Does this radio/phono exist? -
irawex - 05-09-2019
Here's the story: a close friend of mine is waxing nostalgic, and wants to find the radio she remembers from her childhood. After listening to her description, and knowing her age, I showed her some possibilities, and she is certain the radio she had was a 49-1606.
According to her, she distinctly remembers the openings for the records, and the handle shape for the phono.
I thought I was home free, until she mentioned the phono played 45's, which rules out the 49-1606.
I looked through the gallery here, and couldn't find a later model that (a) looked like the 49-1606, and (b) had a 3 speed phono.
The 50-1720 was close, but she insists the albums were visible on their shelf without opening the phono door.
So... is her memory incorrect, or might there be such a radio as she remembers?
Thank you!
Ira
RE: Does this radio/phono exist? -
klondike98 - 05-09-2019
Its possible that the set had the phonograph swapped out for a more modern one at some point. These old phono/radio sets often have a phono that is not original to the set.
RE: Does this radio/phono exist? -
morzh - 05-09-2019
This Philco had M-9C record changer.
RE: Does this radio/phono exist? -
Jake Blake - 05-09-2019
" . . . the phono played 45's, which rules out the 49-1606."
A crash course on the history of the 45 rpm record:
J. Krivine, in his book,
JUKEBOX SATURDAY NIGHT, assures us that Seeburg, ( the jukebox manufacturer), issued the FIRST commercially-produced jukebox totally dedicated to playing the new 45 rpm record, . . . . . . in 1949 !
It was the model M-100-B.
RCA had issued the 45 rpm record earlier that year, in response to Columbia's issuing of the the 33 rpm LP the previous year in 1948, and Seeburg took a full-fledged gamble on RCA's new format.
Some argue the 45 came even earlier , but I disregard all undocumented suggestion.
My point is, while I'm not sure your friend had a Philco 49-1606, she could have very well had a 1949
something, that played 45 rpm records.
RE: Does this radio/phono exist? -
klondike98 - 05-09-2019
...or she's is thinking of 33 1/3 rpm records rather than 45s. It did play those.
http://www.nostalgiaair.org/pagesbymodel/067/M0014067.pdf
RE: Does this radio/phono exist? -
Ron Ramirez - 05-09-2019
Actually this model used the
M-9 changer -
not the M-9C which played 33-1/3 and 78 rpm records. The M-9 was a 78 rpm (only) unit. It did not play 45 rpm records as they were too new to be included when this radio-phonograph was built.
https://philcoradio.com/library/download/service%20info/yearbooks/1948-1949/split/Part82-Philco%20Home%20Radio%20Yearbook%201948-1949.pdf
https://philcoradio.com/library/download/service%20info/yearbooks/1948-1949/split/Part102-Philco%20Home%20Radio%20Yearbook%201948-1949.pdf
If your friend's 49-1606 played 45 rpm records, the phonograph must have been replaced with a newer unit.
RE: Does this radio/phono exist? -
irawex - 05-11-2019
Thanks, everyone. After addition discussion, my friend thought she might have been incorrect about the 45 speed, possibly hearing a track off of a 33-1/3 record.