Panasonic RQ-S45 and RQ-S65 for sale
minty - 2012-01-07 05:21
minty - 2012-01-07 05:27
Greetings all. I am selling both these items because i do not have the required skills to replace the belts. The RQ-S45 is in wonderful complete condition. I am pretty sure it only requires a new belt. But i am unsure if the RQ-S65 requires more than just a belt. Both these players are tiny, not much bigger than a cassette case.
ao - 2012-01-07 06:30
Nice units, good luck here.
plop - 2012-01-12 05:39
Looks like you got most of your money back 
minty - 2012-01-12 06:05
retrodos - 2012-01-12 06:21
Hopefully they can be bought back to life.
minty - 2012-01-12 06:39
retrodos - 2012-01-12 07:01
I actually bidded a higher price, but noone really bidded against me, as their was only one other person. I was really after the RQ-S65. But broken Panasonic's for some reason, never fetchs a high price, pickup a mint condition rq-s80, for $40 bucks just needed a belt.
The reason they don't go for that much, is because you have to removed the main PCB to change the belt, which requires having have to know how to solder, so people stay away from these and also the fact some people will try to fix them and mess them up more, then dump them on eBay, makes techs not even want to bother, stop counting how many time someone screwup one of these, or aiwa's especially, seems to be the common victim of crap solder work, with a tech that shouldn't be allowed near a screw driver, let alone a solder iron and then puts electrical tape to cover the mess, then listed AS-IS ? They are great sounding walkmans when working.
minty - 2012-01-12 07:25
plop - 2012-01-12 07:44
Panasonic units on the whole are untouched inside I've found. Most of the time they just need new belts as these perish. Occasionally you'd encounter a really bad example, but unless it is a a really rare one, they are just not worth spending the time and effort to repair sadly. For a novice removing the PCB can seem daunting, but if you are experienced with a soldering iron it is a snap to repair afterall just need to clean the drive path, install a new belt, re-fit the PCB and you're done!
AIWAs are a different kettle of fish entirely. The Alpha based tape transport units usually don't suffer from perished drive belts (if they do the belts are easy enough to change), but they do suffer terribly from leaky capacitors. I rarely encounter many DIY bodge jobs for these. Maybe it is because where I get them from people are more likely to throw them out than have a go at a repair. However it is clear when opened up, from the aroma of leaked capacitors to the leaky liquid mess that it is going to be a big task to repair. Strangely perhaps due to reputation (once fully restored) they still do command very high prices even when in a poor state.
Later 0ZM tape transport AIWAs seem to attract the "have a go repairers". Of particular note are the JX707 models. For some reason, virtually every secondhand JX707 I have acquired from eBay has shown signs of someone previously tinkering inside. These are not very robust models and when I look inside them, there is always something not quite right with them from having previously been poked about with.
plop - 2012-01-12 07:57
I actually bidded a higher price, but noone really bidded against me, as their was only one other person. I was really after the RQ-S65. But broken Panasonic's for some reason, never fetchs a high price, pickup a mint condition rq-s80, for $40 bucks just needed a belt.
I did have a punt, but to be honest I didn't really want the clutter of S45 and its box etc. You are right, they don't go for that much normally and to get embroiled in a bidding war having to pay over the odds for the S65 would have just been silly. As rare as the S65 is, I've got other walkmans I am more interested in, so you are welcome to this one.
retrodos - 2012-01-12 08:39
Panasonic units on the whole are untouched inside I've found. Most of the time they just need new belts as these perish. Occasionally you'd encounter a really bad example, but unless it is a a really rare one, they are just not worth spending the time and effort to repair sadly. For a novice removing the PCB can seem daunting, but if you are experienced with a soldering iron it is a snap to repair afterall just need to clean the drive path, install a new belt, re-fit the PCB and you're done!
AIWAs are a different kettle of fish entirely. The Alpha based tape transport units usually don't suffer from perished drive belts (if they do the belts are easy enough to change), but they do suffer terribly from leaky capacitors. I rarely encounter many DIY bodge jobs for these. Maybe it is because where I get them from people are more likely to throw them out than have a go at a repair. However it is clear when opened up, from the aroma of leaked capacitors to the leaky liquid mess that it is going to be a big task to repair. Strangely perhaps due to reputation (once fully restored) they still do command very high prices even when in a poor state.
Later 0ZM tape transport AIWAs seem to attract the "have a go repairers". Of particular note are the JX707 models. For some reason, virtually every secondhand JX707 I have acquired from eBay has shown signs of someone previously tinkering inside. These are not very robust models and when I look inside them, there is always something not quite right with them from having previously been poked about with.
The 0ZM tape transport, always the one that attacts "have a go repairers", especially the JX707, had one that someone burned the traces off the board. Most the aiwas has the leaky capacitors problems, even seen the JX707 had this problem, just not as bad. Do have a SMD rework station and a good B&K ESR/LCR meter, very easy problem to fix, neutralize the acids re-tinned the pads and hope it didn't damage the traces, but if it did, just use 30 AWG solid core wire to jump the traces, as far as the electrolyte that are hard to find just use tantalums instead. Sometime I will mod them to be more balanced, change muting transistors and upgrade the capacitors and depends on the headsets you are trying to drive?
The PX303 is my favourite as it is the only one, along with the PX505, that has an HX amorphous head. Panasonic RQ-S80 has 12-laminated core head and a response of 15-21000Hz! It actually the one I use alot, besides my modify Sony WM-DD9
minty - 2012-02-06 01:49
plop - 2012-02-06 02:37
Nice mark up for a new belt 
retrodos - 2012-02-06 06:29
Trying to, but realistically get around $149 for it and cost $50 after shipping and the cost of the belt, which was $9.99, plus had more problems then just a belt!! As it wasn't playing right in the reverse direction due to dry up bearings, so needed a full rebuilt.
Would keep it if it was in the box, and had the accessories, can't keep every single one, as already have a huge collection and slowly selling off the ones not in the box and keeping only the best ones, that goes in display case. No point in hoarding them just to put them in a box to sit and the money somehow ends up going to fund others, to justify the hobby. Plus it not the only electronic I collect as I collect the highend spy reel-to reels, micro cassette recorders and small camcorder to old tube based ones.
Plus I do resell and do it to make money, not break even, but do offer people working walkmans that actually been tested and restored, unlike most sellers that sell you pure crap and lie saying full functional, or AS-IS, don't have a tape to test and sell at NIB prices.
Yes opening a local store up selling highend audio gear, retro 1970's, 1980's receivers and turntables used and NIB's and other electronics and retro gaming consoles and ETC. Plus offer full repairs with the best techs and best test equipment, that will actually fix your stuff on the spot and not sent out, or sent it back to you in a bag. The reason, because noone does that anymore and their no where to buy quality electronics.
Plus the stores that do resell vintage/retro electronics and trade-in places aren't worth two craps around here, they charge you way overprice like if it was NIB and some of the stuff is glued together an I am not kidding when saying glue together I take a pictures later this week for proof. They offer to buy item, but only give people pawnshop prices if that? And don't fix anything right or takes months and still don't fix the problem. What sad is they actually get their asking price, because people have no where else to go and their is a market for this stuff. But going to fix that, reason why I spend hours shooting videos of the repairs, so people know that the stuff getting restore and to get well known and help others, so they don't get ripoff by these guys on repairs for something that take 5 minutes!!
minty - 2012-02-06 06:32
weiyena - 2012-02-07 02:32
VERY GOOD