Coin Slot

Issue: 1976 October 021

Coin Slot Magazine - #021 - 1976 - October [International Arcade Museum]
by
William F. Carr
Most people in the coin machine business have had a long association
with coin-operated music. The jukebox has become an interesting
and unique piece of Americana. As more and more private collectors
hoard equipment previously discarded by operators, the history of
the jukebox and its evolution becomes of increasing interest.
Our story opens on November 23, 1889 in the Palais Royal Saloon in
San Francisco, California. On this date Louis Glass installed the first
coin-operated phonograph. It played cylinder records, had one selec
tion and came equipped with four ear tubes with a nickel slot on
each set for a single play potential of 20 cents for two minutes . ..
not bad in 1889! The phonograph was only twelve years old at the
time. To provide multi-selection, phonograph parlors were opened
with rows of phonographs each with a different record. These were
later joined by mutoscopes and other amusement devices to form
the "Penny Arcade." The phonograph, however, almost always used
a nickel. Profits were high in the early years of coin operation. The
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were crude, ht however,
and with the advent of the nickelodeon, these
Louisana Phonograph Company reported that one of its machines
machines fell into disuse.
By 1930, the coin pianos themselves had become obsolete and with
the depression the entire phonograph industry faced bankruptcy. It
© The International Arcade Museum
http://www.arcade-museum.com/
Coin Slot Magazine - #021 - 1976 - October [International Arcade Museum]
was up to the jukebox to save the record business from the unpopu
larity brought on by radio. As early as 1926, the piano companies
saw the handwriting on the wall and developed automatic phono
graph mechanisms. These were greatly improved using electrical am
plification and often offering selection.
In 1928, Seeburg introduced the Audiophone. It had 8 turntables
with a disc mounted on each one. Its changer was pneumatically op
erated. AMI, founded in 1909, as the National Piano Manufacturing
Company, introduced its first model in
1927. David Rockola ac
quired the John Gabel patents and in 1934 placed his machines on
location.
The
phonographs
Rudolph
and
coin
Wurlitzer Company, long associated with
pianos,
adopted
the
simpler
mechanism
brought to them by Homer E. Capehart of later Packard jukebox
fame.
The
result was the Wurlitzer Simplex which came out it
1933. This was the same mechanism Wurlitzer used in all its 78rpm
equipment.
The jukebox continued to improve in the following years and other
manufacturers entered the field: Mills, Packard, Aireon, Evans, and
others. New war-developed technology allowed for better and more
reliable equipment.
In 1948, Seeburg shattered the industry with a 200 selection li
brary united called SICM (Seeburg Industrial Commercial Music).
The records were stored and played vertically and in December of
1948, the Seeburg M100A was introduced. Now for the first time
the jukebox not only catered to hit tunes, but also older records and
specialty music. Others followed suit and the result was the modern
multi-selector phonograph.
We've come a long way in almost 87 years: from single selection
with ear tubes to multi-selection stereo. I wonder what the boys in
Chicago will think up next.
Liherace's day in court comes
.com up lemons
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eum
Associated
o
r
f
d
PALM SPRINGS
de-m yesterday, ordered the machine
ade — Entertainer
a
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n
Liberaoe has
pleaded no
a contest to destroyed and confiscated a supply
Do of w illegally
ww. possessing a of quarters allegedly found in it,
charges
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working t slot
machine was discovered
h tp machine at his Palm last The
Springs home.
April by police who were
Municipal Court Judge Richard
Robinson fined the entertainer $25
responding to a burglar
tripped at Liberace's home.
alarm
From the San Francisco Chronicle submitted by Max E. Schaffer, Fremont, CA.
© The International Arcade Museum
http://www.arcade-museum.com/

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