[williec]

I have a chassis with a label saying it's a model 38 which is a battery powered unit. My problem is trying to identify the cabinet. It's like a model 28L,32L, 38L,45L or a 89L except on mine the word "PHILCO" is between the top knob and the bottom 3 knobs whereas on the 5 models listed, "PHILCO" is just below the dial. Any help will be appreciated. Bill

[Ron Ramirez]

That sounds right for a 1935 (June 1934) model 38L.

I don't have a good photo of an actual 38L in the Gallery (hint, hint)...

[williec]

Ron, Found a photo of it on the radiomuseum.org web site. Looks like it was made in the 1933-34 time frame. Now my next question is do I refer to it as a model 38L or a 38-38L?

[Ron Ramirez]

Okay, I'll be more direct: Would you be willing to furnish a photo of your 38L for my site's Gallery? It would be very much appreciated.

Now I'm confused. Does your set look like this:
http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1933c.htm#p

or like this:
http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1935a.htm#s

[williec]

Neither one. It's shown on "radiomuseum.com" Just type in Philco 38L and there it is. I'm sure you can get a copy off their site.

[Ron Ramirez]

A 38L looks like one of the two links on my gallery. The knob layout of the later 38L shown in my Gallery is different than an actual 38L...because no one has sent a better photo to me for use in the Gallery.

[williec]

Sorry to bother you but I don't have a photo to send you. If I did I wouldn't have had to ask the question in the first place! I sent you an email showing you what I'm refeering to. I going to work on this over the winter and when I'm finished you'll be the first on my list to get a good picture of it.

[Natalia]

I looked at the radiomuseum site (actually .org) and there were two different 38Ls that come up: early and late. So I can understand the moderator's questions. Perhaps you could give a direct link to the exact one. It seems he's only trying to help.

[williec]

The one I have is the late model 38L

[Ron Ramirez]

First of all, I want to apologize to WillieC.

That having been said, however, it is rather frustrating when I post a link to a cabinet matching a 1935 model 38L only to be told "no, that isn't it." (And it is that frustration that initially prompted a rant from me which I deleted after I got over my anger, and for which I have apologized above.) Sorry, but yes, it is! Philco made this same type of cabinet for no less than five different models (28L, 32L, 38L, 45L, 89L). Yes, the five differ in knob layout and the chassis contained inside, but that is the extent of the differences.

Believe me, I don't like having to use catalog illustrations instead of actual photos in the Gallery. I don't own a copy of every Philco ever made; I have no desire to do so; I don't own a warehouse to store all of them in anyway. Therefore I depend on other folks to furnish good photos for use in this site's Gallery (and may I remind you that this site's Gallery, as well as all of the information contained in Philcoradio.com, is free to all). Many have graciously donated photos to this site's Gallery, which I am very appreciative of. Many others have not; they give their pictures to Radiomuseum, Radio Attic Archives, etc. That's their right.

But please remember: Since this website specializes in one brand, I have taken the time to make sure the Gallery is as accurate as possible. I believe this site's Gallery is more accurate than any other website's photo sections. Period, end of story.

Bottom line: If it says "CHASSIS TYPE 38" on the chassis sticker, and has a cabinet like that shown here:
http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1935a.htm#s
then it is a 1935 model 38L, introduced to the public in June 1934.

It is the same style cabinet as shown on the other site at this link:
http://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_modell.cf...rewrite=on

Natalia, welcome and thanks for the defense.

[williec]

Not only are the cabinets different but the chassis are different as well due to the knob layout. For Philco to market these as the same model was utterly stupid. The more I get into this I'm now finding there are two different "late" model 38L cabinets.

[Arran]

Not only are the cabinets different but the chassis are different as well due to the knob layout. For Philco to market these as the same model was utterly stupid. The more I get into this I'm now finding there are two different "late" model 38L cabinets.

Lets me try an explain again, the photo in the gallery is not of a model 38L as there is no photo of a model 38L in the gallery, it is of another model that happened to share the same cabinet design as a 38L, this is why the control locations do not match your set. Philco used to do this, they would produce one given style of cabinet and fit several different chassis in the same cabinet with a different model number with a different front panel. A recent example in another thread is the model 643 that Bob is working on, his is a battery set but philco used a similar cabinet for a Philco 650 which is an AC operated set. The Philco model numbers relate to the chassis, it has nothing to do with the cabinet, a model 38 is still a model 38 regardless of what cabinet they mounted the chassis into, it's the letter after it that denotes what cabinet style the set has, "L" stands for lowboy, "H" stands for highboy, "B" stands for "Baby Grand", "X" means that the cabinet is fully skirted and has an inclined speaker board, "M" means modern style.
Regards
Arran