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Philco 20, 21, 90 or what? - Printable Version

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Philco 20, 21, 90 or what? - Robin in Kansas - 05-22-2019

I was given this set by a friend.  It has a 20 chassis, a 21 cabinet and 90 cabinet trim.  The escutcheon is right for the early 21 but the cabinet bottom trim and the extra switch isn't.  Did they make such a monster or did someone play with it?

RE: Philco 20, 21, 90 or what? - klondike98 - 05-22-2019

Welcome to the Phorum!!
Icon_wave

See https://philcoradio.com/gallery2/1931a/#Baby_Grand_Models_21_46

Some of the early 21 cabinets used the 20 chassis.  Don't want those 20 chassis to go to waste!

RE: Philco 20, 21, 90 or what? - morzh - 05-22-2019

Methinks it is a mongre.

Someone took a 20 chassis, added a 4th knob (the 20 has 3, so whatever that 4th knob does.....a mod in the chassis?) and stuck it into a 90 cabinet.
And no it is not a 21 cabinet with 90 trim, it is a 90 cabinet (the top of the 90 is very characteristic and can always be told from the 70, and the 21 has it like the 70 does).

RE: Philco 20, 21, 90 or what? - klondike98 - 05-22-2019

Mike, yea it does because its a 21 cabinet with a 20 chassis. They used up the 20 chassis they had when they started the 21 run. Ron has mentioned this in other threads.

RE: Philco 20, 21, 90 or what? - morzh - 05-22-2019

Bob, no it is not a 21 cabinet. It is a 90 cabinet.

And I am not saying this because of the trim from 90 or 4 knobs holes: look at the top. It is a 90 cabinet.

RE: Philco 20, 21, 90 or what? - Robin in Kansas - 05-22-2019

What about the escutcheon? It's not from a 90, is it?

RE: Philco 20, 21, 90 or what? - klondike98 - 05-22-2019

No, it is from a 21 (or 46 which looks identical to the 21)
https://philcoradio.com/gallery2/1931a/#Baby_Grand_Models_21_46

Here's a 90 escutcheon:
https://philcoradio.com/gallery2/1931b/#Model_90_Baby_Grand

RE: Philco 20, 21, 90 or what? - Robin in Kansas - 05-22-2019

So the top of the 90 is more pointed than the 21, is that what you mean, morzh?

RE: Philco 20, 21, 90 or what? - Radioroslyn - 05-22-2019

Hi Robin and welcome to the fray,
I think Mike has the answer. Chassis is a 20. If it were a 21 it would have a large round filter cap. The 20 uses several in a tin can like this chassis. The 90 would have a singe section volume control only the older non avc sets use the dual control. I would suspect the knob on the right is to adjust the tone the 20/21 didn't have that adjustment.
Cabinet is for a 90. The holes for the chassis to the wooden base don't align. The 20/21 only use three bolts the 70/90 uses four.

If you could post a pic or two of the top and bottom of the chassis and the base board that arn't so close up I can a little bit more abt it.

Best Regard's

RE: Philco 20, 21, 90 or what? - Steve Davis - 05-22-2019

Mike is correct, this is a 90 cabinet. The top of the arch has a little more of a peak than the 21. Also, if you look at the rear, you can see there is about a 1/2 inch space between the chassis and the side of the cabinet and the back edge of the chassis is about an inch from the back of the cabinet. Now, what I cant explain is the shaft spacing. Obviously,  a tone control has been added but the spacing of the two outer controls would have to be widened to match the holes in the 90 front panel.


Steve

RE: Philco 20, 21, 90 or what? - klondike98 - 05-22-2019

OK I see it now....I stand corrected by folks that know more than me... Icon_thumbup

RE: Philco 20, 21, 90 or what? - morzh - 05-22-2019

Robin,

Yes, the 90 cabinet (although some folks say they look the same with 70, only the trim is different) does have a pointier (just a tad) top in addition to the different trim at the bottom, and it makes it a bit more elegant (to me).

RE: Philco 20, 21, 90 or what? - Ron Ramirez - 05-22-2019

Mike is correct - the cabinet is a model 90.

The chassis is a modified model 20, since this one has four control knobs and model 20 only has three (as Mike and others have also pointed out).