I bought a 60L off Ebay Saturday and am driving up to Chesterton, IN to pick it up today. It's only about a 2.5 hour drive one way for me and, I'm like a kid in a candy store anxious to get it home and check it all out. From what I've been able to research so far it appears to be a 1934 vintage, but I am not positive about that. I'll post some photos later today once I get it home and those with more knowledge than me can tell me exactly what I have.
My wife doesn't quite understand my fascination with these old radios yet, but she is putting up with me so far. so once I get this one home my current inventory will be a 1929 Victor Console, 1934 60L Philco Console, 1940 Philco 158 Console, 1942 Philco 400X Console, 1947 Philco 1230 Radio/Phonograph Console and a 1950 Philco 1104 Television.
Every time I see one that I love the looks of and, can get cheaply, I want to get it and breathe new life into it. I guess it must be a sickness of some sort. I just hate to see an old treasure thrown into a trash heap when it can be given a second life and be around well after I'm gone.
> I guess it must be a sickness of some sort.
It is.
Welcome to the club. I've been in it 44 years and even now, I find myself still wanting another set or three although I'm trying to enforce a "no more acquisitions" policy for myself right now.
I've been in this hobby quite a few years myself. Once you get the "bug", it's hard to keep under control.
There is a RCA console from 1937 that is at a local Flea market for $30 with P-P 6F6's. It would be a loud one with good fidelity. I keep telling myself that I don't need another radio, I don't have the space , but the temptation is strong.......
I may go ahead and get it - then figure out where to put it and what to do with it
later .
Thanks Ron and Ed, I'm glad to hear I'm not alone!! Ok so I have it home and here is what it looks like and the model tag inside. If anyone can tell me exactly what I have it would be great! I have not been able to find a number such as 60 & 505 in my searches. I also noticed that it has no decals on the front, Philco or for the knobs, did they not use them back then?
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And there are no decals because (1) the PHILCO trademark is on the escutcheon and (2) Philco did not start using decals to indicate the knob functions until the 1937 model year, and then only on the higher end consoles.
Awesome, thank you to you both for the great information! Also, do you know what the “& 505” means/denotes after the 60?
OBTW the tuning and bandswitch knobs are reversed.
You guys are all really great. Thank you for all the great information! Right now it is sitting in its new home in my foyer until spring when I can refinish the cabinet. The chassis is next in line to go down to the workshop. I plan to do a complete re-stuff on this one, since I have been re-stuffing some caps to have on hand. The 40-158 chassis is completed and the cabinet is being finished as we speak. I expect to finish it completely within the week, including making a new bezel from walnut for it.
Yeah...it's hard to resist when you see another set that you 1) want, 2) can afford, 3) is right in front o'ya, winking at ya.
I tell you, the willpower required to resist that is tenfold vs the one that a 7-year-old needs to see an open cookie jar and not to grab some.
Judging by my son who's 14 now, they can't resist either.
Heh Heh! Yep that's definitely true!
I am a new member here and I saw this discussion on the Philco 60 console. I have always been fascinated by tube radios even though I've never worked on them. I often listen to old radio shows and thought it would be neat to get a set fixed up (or learn to fix it myself) and use one of those transmitters to transmit music and shows to it. Anyway the model I picked up according to the plate/sticker on the back is a 60A. I've looked all over the net and haven't seen a picture of one except a picture of one at Radiomuseum (I think) that doesn't look anything like my radio. Does anyone know anything about this radio? Mine looks like an 60B early model and has a label like the picture of the 60L console (505?) in my radio. Here are some pictures. Everything (except for the grillecloth and speaker) look to be in good shape. The cabinet and knobs are in excellent shape. I know it's going to cost a bit of money to fix this up but I'm going to do what I can now. Fix the grillecloth and try to get the speaker tested/reconed, clean up the chassis and either learn how or send it off somewhere. I've already contacted a reputable repair person and they've given me a ballpark of what to expect. Here are pictures and I am honored to be here and would welcome any advice about how to proceed with this "project". I am attaching pictures of the radio.
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Welcome to the Phorum Marshall70!