The inner workings of a 1960's Rock-Ola Jukebox
Whether it's a vintage jukebox, classic pinball, a mid-century Coca-Cola machine or perhaps something rather more obscure, here at The Games Room Company we go above and beyond on every restoration project that we undertake.

All of the vintage games and jukeboxes we restore are extremely rare. Once restored, they become some of the very few examples in the world that are refurbished without compromise, so they are as good, in some cases better, than when they were first made. Our prices are generally higher than you may see elsewhere or online, this reflects the many hours of painstaking work that it takes to bring them back to life.
 
Since 1962 we have built up and retained the necessary skill sets and knowledge within the business to be able to restore these machines to an unrivalled standard. All of our technicians and engineers are salaried (many have been with the company most of their working life!) This ensures we always have the expertise on-hand and our standards are consistently high. They quite simply love breathing new life into old circuitry and want to see as many of these classic pieces preserved for future generations.

Our restorations begin with a comprehensive strip-down of the machine and an examination of the internal workings. Cabinets are sent to the wood and paint shops, metal parts to our metal finishers for removal of rust and oxidisation. We follow original wiring diagrams and forensically examine the wiring looms, replacing perished wiring and improving safety by introducing earth strapping. We re-make and replace failed parts, always going the extra mile, swapping out components which are likely to fail in the near future.

An obvious comparison would be between a grade A1 restored classic car which remains on show in a garage and one that you can actually enjoy driving.

We’ve always recognised that with specialised products such as these, the after-sales service is just as important as the initial sale. It takes a long time to build a reputation and over the years our commitment has won us the loyalty of our clients. We’re justifiably proud of our 'One Year Parts & Labour Warranty', which extends to on-site visits so if your machine does require some attention, you won’t necessarily have to endure the pain of separation!

 

Vintage Jukebox Restoration Case Study:
A 1962 Rock-Ola Princess Vinyl Jukebox

An eye for detail...

 

When you buy a restored product from us or call us out for a house visit you are always dealing with perfectionists. Our engineers have years of experience working with jukeboxes, pinball machines and vintage games.

Here is an example of one of our Rock-Ola Princess restorations:-


Stage One - The Original Machine

An original unrestored Rock-Ola Princess Jukebox

 

When we acquire vintage products they are seldom in great shape. Stage one is a thorough investigation and examination to understand and analyse the work to be completed. In this case, the Princess was originally from 1962 and required a full nut & bolt restoration.

 

Stage Two - Our Findings

Evaluating a Rock-Ola Princess for restoration

 

This is where all of the trades come together. We scour the globe for parts or just simply remake them. We select the team and establish the projected timeline and communicate this to our client. In the team there may be up to six different tradesman working on the restoration.  

 

Stage Three - The Cabinet

The painted cabinet of a Rock-Ola Princess under restoration

 

Bruno in our woodshop may be asked to remake part of the cabinet, before it is stripped by Dan and then sanded, filled and painted with primer, undercoat and hand finished with the final colour.

 

Stage Four - The Mechanism

before...

Restoring the mechanism of a vintage jukebox

 

A lot of corrosion and rust, it has not run for years... much work for Paul and Mark to get stuck into.

 

...and after

A restored Rock-Ola Jukebox mechanism

 

During the restoration process we disassemble and refurbish all moving parts, we replace capacitors, leads and bench strip, balance and set up the amplifier, this is done by Chris, he has been working on amplifiers for nearly 50 years... We usually set the jukebox to free play, however coin operation is available if requested. 


 


Stage Five - Chrome Finishing

Re-chromed trim on a Rock-Ola Princess Jukebox

 

Re-chroming is an important task when restoring a classic jukebox. We use only the best chromers. We always copper plate, then nickel and finally the chrome is applied. 


 


Stage Six - Testing

Testing a Restored Vintage Vinyl Jukebox

 

During our testing process we face some hard challenges. Much time is spent playing them for many hours, ensuring a smooth and reliable action on the mechanism and of course, the perfect pitch. Phil, our QA inspector, has our reputation in his hands, it has to be right before he signs off the jukebox!

 


The Restored Jukebox

The finishes article! A Grade A1 Restoration of a Rock-Ola Jukebox

 

And here she is, the beautiful finished Rock-Ola Princess Jukebox, complete with a bespoke playlist of classic 45s and hand-typed title strips. 

 

 

 

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2 comments

  • Love this sort of restoration wonderful

    Nigel Lennox on

  • Looks wonderful! A great insight into how much work you have to do to restore these jukeboxes!

    Jennifer Pott on

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