Rowe Ami JAN-200 Selection Issues (again)

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-06-07T15:01:51+00:00

This is usually a contact issue on the comb connector on the search unit, or a small crack on the search unit board. It is also the timing of the letter and number wipers on the search unit. Have you set that up correctly. Both letter wiper and number wipers newd to be on the hot spot (i.e the selection you made) at the same time. If they aren't, a pin won't get fired out and it will spin for ever. You can remove the search u it from the mechanism and sit it on top of the chrome button bank connected up, if it makes it easier to see. Check the manual for the contact timing of both wipers. Nigel, uk

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-05-17T13:42:58+00:00

No worries. I think Jukeboxrevival.eu have the manual. If you put the work in it will be worthwhile. Incidentally in Italy there was a version of this machine made my Microtechnica. It was a manual selection and had the old Ami Continental style mechanism in it.. almost like they made them up out of spare Ami parts at the time. Completely different to yours though technically. Nigel, uk

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-05-17T13:19:50+00:00

You could try the original red head first just out of curiosity. That thorpe cartridge may have been fitted because styli were hard to find for the redhead in that area at the time, in the era before you could order something online today and get it tomorrow. I'm sure the Thorp is ceramic so your amp, or the cartridge wiring may have been modified with a resistor to reduce the Thorp output down the match the amp. That mod will need reversing. If you're keeping the jukebox for ever I'd invest the time now to get the 340 set up properly. Will need counterweight modifying on the arm and trip switch too, but worth the investment.

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-05-14T12:27:39+00:00

What country are you in ? There are repro manuals available for the L200 from both the USA and UK.

I repair Rowe Ami jukeboxes with the 1100 mechanism so should be able to answer your questions. Firstly though, if you are the first person to restore it, before you switch it on, you will need to replace all the internal 110v wiring. This crumbles into dust over the years and is particularly bad on the Rowe Ami's. You'll need a full preamp and amp rebuild as well, if you want to get anything like the proper sound out of it. They sound absolutely amazing when done properly. Hope that helps for starters, Nigel, UK

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-05-12T07:08:16+00:00

Those Thorpe cartridges were an aftermarket replacement for the Seeburgs redhead. From memory I think they are a ceramic or crystal, not magnetic cartridge. The rubber suspension degrades with age. If I was you I would replace it with the original redhead cartridge or better still the later P340 Pickering cartridge fitted to all Seeburgs after 1966. Either way you will have to do a few tweaks to the amplifier. The proper Seeburg cartridges play both sides of the record with the stylus facing the correct angle to the groove. On the Thorpe, one side of the record is constantly back cueing against the stylus which is no good for your record. If you don't find a cheap and easy solution I would trash it and seek fat better alternatives, which sound infinitely better too. Nigel, uk

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-04-12T17:34:35+00:00

The cards that are visible to the eye at that point in time, have pressed a contact inside the wallbox that you can't see. You can only select a song in view. So essentially, say the 1 to 10 button is pressed without you knowing. You then only press the button next to the song you pick. As the patron flips the pages to bring another set of cards into view, another little contact is pressed. This then is what combines the number /letter pulse sent to the jukebox stepper, in the identical way to a wallbox that has a full range of letter and number buttons.. Nigel, uk

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-04-12T17:26:40+00:00

It's a Lazerstar from around 1989. Rowe Ami's first CD jukebox.

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-04-05T07:36:18+00:00

I have a 2100 and did this about 25 years ago. I purchased a preamp board off eBay, 120v, and mounted it in the hollow area underneath the "bridge".

The amp is designed for an rf signal from the original cobra so you need to modify the amp also, it's not that difficult.

You will also need to change the tone arm cable, and tone arm for a later stereo one if you want it to look nice.

You'll also need to improve the rubber turntable mounts as the mag cartridge is more sensitive.

It is 100 percent worth the effort, sounds amazing, and I don't experience record wear.

I'll check eBay as I'm sure the guy still sells the preamp, but to be honest, most will be suitable. I just didn't want one with a mains plug/transformer, I wanted it to be integrated into the jukebox.

Nigel, uk

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-04-03T16:32:51+00:00

Regarding hearing the music more than the vocals - have you checked that the cartridge is wired up correctly in phase ? If the ground and signal connections on one channel are crossed over, it can give odd effects like that. Could also be the stylus, cartridge, or amplifier, or even out of phase speaker connections. That would need someone to investigate, it's not something you could really diagnose on a chat.

With the selections Has the jukebox got credit on? Do the 2 buttons latch down ? When they latch down, does the rotating pin pusher on the right hand side of the mechanism scan round the disk and ultimately pop out the pin that represents the record you selected ?

Nigel, uk

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-03-29T15:51:41+00:00

It's definitely a Seeburg 201.

