How many valued items do you own now that you bought as a teenager that are still functioning perfectly today, without being refurbished or repaired in any way? Not many, I guess. Probably some books of course, maybe an item of furniture but it’s looking a little tired perhaps?

What about your records though? If you have been fortunate enough to have been able to  safely store them,  and have treated  them carefully, it is highly probable that you can place them on your turntable, (maybe even the same turntable you had back in the day, your dad’s turntable perhaps) and they will most likely apart from a little surface crackle and a few pops play fine and more importantly still sound fantastic.

Records are time machines instantly transporting you back to the past more efficiently than even H G Wells could imagine. I can take my 1979 copy of “London Calling” by The Clash, bought as a young teenager, place it on the turntable, crank it up and expect my mum to come in and tell me deaf “old Mrs Pladden” next door will be round to complain its far too loud! Or I may play “Bank robber” by the same and this time my mum will be telling me her ornaments are shuffling along the top of the gas fire downstairs each time the bass notes match the resonate frequency of the fire surround!

I play Paul Weller's first solo LP and I am in Cornwall on a holiday in the 90’s with “Bullrush” on repeat in my head (that earworm stayed the whole week) …Even new loves like Porridge Radio takes me back just a month or so to playing “Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky” for the first time. Yep, time machines for sure.

So, you have your records or some recently record fair purchases of “new” copies of vinyl masterpieces you once owned given away when vinyl went into decline, a decision you bitterly regret now. You now want to play them again, what should you do?

Well first, do you still have your amp, turntable and speakers languishing in the loft?

If you do and they are of decent quality, they can be repaired and restored to their glory days again. Japanese kit from the 70’s is capable of exceptional results still. For example, my personal favourites Pioneer SX range of receivers are perfect to restore, parts and service information available, relatively easy to fix and they sound fantastic when paired up with the right speakers.

Not got them anymore, dumped them or gave them to a charity shop in a moment of madness?  Arrgh You are kicking yourself right…..?

It’s not such a problem as there is plenty of vintage kit around to be restored so you can recreate pretty much whatever you want as the internet is plentiful with HiFi kit that is worthy of a new life if you know how to fix it. Have you bought something on eBay that needs fixing? Or do you want to buy something and not sure if it’s worth bidding or fixable. Contact Us

Did you know you can plug a modern audio streaming device in to your vintage HiFi and play direct from the Internet (even using your phone as a source) as well as playing your vinyl. CD’s and even cassette tapes. Machines are all still available, in fact quite a few artists release their material on vinyl, CD and cassette as well as streaming. All can be played on your vintage HiFi, what other 50 odd year-old bit of kit can claim to be so current today?

Repairs, refurbishments, leads, advice, and sales of vintage kit, Contact Us