For the record, I'm glad I never acquired any of the over-built monsters with two or three chrome-plated chassis, motor-driven tuning etc., which I so admired 30 years ago. Also, most old cabinet designs are striking but some are ugly and others are beautiful. Back then I thought only the schematic could be ugly or beautiful. The only 78 rpm record changer, that I've seen, and believe deserves to be kept is the one in the Philco Beam-of-Light radios that did NOT have the recording feature. BOL is a rare, collectable feature but the machinery of the changer is admirable too.
It's sort if hard to choose which radio is my pride and joy right now. I would have to say my 116X. Yes, I have my 38-116X, but it is needing a good bit of work to get it up to a full 100% and my 116X was a lot closer and in a lot better condition for the same price.
As for dream radios, well the 38-690 is definitely on my list as well as the 15X and a Radiola 67.
I would have to say my Philco 48-482 since i really like the style and this radio got me started in the hobby (it's the lower Philco). It cost $10 at the flea market and really cleaned up nice using nothing but a little Howard's. It was complete except it was missing 3 of the knobs. A very close second is my recently acquired late 30's vintage Pilot H220 tabletop (25" wide!). It's the only radio I have with a tuning eye and I think the style is very cool! Thanks to some forum members, I've ordered the correct knobs to replace the 2 center ones. Have not decided yet on a "dream radio" but I think a nice floor console of some sort with an FM band. I will see what comes along.
Craig R.
(This post was last modified: 02-17-2014, 10:57 PM by VntgRads.)
My dream radio is any one of the Philco Mystery control sets. In all my years of collecting I have come across a number of the controllers but never a radio. A really nice one of those sets would be the crown of my collection.
My dream radio would transport me back to when I was 30, when I was still married to a beautiful woman, had a young family, and when I was in great shape and was in a Marine Recon four-man team getting ready to parachute off the ramp of a speeding C-130 at night.
In lieu of that I would settle for any radio that Pam Anderson personally delivered to me.
Mine would have to be my 37-116 that took me so long to finally locate. I am in the process of working on the chassis and the more I look the more I see where it was butchered by some previous hacker. There are wires cut, parts jumpered, components hanging in mid-air. I am hoping to get this thing up and running so it lives up to the great performer that most people on here say it is.
This McMurdo Silver Masterpiece VI has an 18 inch Jensen theatre speaker, thanks to the kindness and generosity of a good friend and fellow collector who has been a great source of help to me over the years.
Brunswick 5KR TRF (circa 1928.) with matching speaker. Mint condition as picked including the original light bulb hood. Picked up at an antique barn north of Hammondsport NY 3 years ago for $62.00
Herb S.
Ithaca NY
(This post was last modified: 02-19-2014, 08:26 AM by hsusmann.)
That would have to be my Phirst Philco, which is how I found this Phabolous Phorum in the Phirst place. A 37-610 which had been in my wife's family since new, and covered with about 1/4" of varnish when I got it. Thanks to all of the great information I found here, I was able to get it up and running and it is still one of the best receivers I have. Hats off to all of you, and particularly you, Ron, for hosting this site.
I love them all...
If I thought civilization was about to come to an end, I would grab one of the brand Z TransOceanics. I have enough timed in service out ELT battery packs to run one for a long long time. If i thought I could get 110 VAC I might go with the 43B
If I was stuck at home and the US was still in good shape, I would go with a 48-482 (VntgRads has a nice picture of one above) Good performer with the modern FM band. If the US collapsed but I was stuck at home I would go with the 37-116
Let me offset Ron's blasphemy a bit. First of all I am not a "Philco guy", or for that matter any manufacture "guy". And I don't have any chrome monsters. But I do have my 37-116 in the living room - and a Walton(s). So I do think that the big 1937 and 38 Philcos are top notch along with my AK447, my Emerson Mae West, my Clago Radiocron and a few black dial Zeniths. There are a few to compare to on my site "before and after", in relation to the big Philco. Plus it is getting hard to find a good cabinet anymore.
And I like very early battery radios. Did I mention I just acquired 2 Federals and a Westinghouse RA and DA?
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