Any Polkies in the Cleveland, OH area? Make a little money and help me out?

JayMX

Going out on a limb here…. 🤞🏻
I’m nearing the goal line of a fun (and very protracted) restoration project - a gorgeous 1965 KLH Model 20+ console. Sadly, I’m short one tulip stand. Almost impossible to find. …and no, I don’t want to use a Bose 901 stand... I want the original!

Stole this pic from the internet of a complete console:


Searching the FB Marketplace today and I’ll be darned if a Model 20+ center section with a single, matching stand are for sale in the Cleveland area… Seller won’t separate/sell the stand from the console and ship it, understandably a PITA and reduces the value of the unit without the stand. I get it.

Screenshot of the FB ad:


So here’s the ask:
Any vintage junkies out in that area with nothin else better to do? Want to make a deal? Pick the unit up for me, then go splitzies? You can keep the cabinet (which houses a Garrard turntable and model 20 KLH receiver - I already have mine all finished). I doubt it would travel well if shipped. You can part out and sell off (or restore/use, whatever floats your boat…) then, well-package and ship the stand to me here in Utah? I would compensate for fuel and time (within reason - I wouldn’t want someone driving hours for this…) and of course, I’d pay for the shipping.

Kinda crazy, but I’ve been watching for one of these for a couple years. Not sure if I’m going to keep or sell the console when I’m done with the restoration - will just have to see how things play out. Holla if you are in the area and want to take part in my hairbrained scheme.👍🏻

rooftop59

Sorry can’t help you, but good luck! Sounds like a really fun project.

SIHAB

Fun project!

How would one get the tulip stand off?

treitz3

Would it be possible to just ask the buyer to sell you the stand for $300 and he could do whatever he wanted with the cabinet?

Just a thought. Depends on how often these bases come up on the used market (which I am completely out of the loop on).

Tom

xschop

I know B&O made a tulip stand base in brushed aluminum that looks exactly like those.

JayMX

SIHAB wrote: »

How would one get the tulip stand off?

Just undo three bolts and then the power cord has to have the inlet connector removed (removable by design) and threaded back through the stem. It's easy - he just doesn't want to separate them.

treitz3 wrote: »

Would it be possible to just ask the buyer to sell you the stand for $300 and he could do whatever he wanted with the cabinet?
Depends on how often these bases come up on the used market

I did ask him and he is unwilling to break them apart nor will he do the packing/shipping.
I've literally been watching for three years and haven't seen another single stand come up. Sometimes the complete console or a pair of speakers, but never a single like this... which is what I need.

xschop wrote: »

I know B&O made a tulip stand base in brushed aluminum that looks exactly like those.

I want an original because of the height and the look. When placed adjacent to each other, the three sections can be treated as a single assembly, so all the pieces need to be the exact same height to achieve that configuration.

treitz3

JayMX wrote: »

I did ask him and he is unwilling to break them apart nor will he do the packing/shipping.
I've literally been watching for three years and haven't seen another single stand come up. Sometimes the complete console or a pair of speakers, but never a single like this... which is what I need.

Gotcha. That bites.

Tom

rooftop59

JayMX wrote: »

SIHAB wrote: »

How would one get the tulip stand off?

Just undo three bolts and then the power cord has to have the inlet connector removed (removable by design) and threaded back through the stem. It's easy - he just doesn't want to separate them.

treitz3 wrote: »

Would it be possible to just ask the buyer to sell you the stand for $300 and he could do whatever he wanted with the cabinet?
Depends on how often these bases come up on the used market

I did ask him and he is unwilling to break them apart nor will he do the packing/shipping.
I've literally been watching for three years and haven't seen another single stand come up. Sometimes the complete console or a pair of speakers, but never a single like this... which is what I need.

xschop wrote: »

I know B&O made a tulip stand base in brushed aluminum that looks exactly like those.

I want an original because of the height and the look. When placed adjacent to each other, the three sections can be treated as a single assembly, so all the pieces need to be the exact same height to achieve that configuration.

I admit that does look super cool. How does it sound?

msg

^^^ yeah, I agree with Paul, and if the center section innards aren't a source you like, would it be possible to remove the turntable carefully, in order to be able to reinstall, and either install a modern one and/or convert it to a streaming setup?

