Jukeboxes - History and More!

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Friday was a beautiful, clear day in the Atlanta area and I spent some time going around to several estate sales in nearby neighborhoods. I did not buy anything but was impressed with the fact that two of the sales were selling jukeboxes that had been used in the home. It's been some time that I've actually seen a jukebox but they certainly did remind me of my (long-ago) youth when they were ubiquitous in all the my favorite places - bowling alleys, pizza parlors, dance halls, etc.  No-one I knew had one in their home - a luxury that would have been unheard of.

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This bit of nostalgia encouraged me to do some internet research on the history and current state of jukeboxes and I found that there is a lot of interesting information available.

First, the DEFINITION:

a coin-operated player for records, discs, etc., used in restaurants, bars, etc.: 

a record, disc, etc. is chosen by pushing a buttonany device for playing CD's, accessing CD-ROM's, etc. in which one of several discs may be selected for use Source - Websters

Next, the ORIGIN of the word:

The name jukebox is thought to derive from an old Gullah word "jook." "Jook" meant "to dance" although with a somewhat wilder, more rowdy or sexual connotation. The makeshift bars workers on Southern crop fields used to frequent where called "juke joints" and these establishments were among the first to install the new machines. The History of Jukeboxes.

And more HISTORY:

One of the early forerunners to the modern Jukebox as we know was the Nickel-in-the-Slot machine. In 1889, Louis Glass and William S. Arnold, placed a coin-operated Edison cylinder phonograph in the Palais Royale Saloon in San Francisco. It was an Edison Class M Electric Phonograph in an oak cabinet that was refitted with a coin mechanism patented (U.S. 428,750) by Glass and Arnold. This was the first Nickel-in-the-Slot. The machine had no amplification and patrons had to listen to the music using one of four listening tubes. In its first six months of service, the Nickel-in-the-Slot earned over $1000.  source

Two Jukeboxes Found at Friday Sales

 The demise of the jukebox is attributed to the availability of personal devices that provide users with multiple music options. Today, jukeboxes are most often seen in decors reminiscent of these times - whether commercial or residential. Finding the required records is also a smaller and smaller business specialty.  I just enjoyed seeing them in these settings!

I did not do any extensive market research on sources and prices for today's jukeboxes but found a nice one called "The Digital Bubbler" - love that name - here are the specifications - source!

The Digital Bubbler

The Digital Bubbler is a full-size commercial quality reproduction of the classic Model 1015 jukebox designed for the home. Rotating color cylinders and eight bubble tubes help recreate the look of this timeless jukebox. State of the art technology allows you to digitally store up to 600 of your favorite CDs on it’s 250 Gigabyte hard-drive with no loss of sound quality. The embedded database of over 1.6 million song titles makes cataloging your music as easy as inserting your CDs. Update the database with an update DVD or through the Internet using an Ethernet or modem connection. 250 watts of pure digital sound output through five speakers provides outstanding sound reproduction and ample volume. External speakers can be added by simply plugging into the external speaker jacks. -Upload Music Easily -LCD Screen Display -Authentic Details - The Digital Bubbler is for home use only

Price $3,999.00