jvc ql-y5f restoration

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Ant
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#1 jvc ql-y5f restoration

Post by Ant »

I picked up one of these at the back end of last year for not much money, as it is in need of a restoration.
Finally got around to looking at it today, just to asses what needs doing to it.
Handily, it looks a right state but mechanically its spot on.
I was expecting leaking caps and IC's with corroded pins as it looks like there has been water damage at some point which has blown the plinth on all the corners, but it looks like water never made it inside.
The main pcb looks pristine, not a mark on it, and even more handily the plinth mitre joints are not blown either, they have only swelled to a depth of about 2 to 3mm. So I don't have to build a new plinth as I thought I was going to have to do, this one can be saved

ImageDSC_0631 by anthony cresswell, on Flickr

There was no lid, platter mat, counterweight or headshell when i bought it but i have been able to source a proper jvc headshell for it, and a technics sl1200 counterweight fits the stub so I've got one of those as the original ones are like rocking horse teeth

ImageDSC_0630 by anthony cresswell, on Flickr

I should be able to square up the plinth and remove the swelling on the joints by sanding it all flush, then use a super fine compound to fill in the gaps where the swelling has pushed the joint edges open to get the square edges back. Whatever I do, the rosewood finish is going to be ruined, but its ruined anyway so it will have to be refinished either way.

The silver trim (ever wonder where I got the lenco trim idea from?) is battered around the top edge and has a big scrape on the left hand side too so that will need to be flatted and filled, and have the edge reprofiled with body filler to get it back to standard. i'll lose the jvc script off the front though when its repainted unless i can find someone to make a stencil of it so i can respray it back on.

This is the 4th one of these I've had, and the only one the missus has ever used as its automatic. i'll have to see what to do with it when its finished.....

onwards!
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Ant
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#2 Re: jvc ql-y5f restoration

Post by Ant »

I got stuck into the rebuild of the deck today. Firstly, stripping it down proved relatively easy to do, no hidden fixings or odd screws, everything is laid out well.
All connections between the boards for the buttons, main pcb and arm are block connectors and there are no duplicate pinouts so you cant get it wrong when it goes back together.
here it is with all the bits pulled out and after sanding it all back with a flat hardwood block and 80 grit paper

ImageRebuild in progress jvc ql-y5f by anthony cresswell, on Flickr

The flat block means that the sides and blown areas square up as they are sanded back.
Next up was the trim plate which was wet sanded with 600 grit wet and dry so as not to leave the plastic all scratched. all the dings out of the top edge were flatted out and the areas where its been twatted flatted out then filled with a fine surface filler

ImageRebuild in progress jvc ql-y5f by anthony cresswell, on Flickr

You can see along all the edges where the sanding has gone clean through the veneer (which is not real wood, its actually plastic) and substrate, its now perfectly flat and square but the gaps caused when its blown and then shrunk back are still there.
so these have now all been filled and the smashed corners rebuilt.
Ive sprayed the entire thing in matt black to seal it all up and prepare it for veneering.

ImageRebuild in progress jvc ql-y5f by anthony cresswell, on Flickr

the trim plate will get a proper paint job, I sprayed it black to make sure I'd got all the dings and gouges out of it. I'm not sure wether it will be done in silver as per the original or wether to go with a gloss black. The veneer will be oak veneer, so I think black will be the way to go with it for the contrast, and the arm base plate is satin black as it is. Its a shame to lose the jvc script, but given the state of the trim its just tough.

I'm not going to clearcoat it as JVC did originally as I never really liked the shiny shiny aspect of it, I'll simply give it a coat of teak oil and then a couple of coats of finishing wax.

onwards! (copyright A. Ivimey 2007-)
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Ant
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#3 Re: jvc ql-y5f restoration

Post by Ant »

Restoration is now complete. A nice oak veneer with no stain applied, just a waxed finish to pull out the grain.

ImageRestoration work completed by anthony cresswell, on Flickr

I kept the satin black for the trim as I also had to spray the platter. The aluminium couldn't be polished up as the corrosion on it had discoloured it quite badly, making it impossible to polish out. So it was etch primed and sprayed. The deck was not going to end up original, so why not.

ImageRestoration work completed by anthony cresswell, on Flickr

The rebuild went far smoother than I anticipated, probably because I bagged and labelled all the parts and screws, and took pictures as I dismantled it.
much better than my usual of just chucking all the bits in a box.....

ImageDSC_0651 by anthony cresswell, on Flickr

I gave the main board a really good going over checking for anything that might cause a problem down the line, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with it anywhere. All caps are fine, no corrosion anywhere at all, pretty much pristine.
Iv'e left the arm alone, there are a few spots with missing paint, but you can go too far sometimes and the arm is pretty complicated with linear motors in the box on the side to control the arm and damp resonances. I'm not cracking that apart.....

