Alright, let’s talk about this BIC record player I got my hands on. It wasn’t exactly planned, you know? Just sort of happened.
Finding the Thing
I was rummaging around at a weekend flea market, mostly looking for old tools, and then I spotted it. Tucked away under a table, this BIC turntable. Model 960, I think. Looked pretty dusty, like it had been sitting in someone’s garage for ages. The price tag was almost nothing, so I figured, why not? Worse case, it’s a tinkering project.
Getting it Home and Cleaned Up
Got it back to my workshop. First things first, the cleanup. Man, was it dusty. Took a soft brush and some compressed air to get the worst off. Then a damp cloth with a bit of mild cleaner for the plinth and the dust cover. The cover was scratched, but mostly intact. Didn’t spend ages polishing it, just wanted it usable.
Next, I popped the platter off. Checked the belt. It was there, but looked kinda stretched and maybe a bit brittle. Figured I’d need a new one sooner or later, but decided to see if it would even spin first.
- Cleaned the underside of the platter.
- Wiped down the area under the platter.
- Checked the spindle, put a tiny drop of oil there.
Checking the Mechanics
Put the platter back on. Plugged it in. Held my breath and hit the start switch. Success! The platter started spinning. The speed seemed a little off, maybe slow, but it was turning. These BICs have that belt drive, sometimes they need a little help or a new belt to get the speed right.
Then I checked the tonearm. Moved it over by hand, felt okay. Tried the automatic functions. It lifted, moved over, dropped… kinda clumsily, but it worked. The auto-return at the end of a record seemed to function too. Good enough for now.
The cartridge and stylus looked ancient. Definitely needed replacing. Didn’t want to risk chewing up any vinyl with that old thing. Hopped online later and found a basic, affordable Audio-Technica cartridge that would fit. Also ordered a new belt while I was at it.
Hookup and First Listen
Once the new cartridge and belt arrived, installation was pretty straightforward. Mounted the cartridge, aligned it roughly using a printed protractor. Put the new belt on. Much better tension.
Hooked it up to my old Marantz receiver and some bookshelf speakers I use in the garage. Nothing fancy. Grabbed a record I didn’t mind potentially sacrificing, just in case – an old Beatles compilation.
Lowered the stylus using the cueing lever. It dropped smoothly. And then, music! It actually played. Sounded… well, it sounded like a record player. A bit of rumble, maybe, but the music was clear. The speed sounded much more stable with the new belt.
Thoughts on the BIC
So, this BIC 960. It’s not high-end gear, let’s be honest. It feels a bit lightweight compared to some other turntables I’ve messed with. Lots of plastic in the construction. But, the thing is, it does the job. The automatic functions are convenient, even if they feel a little clunky.
For the few bucks I paid and a bit of cleaning time, plus the cost of a new belt and cartridge, I’ve got a working record player. It’s fun to tinker with these old things, bring them back to life. It won’t replace my main turntable, but it’s found a nice spot in the workshop for when I want to spin some old vinyl while I’m working on other projects.
It’s got that vintage vibe, and it works. Can’t complain much about that.
