Antique Radio Conversion: Table Top Champ

[skyboltone]

Well.........yeah, maybe someday? Especially if folks keep turning them into amps. There are molded Micarta ones from the 1930s that are definitely in the 10s of thousands. I'm just being wistful I guess. Floor model Zeniths are already $2500-$3000.

Yup

[Cygnus X1]

Ouch.
You're REALLY going to hate me for this one then:

[img:498:425]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rJET ... bletop.jpg[/img]

[Baxtercat]

Looks like I have that same Zenith [under the phone and clock here].
I had to redo the dial cord. Now this one works.
I also have a great looking Grundig tabletop my daughter wants to listen to. Who do you go to nowadays to get 'em fixed? Any ideas, anyone?

[skyboltone]

Looks like I have that same Zenith [under the phone and clock here].
I had to redo the dial cord. Now this one works.
I also have a great looking Grundig tabletop my daughter wants to listen to. Who do you go to nowadays to get 'em fixed? Any ideas, anyone?

I go to the mirror. They aren't all that complicated. You just have to get your mind set around some simple alignment procedures and get an RF generator. Antique Electronics Supply and Surplus Parts of Nebraska have most of what you need.

[Cygnus X1]

Yes, I found an alignment vid on youtube for that very radio.
I don't have the link but a quick search should find it.

Dan,
I hold that philosophy on old organs.
Some are far too sweet to part out and I leave them
to the organ guys and tell them when I find them.
Others were never so popular so to my boneyard they go to get harvested.

If I thought these radios were really getting more than the 50 to 75 dollars top price I see them going for on ebay I would go ahead and restore them.
I admit I'm finding them for less than that, by far.

A lot of old timers are passing on and the kids end up with these, and have no idea of anyone who works on them, nor are they interested in getting them repaired.

[Buschman]

The coolest thing I should have never gotten rid of was a movie projector extension cabinet. I looked dog house like ,had an alnico jensen in it and had a retractable cord! I had visions of showing up to a gig and pulling the cord out like an electruluxe vacuum cleaner.

[Cygnus X1]

Cool.
I have an Ampex powered speaker I can't wait to fire up.
Need a 6AX5 recto, which I don't have at the moment.

[skyboltone]

Well, I've murdered about 20 Hammond reverb amps and other assorted Hammond pieces just for transformers. Won't do it again though. They are way over rated.

I just bought a 6BQ5 output transformer out of a Harmon Kardon mono amp on ebay for $11.50. It's going to go in a Princeton circuit I think for a friend.

No hurry though, I got to go pick up my airplane in Oregon next week. I'll need a bunch of re-fresher training before I head home. Then lots of flying for the next couple of months to get my mojo back. Early morning stuff.

I got the garage and shop just about three days more to production ready. First amp is gong to be MY Deluxe Reverb. I'm never selling the sucker no matter what. I got about $500 worth of NOS tube to put in it. I forget what all is there but I selected them with the help of the dude at TubeTech. I can't decide if I'm going to go combo or head cab. I bought a really nice JBL 123 and tried it out bolted up quick and dirty inside a Marshall combo that belongs to a friend. It's quite a speaker and about perfect for the DR.

Next will be the Princeton Reverb for my old Pastor. He's poor as a church mouse and had a POS transistor fender that I'm gutting and putting the PR circuit in. I've got two or three suspects for OT in there and lots of Hammond Organ power transformers. I think I'm going 6X4 or 5V3 rectifier for that one probably maybe. He can't afford much of a speaker so I think I'll get him a Eminence 10" legend for it or see if I can't find him a E or K 110 JBL off E-flea. He want's squeeky clean.

After that who knows eh? I got a blind buddy who's really good and works two bands. I think I need to think about a Hi-Watt DR103 for him. He want's clean too but I don't have any iron for him. Edcor maybe. he can't afford the good stuff.

Dan

[Cygnus X1]

The old Baldwins aren't appreciated and I have been mining my way through THREE 56-A chassis parts for a couple of years now.
Each amp yeilds a good 50 watt power transformer, and two output transformer suitable for various uses.
The reverb side is a great Spitfire OT.
Main amp is 4xEL84, which is also great for low power P-P 6L6GC amps.

I've been on a ROLL this week.
Finished up a 30 watt Cygnus high gain 30 watt.
Iron is indeed from the Baldwin, both PT and OT.
Fit into a Univox 1236 head cab.

And latest, a 50's Silvertone radio/phono console.
Fit a Spitfire PTP I built and a Heppner Alnico into it.
Sounds great!

[Cygnus X1]

OK, I'm getting TICKED.

Sometimes images work, other times they don't.

I'm doing something wrong, what is it?

[Structo]

Usually you need a link that ends in .jpg

Or you can upload the picture directly if not to big of a file, like this.

[Reeltarded]

Umm WOW! I need to get out more and snag a console. I see the future, it's coming soon!

[Structo]

You know what is weird?

Probably 90% of households had those large console radios back in the day.

That was their TV.

I suppose most of them ended up in the trash heap or land fills.

I wish I had the one my Grandpa had, I think it was an RCA and even picked up short wave and police bands.

[NickC]

............. Who do you go to nowadays to get 'em fixed? Any ideas, anyone?

Here is a link to an old high school friend in that business for a long time:

http://www.oldradioparts.net/about_me.html

Maybe he can help.

[Structo]

Old radios are cool.

I have tried to win a few on eBay but always get outbid.