The PHILCO Phorum

I have a chance to get a 42-1010 console/phono for $20. Haven't seen the unit or know what type of condition it's in yet. Since I haven't dealt with a radio with pushbutton tuning yet, are these a pain to work on? Also curious if anyone else has one of these and if so what type of performer it is. I did see in the gallery that it does have the 'beam of light' unit. Thanks!

I have the 42-1011P which is the same chassis/phono as the 42-1010 but with a different cabinet. These are nice radios, hopefully the tenite faceplate is not shot since this is a 10 button model and this version face plate is not reproduced like the 8 button version. So the first item I would check is the faceplate, it if is still in good condition everything from there is a plus unless someone has butchered the radio.

For $20 you can't go wrong...GRAB IT QUICK!!!

The 1942 models can be a pain to work on, but then again, any 1939-1942 Philco is a pain to work on because of all that dried out rubber-covered wiring. But if you are patient and replace all of the insulation (or replace the wiring altogether with new), you may sometimes be surprised at how well these sets perform.

If the original Beam of Light phono is still in place, as you indicated, that is an extra added bonus. Another reason to grab it...QUICK!

Having experienced working on a cramped 40-120 with deteriorated wiring, hopefully this is no worse.

Took a short drive to look at the 42-1010 and 20 bucks later I have a new radio for the 'pack'. Cabinet is actually in decent shape, everything else looks good too. One thing that I did notice is that unlike the few pictures posted on this model show, the faceplate isn't tenite but wood. The buttons also have the labels in the center of them, not above them. I have to believe this is original as the decals on the faceplate look original. One of these days I'll take a few pictures and post them.

About the only thing obviously wrong with the unit was the fact that all four knobs are MIA, but no biggie to replace. Turntable seems to be all there - may look into having West-Tech work on it if the BOL isn't working. Would be nice to play some 78's on it. Glad I looked at this one. Thanks for the encouragement!

Congrats on your acquisition, Tony!

I found a 42-1010 at an antique shop in central Indiana last fall. Like yours, it was priced at $20. I passed, although I've wondered since if I should have grabbed it.

Not sure if this is going to work but took two pictures of the faceplate and turntable


40-1010 Faceplate by tony_senior, on Flickr


40-1010 BOL Turntable by tony_senior, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23116054@N0...375005601/

Nice pics...I wish they still made radios this way, or anything for that matter. Good Luck with it!!!

The faceplate has been redone sometime in the past, they were not originally wood. Here is the picture in Ron's gallery http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1942a.htm#ay and one from Radio attic http://radioatticarchives.com/radio.php?radio=5506 and you will notice on the one from Radio Attic that the brass strip is starting to buckle because of the shrinkage and it will pull the hold down screws out also. Whoever did replace the faceplate did about all you could do since these 10 button models are not reproduced.

While this may be the case in looking at the picture of my unit vs. the one at Radio Attic, the labels on that unit are above the corresponding button, while mine are incorporated in the center of the button. Possibly this faceplate and buttons were from another radio altogether? I haven't pulled the chassis out and probably won't for awhile, but it sure doesn't appear that too much has been done to the unit.

It is hard to say but the dial looks original, looking at the back of the chassis should tell you the correct model number. The 42-1011 that Ron has in his gallery is the one that I own, I checked into replacing the face plate but was told by Larry B. that he only produced the 8 button model because the demand for the 10 button model was too limited to make the tooling.

Hi Tony

Stude is right, the escutcheon on your 42-1010 is not original; and neither are the pushbuttons.

Those pushbuttons were used on the following 1942 Philco models: 42-327, 42-345, 42-365, 42-1008, 42-1009.

It appears to be very well made.

Now, it is *possible* that your 42-1010 might be one of the last ones made before Philco converted 100% to war work for the Government. It is further *possible*, given the font type of the decals and the apparent high quality of the escutcheon, that some of the final 42-1010 models may have left the factory with wood escutcheons and different pushbuttons.

Now, don't get all excited - this is merely a *possibility.*

Another *possibility* is that a repair shop who had, or knew of, a skilled woodworker, made that escutcheon for a customer, having access to the decals used on it and the non-original pushbuttons.

I have no way of proving either of these *possibilities.*

Stude's 42-1011 used to belong to me, and the escutcheon of his is the correct original type for the 42-1010 also. Sometimes I miss that radio...but then I am sort of glad it's gone, given the amount of room it took up.

I have the 42-1011 is my TV room, my wife likes it because it is not as deep as most of the other consoles I have and makes it easier to find a spot for it. Here is a good look at the face plate, luckily this one is in decent shape.

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/phot...9633ywebqo

Thanks for the info. The chassis is definitely stamped as a 42-1010 code 121 and another tag says "S 00958" (serial number perhaps). Whatever the case may be with the faceplate and buttons, I'm glad it's not one of the unobtainable ones Still pretty happy with it and the price was right