The PHILCO Phorum

+1 what Arran says. If I'm goingf to spend a considerable amount on a radio, I prefer natural wood grain every time! Take care. Gary

I have many sets in cabinets that are mezza-mezza but play well and had a clean chassis to work with. Though a nice shelf Queen is pretty too. Where I like to listen to the radios I live with the the water stains, cigarette burns, maybe refinish when really poor....
Good Hunting.

Paul

I have a 37-610 ..Just because its only five tubes do not even think for a minute that you should not purchase to put into your collection. It is super picks up stations from all over. I love mine would not give it up. My faux wood grain has two very little scratches. One of the very first radios I ever purchased. Keith Park did the electronic resto thats why it works go good. I am still trying to get the handle of doing one myself.

I don't believe Arran meant to slam the 610!

I have owned several 610s and 37-610s, and agree that they do very well for a five-tuber. Philco made some swell five-tube sets!

But relatively speaking, for 200 dollars you can get a lot of radio. From a standpoint of sensitivity, selectivity, and quality volume, the 610 does not perform as well as other models with more tubes/features that you could get for 200 dollars. In fact, I got my 37-116 for 200, and my 38-116 for less, and both are in nice shape.

The 610/37-610 was closer to a base model set, albeit a good playing one.

The 200 dollars spent on the 37-610 was doubtless due to it's condition. For many folks that is what they are looking for.

$200.00 dollars is a whole lot to pay for that radio... but is a good performer for a five tube radio.

No I wasn't bashing the 37-610 in and of itself, I just wouldn't think of paying $200 for one just because the faux grain is in nice shape. Because these sets were a near entry level model there were a lot of them produced. While the faux grain is bad on a lot of them it's not like it's anywhere near impossible to find one where the grain, if not pristine, is at least restorable like the front panel on Bob's 38-62.
Regards
Arran

+1