This young woman enjoyed listening to her record player, but thanks to the hints in the April 1947 issue of Popular Mechanics, she also knew how to take care of it. The record player was designed to withstand rough handling, but it was also a precision instrument that required occasional attention.

For one thing, the wires under the pickup arm could come loose and drag along the record. The magazine explained how to pull the wires tight to prevent this.

If the record player wouldn’t play at all, it was likely the cartridge, and the magazine explained how to replace it. It also explained the importance of cleaning dust off records, as well as the need to occasionally oil the bearings.