rectifier in the junction box can go bad (although mine
hasn't).  Occasionally the treble horn driver can go
out, but I don't think that's a really common problem.
 
> -- What type/make (Jensen?), size (10"? 12"? 15"?),
> and quantity (one? two? three or more?) of speakers
> are used on the G-200?  Where in the box are they
> located (under the mech?)?  (I understand that there
> are treble horns as well.)

The treble horn is on top, in that trapeziodal piece of
cabinetry that looks like it holds a treble horn.  :-)
The bass horn has two drivers mounted under the
treble horn, firing downward.  The horn runs behind
the record changer and out the bottom of the cabinet,
reflecting the cound off the floor.

> -- Is the carousel mech troublesome?

No, with the stipulations above.

> -- How is the bass/treble mix controlled?

There are tone controls on the amplifier.

> -- How powerful is the amp, in terms of watts/RMS
> rating?

25 old school watts.  If you're familiar with the
Puget Sound area, we once put mine in the front
yard of a friend's house just north of Gig Harbor
and could hear it playing plainly across the
Sound in Tacoma's Pt. Defiance Park.

> -- Can you get a warmer sound using NOS tubes? (I ask
> this question because that's generally true with
> vintage audio and old guitar amps.)

If the tubes are defective it will sound crummy and you
should replace them.  Beyond that I'm not sure what you're
referring to, beyond thermionic snake oil.

> -- Do reproduction trim parts exist?

Not many.  Like you said, it's not (yet) a botique
machine.  But there are lots of parts machines our there.

> -- Is it hard to re-create the original spatter-type
> paint jobs in the correct colors (atoll coral,
> emberred charcoal, night-sky black, etc.)?

That's in the archives.  It depends on what the meaning
of the word "hard" is.

> -- Is it possible to have the juke set up to take
> coins or be set on free play?   In other words, to
> easily switch back and forth?

Yes, you can easily set the G200 to free play by
jupering two contacts on the credit accumulator.

> -- What stepper would be used for this model?

It's built in.  Another little-appreciated advantage
of this machine.

> -- How is the tonearm adjusted for tracking force?  Is
> a really heavy tracking force required (I'd like to
> save wear and tear on my records, as much as
> possible)?

I wouldn't put anything with great collector value in
it, but you can get it to track light enough (~5 grams)
to use a modern "DJ" pickup.



David Breneman         david_breneman at yahoo.com


       
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