NSM Jukebox - The History Behind It + Where To Find Them Now

Even though NSM did not join the music game until the latter part of the twentieth century, the NSM jukebox quickly became one of the most popular forms of electronic music entertainment. A jukebox, to those unfamiliar, is a machine that holds a certain number of songs. It has a slot where people can put money in, they can select a song, and the song plays through the jukebox machine. The earlier versions of the NSM jukebox were made to hold 80 single, or 45 rpm, records. Each album had one song per side, giving people a choice of one of 160 songs. In the 80s and 90s, NSM began making their jukeboxes to accommodate compact discs, or cds. Each cd can hold about 16 songs, and each jukebox can hold about 100 cds, giving the user a choice of over 1600 songs. There are many variations on the jukebox, and some of them are outlined below.

NSM Jukebox Model s

One of the newest NSM jukebox varieties on the market is the Evolution Wandbox. This machine uses neither records nor cds. It is connected to the internet for quick music access. Since it does not have to hold any media physically in the machine, it is smaller than most other jukeboxes. It can be mounted on the wall. Similar to an older jukebox, you put money in, you choose a song, and it plays. Unlike the jukeboxes of yesteryear, though, this one has a touch screen that scrolls advertisements and cd covers during and in between songs. The touch screen is also what you use to select the song. While you do not have to wait for a cd or record to move and drop into place, you do have to wait about a minute for the song to be retrieved from the internet. The retail value of this jukebox is about $7700.

NSM also makes several other digital jukebox models. These include the Phoenix and the Nostalgia. Each of the digital models is a little different in appearance, but they all operate basically the same. The Phoenix model costs about $1000 less than the Evolution. It is brightly colored, and it is also a wall-mount model. The Nostalgia is named based on its appearance. It looks more like a classic jukebox, with the signature orange glowing tube around the top. It costs about $7500.

The NSM jukebox company started making jukeboxes in the 1960s. All of their machines in the 60s and 70s were made to use vinyl records. These were all free standing units, as they were too large to be mounted to the wall. NSM's innovative technology is what brought them to the forefront of the jukebox market. Instead of using a traditional up and down method of moving the records in the machine, NSM developed a side to side method that was more efficient and did less damage to the 45s.

The City II is one of the machines that plays 45s. Currently, you can find these for between $500 and $1000, depending on the condition and what is included. Sometimes, you can find sellers willing to part with their record collections, and they will sell the albums right along with the machine. There are also things to think about like the condition and cleanliness of the actual record player, the needle cartridge, and the turntable. Each of these things will have an impact on the price. The City II jukebox measures about 36”x44”x24”, so you will want to make sure you have ample place to store such a machine.

Another of the record playing versions of the NSM jukebox is the Prestige series. There are two main jukeboxes in this series: the ES160 and the 2. Both of these measure 36”x52”x25”. This slightly larger machine is somewhat more difficult to find, so it will cost more than the City version.

As NSM progressed into the 1980s and 90s, they began to manufacture jukeboxes that played cds instead of records. One major advantage was that the cds could hold ten times the amount of music in about half the space. This allowed NSM to make smaller machines. In addition to the free standing models, NSM also began to make wall mounted models. These were more convenient for many places because they did not take up nearly as much room. One such jukebox is the Music Performer Wall 2000. Measuring 24”x40”x18”, this jukebox takes up significantly less space than its predecessors. This jukebox currently costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $3000.

Another cd model is the Performer Grand General NSM Jukebox. It is a free standing model, so it is slightly larger than the wall mounted models. It is one of the less popular of the NSM line. One of the advantages to the cd models is their compact size, making them easier to fit into smaller spaces. On the other hand, one of the advantages to the record models is their retro feel and look. Unfortunately for the Grand General, it lacks either of these qualities.

Any of the NSM jukebox models would make a fun and interesting addition to a game room, arcade, diner, restaurant, or any number of other entertainment venues. They can be used privately in your home, with the free play option. Or, they can be used in a public place, with the coin or dollar operated option.

Where to buy an NSM jukebox

Now that you are familiar with the different types and styles of jukeboxes that NSM offers, you might be ready to buy one. There are three types of places you can look. The first type of place is a jukebox specialty company. There are still a few places left that focus solely on repairing, refurbishing, and selling both new and classic jukeboxes. Because they are few and far between, you may have to do some traveling to visit one in person. Luckily, the internet makes it easy to reach out to these places through websites, email, and online forums. The Arizona Jukebox Company has a website that shoes pictures and gives descriptions of what they have in the works, what is for sale, and what they have sold in the past. There is also an NSM Jukebox British company whose website gives contact information for the company and pictures of their various projects. Another bonus of looking online is that you can find the Jukebox Collectors Webring. This is a function that allows you to jump from website to website that all have to do with jukeboxes. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned collector, you can benefit from being able to easily find and navigate through all the pages that are relevant to your interests.

The second type of place to look for a jukebox is through a gaming or arcade company. Both Liberty Games and Monkey's Arcades have websites that offer a variety of large entertainment attractions for small businesses and homes. In addition to arcade games, photo booths, and pinball machines, Monkey's Arcades also has some jukeboxes. This same idea applies to many of the large game machine retailers.

The third type of place to find your NSM jukebox is a person to person trading or selling site like eBay, Craigslist, or even Amazon. Sites like these link buyers, sellers, or traders to each other so they can make a deal. One caution that you should take is that places like this do not often have any sort of warranty or guarantee on the products sold or traded through the site. One of the best things to do before making a large purchase through one of these websites is to check out the other person's feedback. This can let you know if he is a reliable trader and if the items typically arrive in the condition promised. In addition, you can try to establish a rapport with the other person. Do not be afraid to ask questions, ask for pictures, and ask for more information than what is posted. When a person is about to collect thousands of dollars of your money, they have an obligation to give you the information you need, and you have the right to know details of what you are buying.