[marcapra]

I've been looking for a good pre-1955 console that could play my huge collection of 78s without having to change the needle every play and that has a changer. The Philco 47-1230 looked like a good choice, as I've heard good things about Philcos being reliable and well-engineered. The 1230 also has short-wave and FM. Can a 1947 radio get today's FM channels? Yesterday, on Craigslist I noticed a Philco that looked just like a 1230. The ad didn't mention the model number, and just said they thought it was from about 1932! So I drove over to check it out. When I looked at it, I saw that it was a 46-1209, which has the identical cabinet of a 47-1230. The 1209 has everything that the 1230 has except FM. Unfortunately, I was disappointed when I opened the front and discovered a modern (c. 1960) multi-speed record player, instead of the original phono. Because of this, I was able to get it at a very low price, so I couldn't refuse. Now I have decision to make. Should I try to look for the right phono and buy it as a part, or just keeping looking for a 47-1230? From what I've seen, these consoles are pretty common, but most would need to be shipped. I noticed that 1940's consoles are much lighter than 20's and 30's consoles and might be able to shipped cheaply via Greyhound. But many sellers state clearly on their ads that will not ship. Thanks to anyone who has any comments or advice. Marc.