You can't beat having a vinyl jukebox, they'll always be more desirable than those that play CDs.
For people of my age, they are a reminder of our youth.
Here in the UK they are far more expensive to buy than in the USA and reliable service people even harder to find.
It's not just about listening to records, it's the total experience.
First, scanning the title cards and making a selection.
Putting in a coin.
Hearing the "click" of the latches as you press the buttons and the "clunk"of the latch solonoid as the latches are released once the selection is made.
The whir of the carousel as it turns and the clunk as the gripper arm places the record on the turntable.
The "pop" as the amplifier mute comes off and the noise of the stylus landing on the track-in grooves.
Then the anticipation before the track begins.
I've two jukeboxes, Ive had them for over a decade. They have to live in our summerhouse as we've no room in our small semi. My "toys" including a big electric piano, my tenor sax and my vintage hi-fi an assorted other audio/visual stuff are confined to our small front room.
For those with (as I have) thousands of mp3s. The downside is that if you want to put in a new record, you have to choose what to take out. Often a difficult choice.
I'd have liked a "silver age" visible play, jukebox, but at the price they are, too expensive to keep in an unheated summerhouse. In the winter I keep small heaters and rechargeable dehumidifiers in them and cover them with insulation, but play a few tracks every few days. "Use is the best form of preventative maintenance."
This is my Rock-Ola 443 from 1969. It has Motown, similar and R&B
I haven't bought any records this year, but I bought this last year quite cheaply. ("Nowhere to Run," by the Velvelettes had to come out).
This is my other box a Rock-Ola 468 from 1976. It has 50/60/70/80s pop, Doo-Wop and Jazz standards.
If you don't want to go to the expense of buying a jukebox, you can enjoy the "experience" as can I in our small front room.
But wall boxes like mine which I've had for over a decade in good cosmetic and working condition are getting hard to find now and escallating in price.
