[Michael Archambault]

Evening, all.

I just picked up a Beogram 1700 and wanted some advice on cleaning the unit. I used oil as recommended by the manual for the rosewood, but it recommends simply using a a dry cloth for the aluminum.

The aluminum on my unit was a bit dirty when it arrived, so I used a water/vinegar mixture to wipe the deck down. The mixture has gotten rid of a lot of the dirt, but the surface always dries a bit odd leaving behind a pattern.

What is the best way to clean the aluminum surface so that marks are not left behind?

Additionally, when it comes to the lid, can I use a minimally abrasive polish as I normally would with turntable lids, or did B&O put a special coating on it?

Thanks, all.

[jfrancis49]

Hello Michael,

I don’t remember who posted it, but someone recommended using just a little baby oil on a soft cloth for the brushed aluminum. I have found that works nicely and just give it a good wipe down with a dry cloth to remove any excess. Regarding the plastic lid, if you have scratches, depending on the severity you will have to use sandpaper or abrasive polishes to remove them. There are several posts in older forums on doing that and some Google searching can lead to others. One thing I have learned is find a product that is an abrasive rather than a wax, the one that are mostly wax just hides scratches. Polishes made for restoring plastic are a good place to start.

[Michael Archambault]

Thanks! I ended up following a suggestion to use water with a bit of dish detergent on the aluminum—it worked wonderfully. I ended up polishing the cover with a bit of polishing cream and a polishing bit that works with my drill. Not perfect, but I’d say it reduced the scratches by about half. Looks a lot better!

[JC]

Half a year late to answer the question but here’s my advice for anyone wanting to clean a Beogram 1700:

The rectangular aluminium top plate can successfully be cleaned with a moist “Mr Magic” sponge. Will be like new. Don’t do this to the platter though! The platter has some kind of layering/ covering that can be easily damaged by enthusiastic cleaning. The (thin!) wood fineer can be cleaned with mild soap and after cleaning a treatment with bee wax or oil will restore colour and give the fineer its protection.

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