scott metropolitan 16a radio phonograph

[glenn osmi]

I picked up this nice vintage unit and want to restore it somewhat. From what I see it has a different turntable in it, a Garrard 40 mkII will this take away the value, I am interested in selling it after I clean it up as much as possible, I will totally clean the cabinet inside and out and polish the original fiinsh as good as could be.Radio does come on but it seems to have an issue

[David C. Poland]

Yes, I believe you have a replacement 3 speed phono changer closer to 1960's vintage.

Your 16A might have originally had a 78 only changer or perhaps an early 3 speed changer. The 45 and 33 records came out by late 1949 when the 16A may have still been available new. The 16a is a later model than the 800-B, but the 800-B seems to have still been available, too, to about 1950 or so.. Far fewer 16a's were built.

Scott is known to supply either the Thorens CD 40 a 78 only changer or the Garrard RC-60 changer for the 800B. Some higher serial number 800-B's have been found with the Thorens CD-43 a revised 3 speed version of the CD-40, some with a Scott tag on the changer.   I would guess Scott Labs supplied for the 16a either a Thorens or Gerrard changer. I have seen one with an early Webcor changer but do not know if that might have a replacement.

The 4 tube H H Scott Dynaural scratch and rumble suppressor circuit for 78 records is incorporated in the 16a tuner chassis. So either the post war Thorens or Garrard 78 RPM  changer models would seem appropriate, if you can find one in decent condition. FYI -Your 16a lacks the several equalization curves for the different brands of early 33 RPM records  before the record industry standardized with the RIAA curve sometime later. 

I doubt your choice (if any) of another record changer would affect the value of your 16a very much for most buyers.