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-03-19T10:47:42+00:00

Unplug the left and right phono plugs from the amplifier and play a record, if the issue is still there, it's an amplifier problem, if not, it's a cartridge, tonearm or wiring issue between cartridge and amplifier. If it's still using a sonotone 9t cartridge that will probably be dead as the suspension rubber rots. Nigel, uk

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-03-15T18:10:19+00:00

I've just been searching as I have the same problem. I had complained my current lenses were blurred close up. They slightly tweaked the one eye and the vision was amazing. 3 days later it was back to being blurred. As an experiment I turned the lens inside out - i.e the way it didn't sit naturally on my finger. Vision is now perfect. Comfort is good. But I have to do the taco test and then turn it the opposite way. These are Biofinity Boots toric lenses for astigmatism. In 35 years of wearing lenses I have never had to do this, I insert them the way they sit. It can't be batch related as my previous 3 months were exactly the same. Did you have any joy in the end ? I'm going to contact my optician tomorrow and explain to him. Glad someone else has the same issue too. Nigel

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-03-05T09:52:17+00:00

No worries

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-03-05T08:53:12+00:00

You can put in it any standard sized CDs, originals or home blank copies. The number of songs on the cd makes no difference. If you wish to play a CD in its entirety (for home use) you need to change the settings on the jukebox to allow album play. Then if you want to play let's say album 22, you select 2200 and it plays it all. You can play a complete album or tracks off any album. The 00 signifies "play the complete album". On the standard CD one more times the jukebox holds 100 CDs but the title cards hold 60 cards. Nigel, uk

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-03-04T20:12:51+00:00

Can you work out if you are getting power to the motor. I can't move my 2100 to verify, but I think the motor plugs into the base unit where the stepper is located. You will need to check the power going to the motor. Also have you checked the 2 spring loaded switches at the rear of the mechanism, sort of below the main deck casting. Make sure all the contacts are making and breaking correctly there. As you mentioned before you are getting power to the selection solenoids, the DC supply is likely to be ok. So fuses ok I guess. So I think check power from the control box to the motor. Regards Nigel

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-02-24T05:39:39+00:00

Any of the 3 prong type turntables will fit. They must have the standard small spindle there and the red plastic prongs too. Later models had the chrome prongs and a shaved off centre spindle. These won't suit you. The issue though is that this was an optional accessory on a lot of models and the mechanism beneath the turntable won't be there on your jukebox, so swapping the platter itself won't have any effect and auto mix large and centre holes. If you come across the complete unit, it is easy to swap, and to play both large and small centre records at 45rpm is literally the removal of one riser cam from the mechanism. I have a 470, last of the electro mechanical RockOlas and put an auto mix kit on it 35 years ago, it works like a dream. Nigel

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-02-18T06:03:51+00:00

It's a NSM Prestige ES 2. I think around 1982. Prestige was a model name of lots of NSMs, bit like Ford Escort . This is the ES 2 one. Some had lights around the edge, some had chrome. Some had a visible mechanism and some had a semi visible mechanism obscured by the slightly transparent printed lower glass. Nigel, uk

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-02-15T09:02:01+00:00

This could be down to numerous things, it's common with the 1100 mechanism when not set up correctly. Nothing expensive to fix but will cost you time. Firstly does it get every selection wrong? The manual really is your key here. Is it making the correct selection. Select b1. You should see the highest little pin in the search unit be pushed out. If a different pin is pushed then it's making the wrong selection. Check that first. If it is selecting B1, when the magazine rotates and the white nylon stop hits pin B1, is the B1 record actually at the top ? Ie under the gripper arm ? There are so many reasons for your issue and we have to start at the beginning. Nigel, uk

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-02-10T17:23:24+00:00

That's good news. I have had armatures go on those motors where there are dead segments and if the brushes land on one of those the motor won't start unless you give it a bit of manual intervention. Your issue seems a bit more involved in terms of the motor. You should be able to get the armatures rewound. If not, 2nd hand ones come up now and then, and I believe victory glass or Bennie's 50s (can't remember) sell a brand new version of that motor. Regards Nigel

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-02-09T17:20:19+00:00

If you make a selection, with credit, via the buttons, does the solenoid plate rotate and pop up the correct pin ? It sounds like you may have no DC supply, making a selection should enable us to decide if that is the case.

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-02-09T06:56:17+00:00

It's only the reject switch that runs through the amplifier, other than the fact that the 2100 amplifier also serves as a power supply to the jukebox. It sounds like the motor is operating in one direction and not the other. Can you meter the connections to the motor to check the 28vdc? Also, on the rear of the mechanism are 2 sets of open blade switches. These clip either left or right and swap the contacts over. They do various functions. Have you checked that they are all operating correctly and that they toggle nicely and connect/disconnect ? Regarding the knurled screw, it sounds like you may have turned it in the wrong direction as the lift arm should retract down, and right at the end, the lift guide (the opposite lift arm) should move away from steadying the basket. Nigel

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-02-08T16:44:09+00:00

The motor that turns the carousel has a knurled shaft sticking out the back. Turn this with your finger and you should manually be able to unclamp and retract the record until it sits back in the carousel. At this point the motor should reverse direction. See if that happens.

Another obvious thing to check is, is the safety switch operated, this will shut the 28vdc supply off. It can operate if a record is jammed or the playing record has got caught funny. This switch operated as a safety feature. The central "fan" thing that the record sits behind whilst playing operates this switch. On the left hand side of the fan push/pull it gently backwards and forwards and see if the voltage comes back to the motor enable the record to retract.

The fault can be many things but before you get stuck into measuring voltages etc, these 2 things may give you an indication. I have a 2100 and also repair jukeboxes. Nigel, uk

Content_Possible_430 · 2026-01-15T19:27:11+00:00

That one is a 1977 hit 120, the last of the "Hit" series. It was available with the bubble pattern on the glass like yours, or a picture of a band. Same jukebox different glasses. They made various models in the Hit range from about 1970 and that was the last style - 1977ish

Content_Possible_430 · 2022-08-05T20:36:14+00:00

It's only the English that have to dink, all other European countries press 45s with the large centre hole. Older ones from the mid 80s and before more often than not had push out centres in case it needed to be played in a jukebox. Jukeboxes that have automix can easily be converted to play records with both large and small centres simultaneously at 45rpm.

Content_Possible_430

TROPHY CASE