The PHILCO Phorum

Hi gang, long time lurker first-time poster.

I recently picked up what appears to be a 41-290 in rather good cosmetic/physical shape. The cabinet has gotten the Gojo treatment and cleaned up a treat. Repro escutcheon, buttons and knobs have been ordered and a packet from Chuck full of Philco Service Bulletin goodness has arrived.

My only puzzlement... the band indicator isn't what it should be, as best as I can tell. The chassis is missing it's ID tag and only has a serial number and patent tag. It is a 10-tube set doesn't appear to have been messed with much, if any, until I got it.

The 41-290 images I see everywhere else show separate lamps for the band indicators where mine has a single lamp in a movable housing. Also, there's an added dial cord drum on the external side of the band switch. The schematic sent by Chuck shows the separate lamps tied into the band switch and nothing about a single, mobile, lamp.

Photos here.

So... what have I got on my hands? The illegitimate son of a 290 and 287.. or a very late production 290?

Jeremy

Hi and welcome!

It looks like a 41-290 to me. What makes you think otherwise? Philco did change the dial scale on later production 41-290 sets (and its siblings 41-250, 41-255, 41-280, 41-285, 41-287, 41-296).

Ah hah. The dim light has illuminated.

I found the change production notes in the packet of info and it does list a changed dial and band indicator. As I said, the only other images I could find showed the earlier production runs with the separate lamps, hence my confusion.

Crisis averted.

Oh yeah, Philco changed from separate lamps used as band indicators to a single lamp operated mechanically early on, even before the glass dial was changed. Guess the bean counters at Philco decided that it cost too much to use individual lamps and sockets.

Very nice radio, cleaned up really good! I like it!

Gregb