Philco for 1936 (introduced January 1936)

Overview

A num­ber of Philco mod­els received new cab­i­nets at mid-sea­son 1936. In addi­tion, most of Philco's "600 Series" of radios received minor revi­sions to their chas­sis and new mod­el numbers.

Model Index

The fol­low­ing mod­els remained in the Philco line­up: 38F, 60F, 89F, 116X, 116PX, 610B, 610F, 610PF, 611B, 623F, 641X, 642F, 643X. All oth­er 1936 (June 1935) Philco mod­els were discontinued.

Click on a thumb­nail to see infor­ma­tion and pho­tos for each model:

38B 60B 84B 89B 116B 600C 602C
604C 610T 611T 611J 623B 623K 624B
624F 624K 625B 625J 625S 635B 635X
635PF 635CSX 641B 642B 643B 645B 645K
651B 651X 655B 655H 655X 655MX 655PX
655RX 665L 665X 680X

Models


Model 38B

Model 38B

A new, much plain­er Baby Grand cab­i­net was now used by Mod­els 38B, 60B and 89B.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $49.95

Num­ber made: 55,216 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 60B)



Model 60B

Through­out their near­ly three year run, most ver­sions of Mod­els 38B and 60B looked alike. But they could be eas­i­ly dis­tin­guished by the fact that Mod­el 60 was designed for oper­a­tion on 115 volts AC, while Mod­el 38 was a bat­tery oper­at­ed receiver.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $32.50

Num­ber made: 55,216 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 38B)



Model 84B

The four-tube Philco "price leader" also received a new cab­i­net for spring 1936.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $20

Num­ber made: 33,000



Model 89B

The final ver­sion of the 89B looked like a clone of the new, plain 38B and 60B mod­els. Per­haps this is one rea­son why this ver­sion sold poorly.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $39.95

Num­ber made: 7,000



Model 116B

Philco's flag­ship Baby Grand received a slight­ly small­er, plain­er cab­i­net at mid-sea­son. Its speak­er was also reduced in size from 10-1/2 to 8 inch­es in diam­e­ter. It was still just as pow­er­ful, however.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $99.50

Num­ber made: 6,880



Model 600C

This new com­pact Philco was the suc­ces­sor to Mod­el 59. It, too, used four tubes in a regen­er­a­tive super­hetero­dyne cir­cuit and received the AM band only.

The 600C had the same grille cutouts in the back as it did in the front. The new 602C (imme­di­ate­ly below) used the same styling.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $25

Num­ber made: 33,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 602C)



Model 602C

Suc­ces­sor to Mod­el 54, this Philco used five tubes, could oper­ate on AC or DC cur­rent, and received the AM band only. Like Mod­el 600 above, the back of the set had grille cutouts just like the front.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $29.95

Num­ber made: 33,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 600C)



Model 604C

A com­plete­ly new Philco, which used five tubes and had the con­trols on top. It had two bands (AM and short­wave from 6 to 18 mc). It could oper­ate on AC or DC current.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $39.95

Num­ber made: 10,000 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of June 1936 Mod­el 37-604C)



Model 610T

A new, styl­ish cab­i­net for Mod­el 610.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $44.95

Num­ber made: 15,300 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 611T)



Model 611T

The AC/DC Mod­el 611 was also avail­able with the same new table mod­el cab­i­net as Mod­el 610T.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $49.95

Num­ber made: 15,300 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 611T)



Model 611J

A new con­sole cab­i­net for Mod­el 611.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $59.95

Num­ber made: 18,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 625J)



Model 623B

This was the new Baby Grand cab­i­net for the bat­tery-oper­at­ed Mod­el 623.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $59.95

Num­ber made: 12,250 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 624B, 625B & 642B)



Model 623K

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $84.95

Num­ber made: 15,300 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 624K & 645K)



Model 624B

A new Philco mod­el designed to oper­ate on a 6 volt stor­age bat­tery. It used 6 tubes and could receive AM and two short­wave bands (2.3-2.5 mc & 5.7-18 mc).

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $69.95

Num­ber made: 12,250 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 623B, 625B & 642B)



Model 624F

One of two con­sole ver­sions of Mod­el 624.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $84.95

Num­ber made: 75,750 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of June 1935 Mod­els 32F, 89F, 611F, 620F & 623F)



Model 624K

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $95

Num­ber made: 15,300 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 623K & 645K)



Model 625B

The mid-sea­son Mod­el 625 was a revi­sion of Mod­el 620, and could be pur­chased as a Baby Grand (shown here) or in two dif­fer­ent con­sole mod­els. Like Mod­el 620, the 625 used six tubes and oper­at­ed on 115 volts AC. It had three band cov­er­age (AM, 1.75-5.8 & 5.7-18 mc).

