Posts: 9
Threads: 4
Joined: Nov 2006
I wouldn't say a Philco 90 is "rare" but out here in Arizona they are a rare find. Found this one a few day ago and thought I'd post some pictures. All original other than the tubes. I just got done replacing the fabric power cord and chassis washers, now ordering the grille cloth from John. The cabinet, long ago someone started to remove the finish but luckly didn't go about it the "80 grit" sandpaper way, something I see a lot of. Chassis looks completly original underneath and no rust! I'm not really into the early stuff but this was hard to pass on at $100. I'm more into the Deco style consoles of 36' to 38'
Posts: 1,703
Threads: 55
Joined: Sep 2005
City: Evanston, IL
Under chasiss does appear untouched by a restorer and eminently restoreable.
Even has the original Mershon copper electrolytics, no less!
(See the re-stuffing tips for these on my site.)
Unusually good condition. A keeper.
Chuck
Posts: 13,776
Threads: 580
Joined: Sep 2005
City: Ferdinand
State, Province, Country: Indiana
That was an amazing buy at $100. It looks like all you need to do is clean it/dust it off a bit, replace the grille cloth, and it will look as good as it did in 1931. Congratulations! 
Edit: Now I see where someone partly removed the finish.  You'll be able to fix that also, I am sure.
--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
Posts: 9
Threads: 4
Joined: Nov 2006
Thanks Ron, I was glad to see your site still up and going, I haven't been and posted here in a while. The cabinet is real solid on this one and the refinish would be easy for me, the electronic restoration is where I lose interest. I get too picky about keeping it original then end up just wasting a lot of time, but for a $100 I'll keep it around for a while.
Posts: 244
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Joined: Feb 2006
Great deal! I paid quite a bit more for less.
Phil aka Philbert Q. Desenex - Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 299
Threads: 107
Joined: Mar 2011
City: Sheboygan Falls,Wisconsin
That is a terrific 90 and what a deal! Congratulations After 30 years of waiting I finally aquired my 90 early this year for $200. Not in quite as good a condition as yours, but I'm very happy with it! Hope you have a lot of fun with yours!!
Kevin
Posts: 4,686
Threads: 51
Joined: Sep 2008
City: Sandwick, BC, CA
Which chassis does it have? The one with two #45s, a single #47, or a pair of #47s? I have a chassis for one of the mid production 90s with a single #47. I was seriously thinking about getting a reproduction cabinet for it if I couldn't find an empty one but now there seems to be more and more of these 90s materializing for affordable prices, at least the ones in as is condition.
Regards
Arran
Posts: 3,138
Threads: 56
Joined: Apr 2011
City: Lexington, KY
Nice score! I consider the Philco 90 an icon of old radios, I never get tired of looking at them and the prices are getting lower on many of them. I remember how excited I was to find mine at the Dayton Hamfest back in 1980, and after restoring it still sits proudly on the shelf.
John KK4ZLF
Lexington, KY
"illegitimis non carborundum"
Posts: 404
Threads: 53
Joined: Feb 2009
Very nice indeed! I'd love to ad a 90 to my small collection one day.
tractorforum.com *** I reserve the right to be wrong
Posts: 9
Threads: 4
Joined: Nov 2006
Hi Arron, I checked, this one has the single 47, I'm guessing the chassis with the two 45's probably would sound the best outta the three? I've never heard any of 90's play. I'm thinking about replacing the electrolitics and firing it up!
Posts: 2,128
Threads: 18
Joined: Oct 2008
City: Merrick, Long Island, NY
Take your time, replace/restuff capacitors all, and while you're at it, do all the carbon resistors too, cheap enough. Install a 1 amp fuse. Then and only then, fire it up slowly with the variac, and keep you're eye on the B+ and hands away from the bench. Well, that's what I do most often.
Posts: 4,686
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Joined: Sep 2008
City: Sandwick, BC, CA
radioray Wrote:Hi Arron, I checked, this one has the single 47, I'm guessing the chassis with the two 45's probably would sound the best outta the three? I've never heard any of 90's play. I'm thinking about replacing the electrolitics and firing it up!
It would probably sound better with a pair of #45s as opposed to the single #47 but I don't know how a set with push pull #47s would compare to one with push pull #47s. The push pull #47s would likely be louder then the #45s but I don't know if they would sound better, it would depend on what circuit the #47s used.
Regards
Arran
Posts: 3,138
Threads: 56
Joined: Apr 2011
City: Lexington, KY
A trade off listener-wise with the p-p 45's is it didn't have AVC. Seems like most of the sets found are the second version with a single 47. I'm not sure what percentage of each were produced but Chuck might have some stats on his Repair Bench site:
http://www.philcorepairbench.com/cathedralid.htm
John KK4ZLF
Lexington, KY
"illegitimis non carborundum"
(This post was last modified: 02-27-2012, 12:05 PM by Eliot Ness.)
Posts: 1,703
Threads: 55
Joined: Sep 2005
City: Evanston, IL
BTW John, that webpage is part of MY website, The Philco Repair Bench, not a part of Ron's Philco website.
We are website 'partners,' but two distinct and complimentary websites.
Chuck 
Posts: 3,138
Threads: 56
Joined: Apr 2011
City: Lexington, KY
Chuck Schwark Wrote:BTW John, that webpage is part of MY website, The Philco Repair Bench, not a part of Ron's Philco website.......... That's what I get for being in a hurry...... sorry about that and error corrected.
John KK4ZLF
Lexington, KY
"illegitimis non carborundum"
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