Restoring a ’60s Jukebox with Raspberry Pi and Arduino

Hackster Staff
Jul 25, 2017 · 2 min read

What is a jukebox without records? According to artist/hacker “Tijuana Rick,” that would be “an empty cool looking speaker box.” In his case though, this isn’t just a philosophical question, as his father-in-law came across a free 1969 Wurlitzer 3100 jukebox. The only catch was that the previous owner kept all of the records.

“It works flawlessly and provides hours of music and interactivity just like the original jukeboxes from the ‘60s!” (📷: Tijuana Rick)

Instead of scrambling to garage sales or online auctions, Rick decided to modernize the device using an Arduino Mega to receive signals from the 40-year-old jukebox’s buttons. It then passes this selection info on to a Raspberry Pi that can stream music from a variety of sources. To accomplish this, he used code based on Thomas Sprinkmeier’s GitHub repository.

To restore the jukebox, he needed to create a custom button array and all new tactile jukebox selection switches. (📷: Tijuana Rick)

Be sure to check out his page for more details on the build, including how he molded replacement buttons for the vintage machine himself!

Hackster Blog

Hackster.io, an Avnet community, is the world’s largest network for hardware & software developers. With 1 million members and 17,000+ projects, beginners and professionals can learn and share how to build robotics, industrial automation systems, AI-powered machines, and more.

Hackster Staff

Written by

Hackster Blog

Hackster.io, an Avnet community, is the world’s largest network for hardware & software developers. With 1 million members and 17,000+ projects, beginners and professionals can learn and share how to build robotics, industrial automation systems, AI-powered machines, and more.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade