The PHILCO Phorum

I bought a 38-116 today.

It is almost complete. I have already ordered a dial scale and grille cloth.

Some previous owner had made a wierd modification - they installed an RCA socket in the middle of the patent label, and a terminal strip beside the speaker, with what looked like phone wire connected directly to the voice coil. While the field coil and the voice coil test good (yahoo!), I get a zero ohms reading on the secondary side of the output transformer, so probably need one of those. Does anyone have one (part number 32-7751), know where to get one, or have the specifications for it? I can try to make a good guess using tube data on the push-pull 6L6 outputs and the voice coil impeadence (DC resistance x 1.75 or so).

My radio is missing one of the three 6.25" acoustic clarifiers. Does anyone have any ideas where to buy one?

In a thread from 2006, Chuck states that the back is essential, and another person posted that it sounded far better with the back in place. I found an article which states that the front vertical rods are also part oft eh acoustic tuning, but that the back is not necessary. It also states that cabinet resonance is greatest when the radio is back to a wall. I suspect that the room in which it is placed is also very significant. It contains a good picture of the back: Mine is missing the back, so I'll have to make one.

http://www.tuberadioland.com/philco38-116XX_main.html

I also found a guy asking $14,000 for one:

http://www.aspenaudio.com/radio/page2.html

FStephenMasek Wrote:wire connected directly to the voice coil. While the field coil and the voice coil test good (yahoo!), I get a zero ohms reading on the secondary side of the output

Is it zero as in ZERO? The secondary DC resistance will be very low, could be down in the 1 ohm or so range. It will be easier to get a reading if the voice coil is disconnected...and those mods too. Sounds like someone wanted to add an external speaker.

It would be unusual for the secondary to go dead shorted but you never know.

GL,
Bill

Hi,

http://www.aspenaudio.com/radio/page2.html
Sheeesh.... $14000 for a set with all its acoustic clarifiers missing, no back, no decals, incorrect grille cloth...

He also states it to be Philco's top of the line set. Maybe he's never heard of the 38-690XX?

Paul

Quote:My radio is missing one of the three 6.25" acoustic clarifiers. Does anyone have any ideas where to buy one?

If you're willing to wait a bit, eBay is your friend. I have had good experiences there in finding parts.

exray Wrote:

FStephenMasek Wrote:wire connected directly to the voice coil. While the field coil and the voice coil test good (yahoo!), I get a zero ohms reading on the secondary side of the output

Is it zero as in ZERO? The secondary DC resistance will be very low, could be down in the 1 ohm or so range. It will be easier to get a reading if the voice coil is disconnected...and those mods too. Sounds like someone wanted to add an external speaker.

It would be unusual for the secondary to go dead shorted but you never know.

GL,
Bill

It is zero out a few decimal places on my good digital meter, with the voice coil disconnected. I'll try my cheap meter to see if it is any different, and otherwise try to test it before replacing it. I am just happy that the voice coil, field coil, and unusual cone are good.

PTurney Wrote:Hi,

http://www.aspenaudio.com/radio/page2.html
Sheeesh.... $14000 for a set with all its acoustic clarifiers missing, no back, no decals, incorrect grille cloth...

He also states it to be Philco's top of the line set. Maybe he's never heard of the 38-690XX?

Paul

Not to mention that the plate surrounding the tuning knobs has lost its black finish. This set is a joke.

Bob

Still no ideas on where to find a 6.25" acoustic clarifier?

I also need just one tube shield. Does anybody have one?

I have removed the chassis. All of the wire is brittle rubber under cloth, so I decided to rewire it. I cut and labeled the wires and removed the separate sub-chassis. I have all of the new rubber parts.

I am wondering if the radio would look better witht eh brass escutcheon and brass dial center which are now black with brass stripes, were polished brass? The black paint is in bad shape. The only way I can see to refinish those parts to original condition is to give them to some sort of hot rod body shop for a custom paint job.

Tube shields:

http://www.vintage-electronics.com/tubes.htm

Click on parts, and then search for your shield. I bought a used 37-116 tube shield from here and was quite pleased with it.

As for the escutcheon, if it were me, I would leave it alone. It is a testament to the radio's life, and many collectors prefer not to disturb an original patina. Radios which have had their escutcheons "polished" just look awful ~ to my eyes anyway. They scream shoddy unoriginality moreso than a bad unoriginal wood finish job on the cabinet. Just my opinion.

I'm curious, after all this time, if you ever found a clarifier for this radio? Also, where did you find a dial for it? Radiodaze doesn't seem to stock them for the 38-116.

Yes, I found a clarifier. I thought of the guy who sells all kinds of consoles on EBay, and ships by Greyhound Bus (willie). He had one at a reasonable price. It is just oen of 70 radios I now have, so the only other progress has been obtaining all of the tubes I need. I do want to get it done, as it is very bulky, and I want to see how it sounds. I also want to finish my Capehart Panamuse, and Scott Philharmonic, and compare all three.

Just looked at the 38-116 that this character has for sale. Good looking cabinet. Wrong grille cloth, missing acoustic clarifiers. Looks like MAYBE the right speaker, but I'd want to see more of it before I'd stand in judgement.

And as already said, how's come he doesn;t know abnout the 37 and 38 690 jobs? I think he's hoping that nobody else knows about them.

Heck for the 14 grand he is asking, he could throw in a new pickup truck to haul it home!

But, once done, those 37 and 38 116 sets are Philco at their best, even without mentioning the 690's!

Hello Doug:

A friend offered me a free 37-116. It is missing one of the two acoustic clarifers. Do you know whether the 37-116 and 38-116 used the identical acoustic clarifers. The part numbers match based on the parts lists (PN 36-1155). But I was wondering if they are in fact identical in appearance.

Thanks,

Allen in Santa Barbara

I finished it Friday and it sold at the SCARS auction on Saturday for $270, so I broke even, as that is what I had in buying it, parts, and supplies.

Why did you strip the escucheon and polish it though? It's supposed to be dark with a gold pinstripe.
Regards
Arran

Arran: The paint was shot and it was pitted.