Re-belt a Sanyo C3 I bought one of these just after I had the stroke thinking it would be an easy fix.........The condition wasn't great either & as I was still learning to do stuff again!! So I learnt very quickly that day that these are a real pig to dismantle & re-belt & soon gave up, put it back together & forgot about it!! So a couple of weeks ago I spotted & bought this mint C3 for just £15 knowing it was going to need belts - only this time, I had all the special hooking tools to get them on as well as some idea of what was to come........ Well, I got inside it easily enough - & I noticed even four years later that this model was totally different inside Main difference: This one has Dolby B whereas the older version (I guess) didn't have??? Also the power amp board has moved to the rear of the tape mechanism using the pressed steel chassis for extra heat sink duties! Unfortunately this means moving unrouting many more cables & cutting cable ties & replacing with new ones on reassembly! Once I reached the deck it's very tricky to get the flat belt on the flywheel & the motor pulley - The flat belt is tiny, the motor being very close to the flywheel & with still very limited access, it's a hell of a pain to get it on correctly.......... The also tiny square belt is easier using hooking tools & long tweezers, 2 or 3 attempts got it on fine!! Time to reassemble check operation & clean the heads & pinch roller! Everything working perfectly! I was so pleased to have caught up with the even keels with this C3 which needed minimal cleaning as it was already spotless!! Sound is fine on these models, nothing to set the the world on fire, but nice clean sound with a great tuner & tape deck! Am pleased to have a good example of a C3 now to add to the collection........... A free C3 (Non Dolby) version anyone?? & I am NOT doing the the belts on the old one - That's is all it needs nothing more!!! Et Viola: Hi-Res Images Here: https://onedrive.live.com/?id=BEA218B70F2B18D1!30711&cid=BEA218B70F2B18D1
That's interesting that they kept the model and added Dolby to it. I've got a few of the Sanyo C's including a C4 that I just checked and it has Dolby and Metal but it doesn't have the cool "Metal Tape" printed on the tape door. The Sanyo C4 is also branded as a "carryin compo" and it splits in the middle where you have you cosmetic split, giving it that spread out option. I feel like the Sanyo C's were a big seller for them and they seem to age well and not fall apart easily. For a person that wants a nice little system with a turntable this would be a good mid-level option.
Cassette mech as a heat-sink, this is wild!!! I am not going to hold St.Nick onto the offer of "day ruined... for free!": just pulled myself out of an "easy" job of resurrecting 1974 Superscope... You never know when a 5-min fix turns into a few weeks of fun!!! Have a few thrashed "grails" lined up, plus my main hobby of plastic jet modeling and Discmans resurrection should be attended to Now going to switch onto my fav thread for AA...
Nick, you ve done such a nice job for once more ! The Sanyo C3 is totally worth it for sure. Its one of my favourites. Thanks for all the pictures and the detailed info you are sharing. One of the things i like cosmetically on this compo is the little window with the LEDs it has and how it is displayed at the the bottom right of the main unit. What i will add in this topic is a Pic of an aka that i have in my colection. It is the Fisher PH-420 . Now i dont want to hijack the thread but it would be nice to read from you guys which one do you think it looks nicer ? The Sanyo C3 or the Fisher PH-420 ?
Hey!! The Fisher has both bass & treble controls!! & music search!! That's not fair!! Sanyo version looks nicer for me though.............
Yes!! The C Series are built so well & bulletproof components along with Sanyo's reputation of knowing you're getting a quality cassette mechanism pretty much above all else!! That's why I love this era of Sanyo's!! Look at the quality circuit boards & cables linking everything up - really good quality & well over 30 years later, this cared for example is ready to do it all again! Now try re-belting a C7 or C9 That's for another day & thread though................
Mine are collecting dust, I'll have to pull them down from the shelves and take a better look at them. Back in the old days I found quite a few of them out in the wild except for the C3 Version. Your on a streak nickeccles, another box with small square buttons and a silver face, do you ever have issues with the cassette buttons not working or are they built robustly, they always seem to work on mine.
Think dealing with a Sanyo C3 is fun? Try opening the case on a Panasonic SGJ-500. Connections to be back are soldered at both ends, plus the fun of attempting to remove/install the side--out turntable without causing damage... That'll make you regret life!
Interesting, the service manuals for the C3 and C3D claim they have very different specifications. For example the C3D (Dolby version) supposedly has twice the power (2x4W instead of 2x2W).
I wonder if they needed the extra power to get the extended range of Dolby. I am confused, the C3 and PH-420 both have Dolby, the "D" must be for something else like "double" (watts). I've picked up a PH-420 since this thread started, it's proudly displayed next to the little Sanyo and slightly larger Curtis Mathis three piecers.
