Launched in 1960, the Rock-Ola 1485 Tempo II is a very special piece and will be familiar to anyone who remembers ‘Jukebox Jury’, the early 1960’s TV programme hosted by David Jacobs.Â
This 1485 is currently undergoing a thorough restoration in our Surrey workshop by our talented team and will emerge shortly in superb condition inside and out.Â
The 1485 holds 100 x 45rpm records, giving a total of 200 selections and in common with most jukeboxes of the period one can enjoy the theatre of watching the records being selected from the carousel before being gently placed on the turntable by a mechanical arm. This model is particularly sought after as most Tempo II machines only offered 120 selections.
She dates from 1960, which is the year the Tempo II was launched. It is immediately distinguished by the striking chevron which sits on the centre of the speaker grille, whilst ‘under the bonnet’ changes included a new stereo amplifier and the removal of its predecessor’s rotating title drum. In its place was a complete title strip assembly which displayed all the selections at once, organised by category. Pushing one of the top category buttons lights up an arrow pointing to a vertical section of title strips for the corresponding category.
The Rock-Ola Manufacturing Corporation, founded in 1927 by David C. Rockola, initially gained prominence for manufacturing coin-operated mechanical musical instruments, including jukeboxes, pinball machines, and slot machines. In the 1930s and 1940s, Rock-Ola became a leading player in the jukebox industry with the introduction of innovative models such as the Rock-Ola Luxury Light-Up, setting new standards in design and functionality.
Throughout the mid-20th century, Rock-Ola continued to innovate, introducing iconic models like the Princess and Tempo series, known for their distinctive designs and superior sound quality. Throughout the rest of the 20th century, Rock-Ola remained a respected name in the industry, catering to both commercial and residential markets with its range of classic and modern jukebox designs.
Today, Rock-Ola continues to produce jukeboxes that blend vintage charm with modern technology, appealing to collectors, enthusiasts, and music lovers worldwide.
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Music and Title Cards Pricing
Music itself is an important part of our business, as reflected by our treasured CD library, so we are able to help you source and create the perfect digital playlists. If you’re a bit stuck for choice, we are only too happy to help!
The charge for vintage records is £15 + VAT per record, this covers most records however some are highly collectable for which we have to pay a premium and are charge at a higher price. The title card service is £150 + VAT.
It is quite an involved process supply records as we buy them in from dealers or collectors, they will only guarantee the “A” side, so often many records do not pass with us because we always supply records with playable “B” sides as well as the “A”.
The centres are then cut (big hole centres) which also leads to some breakage as some of the records split due to their age. Finally they are hand washed and then played both “A” and “B” side on a gramophone for sound quality, only then are they fit to go on the Jukebox. The final check is again playing “A” and “B” side as you would hear it on your Jukebox.
It’s all about delivering good quality sound for our clients and if you are investing in a vinyl jukebox the standard of the records have to demonstrate the high standard of our restorations.
Please contact us if you are interested in this service.
