First Vinyl Jukebox Launched In 20 Years
A car expo might not be the most obvious place to unveil a new jukebox – after all, how will your disc-changer handle the potholes? – but that didn’t deter Sound Leisure, a Leeds-based company quite rightly proud of announcing the first commercially available vinyl-playing jukebox in two decades. The prototype, revealed at the Classic Car Show at London’s ExCeL Centre this past weekend, offers a taste of what’s in store when the vinyl-playing Rocket Jukebox goes into production this summer.
Beisdes, the clue’s in the name. The company’s evocatively named Rocket series has been named after ‘Rocket 88’, the 1951 song that’s often hailed as the first ever rock’n’roll recording. A paean to the vintage car of the title, the song was credited to Jackie Brenston And His Delta Cats – actually Ike Turner’s King Of Rhythm in disguise. Fittingly, the jukebox looks the part, too, combining, as Sound Leisure themselves put it, “a vintage 50s look with 21st-century performance”.
In conversation with InterGame, Sound Leisure MD Chris Black said, “We are officially now the only jukebox manufacturer in the world to now be producing a vinyl jukebox.” Noting the difficulty of trying to find “people with the skills and knowledge” to be able manufacture a jukebox with changer mechanism that could accommodate 45s, Black called the task “a project of epic proportions”, adding that many of the production team involved were in their 70s and 80s. “We are extremely excited about the new 140-selection player mechanism,” he said. “It is a tribute to the team… that this machine has actually become a reality.”
It’s also the stuff of fantasies for vinyl-lovers old and new. As reported earlier in the year, HMV announced that they sold one record deck per minute in the run-up to Christmas, and sales of the black stuff are continuing to rise, so this new-look Rocket Jukebox is well timed.
To paraphrase Brenston’s song: it looks great, we just can’t wait.
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Photo © Sound Leisure
UK English
manuel becerra
February 22, 2016 at 9:42 pm
How much it costs and where can I buy it??
joe contreras
June 22, 2016 at 2:35 am
$8,995.00 http://www.wayfair.com/
thorsteinn
February 22, 2016 at 10:54 pm
How much it costs and where can I buy it??
hugh gurney
February 22, 2016 at 11:41 pm
I would love one for all my 45s. I can buy a second hand one for a couple of grand how much are these New ?
jasondraper
February 23, 2016 at 4:40 pm
As far as we’re aware, they’re going into production in the summer, so we all wait with bated breath for a price!
steve
February 23, 2016 at 5:16 pm
price 5,370.00.
Carolyn
February 23, 2016 at 5:23 pm
How much?
ROSE LANCLOS
February 23, 2016 at 6:43 pm
I JUST LOVE THAT MUSIC
Gator
February 23, 2016 at 8:40 pm
i better get out my 45 and list them on ebay
Ralph
February 24, 2016 at 11:35 am
I realize that the quality isn’t as good but it would be nice to have 100 gb of hard drive space for mp3’s. 150 somgs will be done in no time.
Paul
February 24, 2016 at 5:07 pm
Where can I buy one very interested
Paul
February 24, 2016 at 5:10 pm
where can I buy one I’m very interested
lionel pinard
February 24, 2016 at 5:23 pm
j aime bien les bons disque anciens J ador la musique d autre fois 1959 aux année 1980 de toute les sortes de musique country anglais …français …retro
merci de porte attention a mon commentaire …passe des tres belles journées et j espère recevois un commentaire en retour de vous autre S”V”P” merci a bientôt
Finlay W-Ross
February 24, 2016 at 10:07 pm
Brothers in Arms terrific album
Les
February 28, 2016 at 12:02 pm
I’ve got a Rockola Princess sounds fab crackles n all
Rico
April 2, 2016 at 10:12 pm
Keep me abreast when these bad boys will be on the market.
billy zenor
June 22, 2016 at 2:44 am
I have a juke box and a hundred thousand 45 rpm records..i am anxious for vinyl to come back..it’s the greatest.