[FStephenMasek]

I bought a Philco B-1756 yesterday ($50, and it came with the manual with a copyright date of 1953).

I suspect I will need a cartridge - does anyone know a good source for the "Phonorama reproducers (ivory colored case)?

[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...closed.jpg]

[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...56open.jpg]

[Doug Houston]

Philco's Phonorama was one of the finest creations of the fifties. I had one once, that had a damaged cabinet. It had the 21 inch TV chassis, that was also one of the best sets in the monochrome days. The thing was built like a battleship. It was the set I used in my garage, while i was restoring my cars. The sound was superb, as you'll find with yours. I suspect that the pickup would have been a ceramic cartridge, though I never had to do anything to the one I had.

I never was able to find much on the acoustical makeup of the set. It appears that the speaker opening was some sort of acoustic lens.

In any event, save for the damaged cabinet, it was an outstanding piece, the likes of which don't appear but once in a blue moon. Take good care of that thing, and enjoy it to the limit.

[FStephenMasek]

Does anyone know where to obtain a belt for the turntable in my B-1756. There are plenty of places which will rebuild or replace the idler, but I have yet to find a belt - it has a circumference of 2.625" and a width of 0.25"

[Don Lind]

Try turning the belt inside out to squeeze few more miles. I have some if all else fails.

B Line is the '54 model year, announced at mid year'53 product shows.

Don

[FStephenMasek]

It plays very well! It is almost finished, but I need to find time to obtain a turntable belt.

[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...lontop.jpg]

[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...56dial.jpg]

cool lights to show bass & treble levels
[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...lights.jpg]

It played the first time I tried it after replaceing the capacitors and many resistirs. It was lots of work to replace the dial light wires and some other wires which were sticky (some sort of strange breakdown of the plastic)
[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...nished.jpg]

bottom of amplifier & power supply chassis
[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...nished.jpg]

bottom of radio chassis
[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...nished.jpg]

[Radioroslyn]

Nice and neat!!! I seen that goo the seems to come out of the 1950's plastics A little bit of OMS or WD-40 seems to clean it off ok.
GL
Terry

[FStephenMasek]

I just determined that the old belt has an inside diameter of 0.75", while the PBR FR2.2 has an inside diameter of 0.7 inches. The FR2.2 has the same height, 0.25" and the same thickness, 0.0625". I hope this helps anyone else who finds one of these.

[Ron Ramirez]

Looking at that B-1756 cabinet one year on, I have a completely new appreciation for it. It looks very Heywood Wakefield-ish. One year ago I didn't know what Heywood Wakefield was. But thanks to the mid century modern kick we're on, I've learned a lot about different things.

Thank you, Stephen, for the belt info and for sharing the great pictures!

[FStephenMasek]

I sold it today. Here are some more and better photos of it finished:

[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...M_6627.jpg]

[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...M_6624.jpg]

[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...M_6636.jpg]

[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...M_6626.jpg]

[Image: http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj77/...M_6622.jpg]

[Arran]

I think it shows how much the workmanship of cabinet construction slipped by the early 1950s, at least at Philco. Most people would not notice this but the grain on each door is not lined up, the veneer on one side should have been bookmatched with the other by flipping the sheet over, preferably with the most figured "fiddleback" portions near the center. Unfortunately there isn't really much that could be done to correct it now, even rotating the door 180 degrees, which could improve it somewhat, isn't possible because of where the holes for the handle were drilled.
Regards
Arran