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $52.50

Num­ber made: 12,250 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 623B, 624B & 642B)



Model 625J

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $69.95

Num­ber made: 18,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 611J)



Model 625S

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $59.95

Num­ber made: 6,000



Model 635B

The new 635 chas­sis was a minor revi­sion of the ear­li­er Mod­el 630. It also used six tubes and could receive AM and two short­wave bands (1.75-5.8 & 5.7-18 mc). The 635 also added a band indi­ca­tor which made the glow­ing point­er illu­mi­nate only on the select­ed band. Out­ward­ly, the 635B was iden­ti­cal to Mod­el 630B.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $62.50

Num­ber made: 14,700 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of June 1935 Mod­el 630B)



Model 635X

The new 635X had a dif­fer­ent grille than the ear­li­er 630X, and used the revised 635 chassis.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $80

Num­ber made: Unknown



Model 635PF

This radio-phono­graph con­tin­ued for spring 1936 with the revised 635 chassis.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $140

Num­ber made: 2,200 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of June 1935 Mod­els 610PF, 630PF & 640PF)



Model 635CSX

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $84.95

Num­ber made: 3,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of June 1935 Mod­el 630CSX)



Model 641B

Philco's 110 volt DC Mod­el 641 received a new Baby Grand cab­i­net at mid-sea­son. This cab­i­net was shared with Mod­els 643B, 645B, 651B & 655B (see below).

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $74.95

Num­ber made: 7,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 643B, 645B, 651B & 655B)



Model 642B

A new Baby Grand cab­i­net for the 32 volt DC Mod­el 642.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $59.95

Num­ber made: 12,250 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 623B, 624B & 625B)



Model 643B

This is Philco's bat­tery oper­at­ed all-wave receiv­er in a new Baby Grand cabinet.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $80

Num­ber made: 7,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 641B, 645B, 651B & 655B)



Model 645B

The new Mod­el 645 was a revi­sion of the Mod­el 640 chas­sis, remov­ing the long wave band but retain­ing AM and short­wave cov­er­age from 1.75 to 5.8 and 5.75 to 18 mc. Like Mod­el 640, the 645 used sev­en tubes and oper­at­ed on 115 volts AC.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $70

Num­ber made: 7,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 641B, 643B, 651B & 655B)



Model 645K

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $90

Num­ber made: 15,300 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 623K & 624K)



Model 651B

A new mod­el designed to oper­ate on 115 volts AC or DC, the 651 could receive AM and two short­wave bands: 1.75 to 5.8 and 5.75 to 18 mc.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $80

Num­ber made: 7,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 641B, 643B, 645B & 655B)



Model 651X

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $100

Num­ber made: 60,250 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 655X as well as June 1935 Mod­els 641X, 643X & 650X)



Model 655B

Yet anoth­er Philco mod­el with a chas­sis that was a revi­sion of a pre­vi­ous mod­el, in this case the 650. Like Mod­el 645, the 655 dropped the long­wave band but retained the AM band, and increased the short­wave cov­er­age to 1.75 to 5.8 and 5.75 to 18 mc. As with Mod­el 650, Mod­el 655 used eight tubes and oper­at­ed on 115 volts AC.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $80

Num­ber made: 7,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­els 641B, 643B, 645B & 651B)



Model 655H

This mod­el is iden­ti­cal in appear­ance to the ear­li­er Mod­el 650H, but used the revised 655 chassis.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $125

Num­ber made: 2,000 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of June 1935 Mod­el 650H)



Model 655X

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $100

Num­ber made: 60,250 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 651X as well as June 1935 Mod­els 641X, 643X & 650X)



Model 655MX

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $125

Num­ber made: 6,000 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of June 1935 Mod­el 650MX)



Model 655PX

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $175

Num­ber made: 3,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of June 1935 Mod­el 650PX)



Model 655RX

Iden­ti­cal in appear­ance to Mod­el 650RX (see the June 1935 page), the 655RX used the revised 655 chas­sis which has no long­wave band.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $150

Num­ber made: 1,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of June 1935 Mod­el 650RX)



Model 665L

Philco's Mod­el 665 was only slight­ly changed from Mod­el 660. It con­tin­ued to use ten tubes, and still had four-band cov­er­age: long­wave, AM, and short­wave from 1.75-5.8 and 5.7-18 mc.

The 665L is iden­ti­cal in appear­ance to the pre­vi­ous 660L.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $150

Num­ber made: 1,000 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of June 1935 Mod­el 660L)



Model 665X

The 665X was new for spring 1936. It also used the revised 665 chas­sis. While this mod­el was the same price as the 665L, it proved to be a much bet­ter seller.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $150

Num­ber made: 7,200



Model 680X

A new cab­i­net for Philco's fif­teen tube, high fideli­ty Mod­el 680. This cab­i­net is more con­ven­tion­al in that the dial and con­trols are fac­ing for­ward instead of being hid­den under the top lid as with the ear­li­er 680X.

Elec­tron­i­cal­ly, this 680 was unchanged from the June 1935 model.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $275

Num­ber made: 1,500


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