Posts: 2,005
Threads: 361
Joined: Jun 2010
City: Dover, OH
Up to a few years ago I had a Victor RE-45 that was giving me fits. The tuner was froze, the volume control was froze, the power transformer was fried, and the place I had it stored sprang a leak and caused some moisture damage on top of the cat scratches on it. After trying unsuccessfully to get a power transformer for it, I traded the unit off for a nice postwar Philco console. Well, yesterday I got a chance to buy the RE-45 back and hauled it home today. It is now working with the dial scale replaced by a proper dial scale instead of the piece of paper that was stuck in there when I found it. It's actually a good performer and sucks in stations well. Only issue is I'll have to get the pick-up for the phonograph rebuilt. It works, but even with the rubber replaced it's rather weak. On the upside I now have a chance at a complete Victor RE-32 and a parts RE-45 from the same guy.
No matter where you go, there you are.
Posts: 337
Threads: 15
Joined: Nov 2005
City: Ortonville, MI
That's one of my favorite Victor sets Victor sets. It was made as R-32 (not RE 32) and R-52 as radio-only, and RE-45 and RE-75: Phono combinations. I have all four models. I'd grab the spare R-32 if you can get it right.
Get hold of George Epple, in Baltimore, Maryland. I think his address is:
GKEple@Earthlink.net
He has a magnetizer that will bring the pickup back to life. These RE45 and 75 sets will blow out the windows when the pickup is putting out properly. If you can find an RCA "Inertia" type pickup arm, and replace the straight original arm, your records will appreciate it.
One thing to check in the amplifier. Some of the amplifier had two 500K resistors in parallel from th 26 grid to chassis. There is also a 500K resistor across the 45 grids. Remove those two resistors, and the phono will have the proper output. Just don't turn the radio volume up too far, or you'll take out the speaker cone. Those two extra resistors were added to some sets to protect the speaker on radio, but they reduce the phono volume considerably.The phono plays through the amplifier only, but switching is done on the receiver chassis.
Some of those amplifier chassis were punched out of brass sheet stock.. I have a couple laying around here.
Posts: 2,005
Threads: 361
Joined: Jun 2010
City: Dover, OH
Hey, thanks for the info! I meant to say R-32 in my post, but got ahead of myself. I found the cabinet for an R-52 nearby at a flea market, but they wanted $60 for it and it had been painted white. Never heard of the RE-75 version and hadn't seen an R-52 until seeing that cabinet. I'll have to check about those resistors you mentioned. My amplifier looks to be regular steel and not brass. I'll have to check the parts RE-45 and the R-32 if I get those to see what the amps are made from on them. So far I really like my RE-45.
No matter where you go, there you are.
Posts: 2,353
Threads: 92
Joined: May 2010
City: Clayton, NC
I restored an R32 many years ago. It was not easy to do the chassis, but for an early set it got pretty good reception. Living in northern NY I could routinely pickup Yankees games from NYC stations....
The speaker had cordoroy material for the outside edge of the speaker, where it flexed. I always wondered if this was an Edison innovation.....
Posts: 337
Threads: 15
Joined: Nov 2005
City: Ortonville, MI
The R-52 was probably the lowest production model of the radio-only models. The doors have some beautiful veneers on them, and for that reason alone, should be refinished. Many of the R-52's had the legs sawed off.
The speaker on the R-32 family of sets was a material known as "Burtex". No, Edison doesn't deserve credit for inventing that stuff.
One thing on the R-32 model series chassis amplifier is opens in the big resistor in the amplifier. The wet will work OK with some sections open, so they all need to be checked. I've seen dozens of them, and have had only one with a good divider resistor. All sections can be replaced with 10 watt resistors.