JayMX wrote: »

I’m nearing the goal line of a fun (and very protracted) restoration project - a gorgeous 1965 KLH Model

Kinda crazy, but I’ve been watching for one of these for a couple years. Not sure if I’m going to keep or sell the console when I’m done with the restoration - will just have to see how things play out. Holla if you are in the area and want to take part in my hairbrained scheme.👍🏻

I know you mentioned you're not sure whether you're going to keep it once you're done, which makes your obsession with this kind of funny, though not unusual. I've done stuff like this, thought not with audio gear specifically. Just projects I've gone overboard on and then either lost interest once accomplished and/or moved on to the next thing, and either stashed, or given away. You know this is bordering on obsession, right? lol And again, the old, "takes one to know one" thing

I'm really curious to see how it all turns out, and how it sounds. Be really cool if you're actually really pleased with it in the end and it turns out to be a piece of furniture gear that you can turn into a second, third, or fourth space system for fun. I think you'll need to get good at cocktail hour, buy a smoking jacket, and find some cool lounge lizard decor and music.

This one's pretty good - decent sampler
https://www.discogs.com/master/111707-Various-Welcome-To-The-Ultra-Lounge. The case is furry velour.
https://open.spotify.com/album/2Qv7S5PJ4UkyJZacCwaWqd?si=O6hLjReXSZq980yaaVv48g

But this is the one you need. A few tracks sound like they belong on some 60s spy movie, or playing in Admiral James T. Kirk's cabin. Kinda spacey and trippy.

https://open.spotify.com/album/2NuOkgVt9mmGOGVG0YsVtm?si=dQQq8jyVTIWU0UprjFQrVA
https://www.discogs.com/master/120014-Various-Mondo-Exotica-Mysterious-Melodies-Tropical-Tiki-Tunes

mrbigbluelight

I would suggest some nice, cozy Dean Martin LPs.

.....with the smoking jacket of course 🤗

JayMX

msg wrote: »

You know this is bordering on obsession, right?

Absolutely. I tend to go all in on this kind of thing. I don’t even want to think about the hours I’ve put in. But as my wife says, “it’s better to have you in the garage than at the bar”. 🙂

Most of the aesthetic restoration is done, except for grille cloth. These went from really ratty to really beautiful, very quickly. The 58 year old old, very dry, walnut just drank up the Watco oil. Will finish with some wax to bring out the tiger’s eye chatoyance. Really beautiful veneer and cabinetry work on these.

Before:




After:




I’ve been through the speakers from top to bottom. New binding posts, new point-to-point Jantzen crossovers, new internal wiring. Sealed woofer surrounds. Sealed cabinets. They’re pretty awesome imo.





Through another acquisition, I ended up with one spare model 20+ speaker cabinet, which I did destructively modify and retrofitted the guts of a little Mirage dual 6” sub into. It turned out kinda cool too (And sounds surprisingly well.)







I’ve re-capped the amp boards and power supply. Electronics are in great shape. Turntable and plinth have been cleaned and restored. It’s taken a lot of work.

msg wrote: »

if the center section innards aren't a source you like, would it be possible to remove the turntable carefully, in order to be able to reinstall, and either install a modern one and/or convert it to a streaming setup?

It’s my hope to restore it to near original state with minimal destructive changes. I’ve added a secondary power supply and a Bluetooth board that plugs into the aux input via RCA, but you can still unplug and run a higher quality streamer in if you want.

msg wrote: »

I'm really curious to see how it all turns out, and how it sounds.

Preliminary listening is very good, imo. I really like the tweeters, surprising clarity - especially with the new crossovers. Woofers run full range but the sealed cabinets yield nice smooth midrange and mid-bass. The sub “phattens” it out nicely.

msg wrote: »

Be really cool if you're actually really pleased with it in the end and it turns out to be a piece of furniture gear that you can turn into a second, third, or fourth space system for fun. I think you'll need to get good at cocktail hour, buy a smoking jacket, and find some cool lounge lizard decor and music.

Who says I don’t already own a smoking jacket…? 😎
I love the 60’s mod stuff, and MCM furniture is always in style.
Tiki lounge lizards, unite! 🍸

Toolfan66

WOW!!! Super cool project, Beautiful work!!!

mrbigbluelight

I can see why you want to keep things as original as possible (electronic mods and upgrades acceptable)

Nice work of art, well done.