The PHILCO Phorum
38-116 off Craigslist - Printable Version

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38-116 off Craigslist - Groundhog74 - 06-03-2015

A little rough, but works and complete except for one "sound enhancer" speaker. The missing grill piece the seller has, but couldn't find as he is in the process of moving. It'll be a project, but hated to see it wind up on a trash pile or something. 40 bucks. 
[Image: http://i1319.photobucket.com/albums/t679/Groundhog4906/image.jpg1_zpslfpschxe.jpg]

[Image: http://i1319.photobucket.com/albums/t679/Groundhog4906/image.jpg3_zpsrgmjhqtp.jpg]

[Image: http://i1319.photobucket.com/albums/t679/Groundhog4906/image.jpg4_zpslvpo6rrm.jpg]

As bought, no cleanup.

RE: 38-116 off Craigslist - morzh - 06-03-2015

It is in good shape, 40 bucks is almost free, and one clarifier is unlikely to make a stunning difference in sound quality.



https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YrA5LE3mzfc

RE: 38-116 off Craigslist - Fred Taylor - 06-03-2015

Nice find, I just restored one of those and I can tell you it will belt out some sound. I paid 125$ for mine and needed out put transformer , recap, dial, you get the picture. To me was well worth the effort . Once refinished and new grill cloth installed it will look wonderful . With a good alignment the short wave is outstanding. Very sensitive to say the least. Very very nice unit. Heres a few pics of mine.  

RE: 38-116 off Craigslist - Groundhog74 - 06-04-2015

Very nice. Hope mine turns out that good.

RE: 38-116 off Craigslist - PhilcoJohn - 06-04-2015

Fred.......I have mine in my Bedroom and I love it to death...Mine is not as beautiful as yours but it is a fantastic player.....Especially at nite with my attic antena!!! For those of you that do not have this great Philco, if you have the chance to purchase one of these do so.

RE: 38-116 off Craigslist - PhilcoJohn - 06-04-2015

Fred ......YOU DO GREAT WORK!!!

RE: 38-116 off Craigslist - Fred Taylor - 06-04-2015

Thanks for the compliment  Icon_wave

RE: 38-116 off Craigslist - SteveG - 06-04-2015

Fred,
Beautiful job!! I had one of these up to about 12 years ago and was moving and downsizing a bit, so I thought I should sell that one..........It was a super nice original finish radio, that had a chassis update by my old school chassis guy who, unfortunately, passed away maybe 20 years ago.

Since I've joined this Phorum, I've regretted that decision.....I think that's the only Philco I've ever sold. Now excuse me while I go kick myself.....
SteveG

RE: 38-116 off Craigslist - Groundhog74 - 06-05-2015

morzh - that youtube video you linked me too was cool. It brought back a good memory of my mom before she passed. The wife and I bought some records for a crank phonograph we have and that song was one of them. I played it for mom because I had never heard of it and wondered if she had. She was a real movie buff all her life and she did remember it. She grew up near Baltimore and when she married dad (both Marines stationed at Quantico) they moved back to Kokomo. Quite the culture shock for her. Funny, for a run of the mill Midwestern industrial town, Kokomo pops up a lot. When I was in the Navy, many of the old timers said they had heard of it somewhere, but most couldn't remember where. One guy mentioned a character "Little Joe from Kokomo" or something similar. There was the song from the '47 movie, it was mentioned as the location of the country western bar in the Blues Brothers movie, There was an issue of Playboy with "the girls of Kokomo" (pretty lame I must say), the Beach Boys song (although that's about a bar, not the town), and when I was in high school I read somewhere that Kokomo had more registered Corvettes per capita than any other city in the U.S. No doubt due to the large GM plant that was here in town.
Thanks.

RE: 38-116 off Craigslist - morzh - 06-05-2015

Yes, I like this song too. When I had satellite radio in my car (I still have it but no longer subscribe - I only listened to 40-s but for 200 bucks a year....) I heard it more than once on the channel "40-s on 4."

RE: 38-116 off Craigslist - Groundhog74 - 06-07-2015

I have given this thing "the treatment" and cleaned it all off and tried a technique recommended by another to use Minwax oil stain and wipe off immediately then buff. Looks a little better after that. I am undecided however whether to leave this in original finish or refinish. My skill level is average. Opinions please. I have thought about sanding the sides and re-lacquer them, then see how it turns out and decide from there. 
Front doesn't look too bad.
[Image: http://i1319.photobucket.com/albums/t679/Groundhog4906/image.jpg4_zpsspkykre0.jpg]


Bad spot on top with loss of lacquer
[Image: http://i1319.photobucket.com/albums/t679/Groundhog4906/image.jpg3_zpsfmvjetuh.jpg]
Left side
[Image: http://i1319.photobucket.com/albums/t679/Groundhog4906/image.jpg2_zps9l9ezdfk.jpg]


The sides each are pretty rough with a lot of lacquer loss
[Image: http://i1319.photobucket.com/albums/t679/Groundhog4906/image.jpg1_zps9sp8htm3.jpg]

RE: 38-116 off Craigslist - KCMike - 06-07-2015

Very nice find. I would be tempted to leave the front original as nice as it cleaned up.
Fred, very nice work you have a graet talent with wood finishing.

RE: 38-116 off Craigslist - Fred Taylor - 06-07-2015

If you do the sides just go ahead and do all of it , you can do it. Do the radio justice and make it look new again, I can help you along the way if you want. Icon_shh If that bad picture is the top of radio I would definitely do all of it,  and new grill cloth also avalable, the horizontal bar missing is easy to make also. And the back cover can be made also if you don't have yours

RE: 38-116 off Craigslist - Groundhog74 - 06-09-2015

Fred, first off thanks for the help...in advance. I am leaving for vacation soon, and will start on the 38-116 when I return. However, in the meantime, what material did you use to make the back? Masonite? Thanks. BTW the seller called me and he found the other grill piece. I am going to need to find two dial lamps sockets though. 

RE: 38-116 off Craigslist - Fred Taylor - 06-10-2015

I pretty sure that's what it is , home depot has it.