I just bought a house and it came with a Philco Model L-1679-123 I have plugged it up and the radio works, but I can't get it to play a record. Just loud scratchy noises. I am looking for any information about this radio and resources to get it working again. Thanks!
First things first:
Have you positively established that this radio has been properly restored by a competent person? If not, do not plug it in until you confirm this. Even if it "works" it may be getting closer to go up in smoke.
To my knowledge no one has looked at it. Why would it go up in smoke? I know absolutely nothing about these things, so that is why I am asking. It was already plugged in when I moved into the house. I turned it on and listened to the radio. The record player turns and seems to function properly, except there doesn't seem to be a needle (it is just scratchy noises).
Old radios that have not been properly recapped (meaning, changing all the old electrolytic and paper capacitors) are likely to have some of those (especially electrolytic) whose internal structure is weakened and they could fail. If failed shorted, they are likely to take out the rectifier tube and possibly the power transformer.
Old cords may dry up and present electrical fire hazard.
Then again, the radio might've been gone through by someone.
But if not, 1) I would not leave it plugged in, EVEN if it is not turned on. I do not even leave my own restored radios plugged in - I use them with power strips. 2) I would not power them until looked at by a knowledgeable person.
Good news is, if the radio worked - this means you have mostly good tubes, good power and good speaker. So no reason to risk destroying it.