Hello Everyone!
Just wanted to let everyone know of my latest acquisition. It is a JVC DC-33L. 
Back in the day, early 80's I did have a glimpse of one of these, either through some magazine or maybe a store window or an inside display floor model. I can't remember! What I can remember is that it was another box I couldn't afford to buy. Nothing new here, but I'm almost certain I looked at it and... oh well... turned away, put it out of my mind and that was the end of it.
Thirty-five years later, or so, I see it again, but this time it was... affordable, very affordable, but stuff on it didn't work! Another one that comes all in shambles. 
The ad said, "static noise from the speakers, and the turntable I was told it works, but the tray won't open (great!). Something heavy hit the front of the unit, as four of the equalizer buttons are gone, but you can still manage to slide them up and down". Anyway, I pondered for a few days, but no-one else was picking it up. Eventually I decided to take a chance. I got it, and just like the ad said, it was a bit of a wreck. I set it aside, and forgot it about it.
I eventually picked it up again, opened it and cleaned it, inside out., and the static disappeared. Tuner is good, sound is... clear, but not as strong as my PC-55. Treble is good but base is mediocre at best, but clear. I cleaned the tape mechanism and tested it, and that was and still is working well. I then put it back together and turned it at all on and I pressed the open/close button of the turntable and it opened! WHAT?! It works? Now I was happy! Very happy. 
Anyway, the needle was damaged, so I didn't even try a record on it, but it was spinning! Later I looked up many sites and eventually bought a couple of stylus needles on ebay. I then set it aside, as I still had to repair the equalizer buttons.
A few weeks later, I come across a low-end model JVC attached tuner/pre-amp combo at Value Village and bought it for $20, some lights on it didn't work, and I sacrificed it (hate doing that) to get the equalizer buttons that appeared to me to be exactly the same as the DC-33L's, but when opened both units, I realized they weren't. I had to cut them off, glue them and weld them with a small but intense flame. That was not easy, but they're solid and look good and that's all that matters. Anyway, after I put it together, it all looks very nice, I press the turntable open/close button and... it doesn't work! WHAT?! I noticed this unit has a flat cable at the back of it that feeds the turntable section. I figured it had to be that. I was right, it's a bit loose for some reason. Anyway, after carefully playing around with it, I got a firm connection on it and it's been working ever since. Anyway, enough! Here are a few picks (I've got no "before" pictures for this unit). Sorry.
Yeah! It's my purple 45! Bought it at "Towers"... that's right! Towers! It was also there that I bought my first TDK SA-90, BASF and XHE tapes. Price of this purple beauty was $2.29. Purple Rain by PRINCE!
This one is a red one! One of the sides has "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" on it. Do you know who released it?
That's all folks! Let me know what you think, and does anyone know if these are rare? Ah! Almost forgot. This record player gets an unbelievable clean, clear sound off my records. Better than my Pioneer PL-55X... like, WAY BETTER! Now I'm thinking there's something really wrong with my Pioneer turntable! 
Cheers!
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