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KLH Product Repair


KLHSvcMgr

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Hi All...

I have received several inquiries about whether I do servicing/restoration on KLH products.

I do servicing and restoration on those products from the *Golden Age* of KLH. However, I do not do speakers. Sorry.

If you need more information, contact me off-forum and we can discuss your particular needs.

Thanks...

Mark Wilson

Absolute Sound Labs

email: wilsonl@absoundlabs.com

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Guest matty g

Hi Mark

It's great to have you here in this forum! I hope you won't get to annoyed with people "picking you brain" about the incredible golden age of KLH.

I have been very fond of KLH products ever since I can remember, and I also enjoy servicing and troubleshooting them. The quality of the build and the performance of the electronics is just astounding.

The one KLH prouduct that stumps me, however, is the Model Forty One tape deck. I can't figure that one out... seems like a great tape deck, built by Nak, should be a real performer... but I can't find a working example. As the western regional service manager, do you remember many warranty issues with those? It looks like they all broke down very early in their lives, as all of the ones I come across are in perfect mecanical condition, but with major circuit board problems. Still a very impressive build, though... would be perfect with a Model Twenty. Any memories that you have of those and would care to share would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Matt

P.S. When did the Garrard changer in the Model Twenty become the model that could play one record with the overarm raised and not repeat?

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Matty, I'll take a shot at the Model Twenty overqarm question...I think the no repeat funtion came in at the same time the cue arm was added and of the cosmetic change to the addition of aluminum caps to the control knobs & the change to an indicator tuning ring of of aluminum not plastic....Late 1968-early 1969.

PS; I'm still kicking myself for not buying a Model Forty tape deck at a local flea market last year, $15.00 ! The Forty is the Big deck with a fantastic brushed aluminum face plate. The unit must have weighed 50 lbs. I have an old ad for one, $600. back in 1969 !

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Hi Matty...

The 41 was kind of an electrical nightmare for us. As you pointed out the mechanical portion was pretty bullet-proof. However, we seemed to have an above average amount of problems with the electrical portion. The edge connectors became intermittent and the cards tended to attract dirt and had an oxidation problem. We also had an above average failure with the heads. There were also a couple of parts too, but I need to find my information on the 41, before I make an in-accurate comment.

If you had a working 40, it was a great unit. Lucky you never saw the 40Q, a quad version of the 40. Very scary...

When we changed the specifications for the 3000 TT, we added both a manual cue and the ability to do singles so that the manual cueing would function. We also included a manual, short spindle with the product.

Mark

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Guest matty g

Thanks Andy and Mark -

The improved changer was a nice touch, I think. I wonder if the KLH specified mechanism changes were ever adopted by Garrard for their changers sold as individual units. That is quite an engineering feat, improving that simple little changer that much without completely revamping the entire thing.

I can't imagine what a quad version of that tape deck would've looked like inside! The Forty One was jam packed with electronics as it was, not to mention board troubles. I think that's the only circuit board I have seen with different tracings on the top vs. the bottom of the board. The troubles I have come across seem to originate with these ultra-thin ultra-breakable circuit tracings losing contact and subsequently damaging part of the circuit somewhere along the line. After many hours of tracing circuits and pulling out what's left of my hair I have given up on all of them. Nice to look at, though. It's good to know that someone out there knows what I'm talking about!

Thanks

Matt

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Hi Mark

Bet you're getting bombarded with questions!

Here's one that's really OT for the speaker pages: I recently acquired a Lafayette Criterion IV radio. Sure LOOKS like a KLH, but I see no mfg mark. Did KLH make the electronics or was this just a blatant rip-off? btw--sounds good. I added weatherstripping to get a good seal on the speaker enclosure. Here's a pic. I had to use some non-original knobs because the original on/off/volume pot was replaced with one having a solid. smooth shaft, so I needed knobs with setscrews.

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