[tom2]

I got the rebuilt pickup back for my 296 the other day. First time seriously messing with the records on it. Seems to run quietly and at proper speed. My question is about the two levers sticking out from under the platter on the right. One seems to start/stop the motor, the other might be an auto shutoff? There is a rod hanging down from the RCA tonearm that contacted one lever and shut off the motor, but before the record was done. Anyone enlighten me on operation of those two levers? Wish I could find an inst. manual.

[Doug Houston]

I haven't looked at mine lately, but the lever that shuts off the phono motor should have two parts, like sort of a fork. The trip in oin the pickup arm should be in between those two spring-loaded levers. When the pickup gets to the end of the record, and goes into the ecentric trip groove, any motion backward (toward the outside of the record) will trip the switch, and turn off the motor. Some turntable switches also have a friction brake on them to stop the turntable.

[tom2]

Well all I did was push the levers until it started turning. I must not have had it set right at first as I was not getting any shut off till I pushed the one lever forward and it braked the platter. I will study it further. Don't see a fork in either lever. I can send photos if you have an address for that. I had also decided to get a few spare tubes to stick down in the bottom. The 24's and 27's were easy and cheap, but the 45's are way up there. I had a bunch of 45's that I sold on ebay long before I got this radio, and am kicking myself. But so far the tubes in it are seemingly working good. My rebuilt pickup seems to be alot lower level than the radio, but unless that is due to a weak tube, I don't know if it can be improved. I did clean the change-over switch.