Everything works perfectly. I'll stick a cart in it later.

And IMO it looks bloody good in oak and black even if it was a bit of a gamble to change it
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Cressy Snr
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#4 Re: jvc ql-y5f restoration

Post by Cressy Snr »

Now that is seriously shoddy.
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Neal
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#5 Re: jvc ql-y5f restoration

Post by Neal »

Bloody heck that was quick! Good work there Ant!
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Ant
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#6 Re: jvc ql-y5f restoration

Post by Ant »

It helped to have everything I needed to hand so i could just get on with it for once :D

Id already sourced the jvc headshell and technics counterweight months ago, the platter mat thats on it is a spare I found in the spares box, and pinched the oak veneer off mi old man ( it was for the bigger flatback speakers) on the condition of ordering another sheet when its needed for them.

Ive always got paint and that sort of thing, and have a spares box full of caps ect if something needed replacing. Not the ic's mind you, a busted ic would probably have killed it.

Theres about 12 hours in it over 2 days, luckily ive cleared the decks so i had nothing better to do this weekend.

And I found out that the platter on the jvc will fit the jbe series 3, which is next on the list for restoration :D
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Ali Tait
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#7 Re: jvc ql-y5f restoration

Post by Ali Tait »

Nice job Ant, much shoddiness. :D
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Dave the bass
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#8 Re: jvc ql-y5f restoration

Post by Dave the bass »

Tera-Shod!
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andrew Ivimey
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#9 Re: jvc ql-y5f restoration

Post by andrew Ivimey »

I think you are all being a little harsh. Im sure it sounds very good as it looks.
Philosophers have only interpreted the world - the point, however, is to change it. No it isn't ... maybe we should leave it alone for a while.
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Mike H
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#10 Re: jvc ql-y5f restoration

Post by Mike H »

Neal wrote: Sun Sep 10, 2017 7:10 pm Bloody heck that was quick! Good work there Ant!
He don't 'ang abaht ...

Dave the bass wrote: Sun Sep 10, 2017 8:10 pm Tera-Shod!
Times a quadzillion raised to infinity... :D
 
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Ant
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#11 Re: jvc ql-y5f restoration

Post by Ant »

Dunno how it sounds yet. well I do from having 2 other y5s and y3, but i darent try to put a cart in it tonight. I have eyes like piss holes in snow at the moment so id probably break something :shock: and dom very kindly fettled my atf7 recently so id rather not bugger it up quite yet.....
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Dave the bass
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#12 Re: jvc ql-y5f restoration

Post by Dave the bass »

Mike H wrote: Sun Sep 10, 2017 9:26 pm
Times a quadzillion raised to infinity... :D
......+1. Ha!
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Ant
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#13 Re: jvc ql-y5f restoration

Post by Ant »

Have it set up and playing now

ImageRestoration complete by anthony cresswell, on Flickr

Ive put the at-f7 in the jelco headshell I have and run it through the denon ha500 step up.
Oh Dear.
I had genuinely forgotten how good these things are.
Why in 1980 when these things were released anyone would have chosen to spend the same money on an lp12 I will never ever understand.
To be honest its put me in a real quandry.
The point of buying it was to restore it and sell it on and it is going to be very difficult to part with it.
At the moment i have this, the lenco conversion and the jbe series 3 that are worth having ( the other stuff is in various states of repair or is just shite).
The jvc and lenco conversion are working perfectly, the jbe needs a really good going over and a proper restoration job doing on it.
Problem is, this enormous thing sounds wonderful, i honestly cant fault it. the lenco is a demonstrator so i need it, and I have a strong emotional attachment to the jbe as I wanted one since the moment i saw one, and I got it on the day son number 2 was born.
It arrived about ten minutes after we got home from the hospital.......
Oh wailey wailey what a position to be in.
Shit......
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Cressy Snr
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#14 Re: jvc ql-y5f restoration

Post by Cressy Snr »

Yes,
I wish I hadn't sold my QL-Y3F.
The Flat Earth bullshit completely buggered up the UK market and we have been paying for it ever since.
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Ant
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#15 Re: jvc ql-y5f restoration

Post by Ant »

I think these decks are the perfect vinyl revival turntable.
Abit geeky to set up, good for the gadget freaks,
Sound brilliant for the audiophiles,
Technically pretty advanced for the techies,
And automatic for the people.
You would have to be a complete idiot not to be able to use these decks, and there is no possible excuse for busting a stylus.
The missus has used it already and she hasnt touched a turntable in years..
Go figure....
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