Here's one of mine. Been in the family since new. Have all the original paperwork, spare tubes and yearly licenses that were required to own one. Still works great. It has a satellite phonograph that plugs into it.
I am jealous of you guys with the nice displays. I just don't seem to have that artistic frame of mind, and so even my highly desirable stuff looks like it has been stuffed in a corner to die of neglect. I am motivated to try harder, but I confess, that my artistic skills are so poor, that I would have a difficult time making a ring in the bathtub. Bob
I thought I was done with dragging home old radios. Damn you, Facebook marketplace! The wife found this Crosley dashboard model, for a super reasonable price, and showed it to me. Next thing you know, I’m bringing it home...plus another one...oh, and the mid-century stereo console/turntable that is out in the garage. Sorry, no pic of that one yet.
The I’m quite sure this is sacrilegious to “Old Radio Folks”, but I really had no choice. About a year ago, I was out for a walk around the neighborhood when I saw a neighbor carrying a box out to the curb for trash pickup. Being the curious type., I said, “whatcha got there R.C.?”. “Oh, just some old radio that’s no good to anybody”. “Lemme take a look”. In the box was an old table model that had really seen better days. The finish was completely alligatored, the wiring was dry rotted and fell off under the slightest touch. I said, “I’ll take it!”. “What in the hell are you going to do with that!?”. “I don’t know yet but I can’t let you throw it away”. While carrying it back home to my shop, I decided what to do with it. Make a guitar amplifier out of it. First thing was to remove the chassis. When I got a good look inside of it, I knew I made the right decision. It would probably cost a couple of hundred minimum to have it totally rewired and restored. Then I stripped off the finish and planned my attack. I took the internal measurements of the case and found a new 5 watt tube amp on line that had excellent reviews. It has the same circuitry as a vintage Fender 5 watt amp. Added a new 8” speaker for sound quality and that was it for the electronics. After a new finish, new amp and some copper accents, it was done! It sounds great and I think it looks pretty cool too.
This thread reminds me of the radios that my parents had when I was growing up.Not to mention all the really neat stuff that my Dads friends had.A lot of them were WW1 and WW2 and Korean war vets.There were a lot of really neat ex GI radio sets that worked really well.Thanks to all who have taken the time and effort to post the pictures of their radios and have taken the time to give a little of the known history of them. Good luck.Have fun.Be safe. Leo
Bringing back an old thread because I just found it. I love me some old radios. I've collected quite a few over the years. Some I repurposed, some I keep in the shed waiting for the next project. I seem to have an affinity for 40's Zenith radios though. Not sure why I have more of those... I turned this 41 Zenith tombstone into a computer/media machine: Here's another 41 Zenith console radio I have. This one actually works (well the AM does, not the police band) And my most recent build. a 1941 Stewart Warner desktop that I received as a shell. I needed a new radio for the garage, so I retro fitted some computer speakers, a Raspberry Pi and an old tablet I had. Came out pretty nice. Disregard the mixed knobs. We were 3D printing different styles and sizes. They are all uniform now. Before: After: I found this 51(?) Zenith sitting on a shelf in St. Elmo, Co. Had to bring it home. Turns out it also works, just only for medium wave frequencies... boo
Buddy gave me this Air Castle when he was cleaning out his basement, it lit up and did pull in some AM stations but last time I plugged her in it just hummed really loud. Not much info out on the web for this from what I can find. I think it's a CP5052 or 5053. I don't even recall what the missing knob was for but at least the wife doesn't mind it in the living room!
Don't let the magic smoke out. About $10 or $20 worth of electrolytic capacitors and a soldering iron will get ya back in business most likely. Some of those big wooden console models really crank.
Yeah . . . . you already shot way over my head. I'm mechanical not electrical, at least if it isn't stone simple electrical. I do have a buddy that built me a tube amp for a harmonica mic, so I might employ his knowledge but I know this is way beyond my current knowledge base.
Yup, he'd be able to hook ya right up. See if you can find a .pdf of the Schematic online somewhere for that set. Most likely free, save him the legwork there. You use a Shure "Green Bullet"? I knew another harp player who had the sweetest mellow sounding setup. Can't remember what it was exactly. The mic was this tiny silver cylinder lookin' thing. Must have been impedance matched with the ampz Smoooooooth...
Resurrecting this old thread because I'm a newb here, and I love old radios. Well, old anything actually. Here's a few of the nicer ones I have. Got a few consoles also, but no pictures of them handy. Here's most of the good, working tabletops I have. Hmm, photo doesn't want to show, so I'll just add it as a forum file... That bottom one is the Cadillac of radios in the '30s, a Scott Allwave 15. They are really rare since they cost as much as a car and were only bought by the rich and/or famous. They were entirely chromed, including the chassis and all tube covers, and were designed to be stand-alone units with no cabinet, although you could buy cabinets for them, just not from Scott. I also have the original working speaker, power switch, and a period correct lightning arrestor for it. It works and has fantastic sound. One of my nicer Zeniths. My favorite is this 1924 Atwater Kent that I've had since I was about 12 years old. My Dad and I found it in a junkyard of all places, fixed it up, while letting me do the cabinet and externals, and I've listened to it ever since. Been about 45 years now. I love having to dial in the stations using 3 knobs. With a good antenna, this thing will draw in stations several hundred miles away. Listening to anything on it is like transporting back in time.
'28 Phonebooth , some questions you don't want to know the answer to....my example ^^ I used to hear the Supremes , Neil Diamond and others when I was 8 years old at my cousin's house. I'm retired and they're in their eighties now!
My wife listened to this one in her folk's house for about 15 years. She says it still works. And I'm to "leave it alone " LOLOLOLOL
It's funny how some of those entertainers are like the Energizer Bunny.... But some should have given up long ago!
Hey @Blown Red Ram , what’s the story on that Silvertone floor console? Where did it come from? It looks exactly like the one that I used to own when I lived in Portland. Sold it before I moved back to Wisconsin. Would be nice to know that it ended up in good hands.
Back in the early 70's my aunt told me she bought it new in the middle 40's (?) . And she had to finance it with the payments around $18.00 a month. The store she bought it at is still in business. When my aunt called in an outfit that does estate sales to clean out her big house I asked if I could buy it. She gave it to me! That's been 30 years ago. Reminds me of a lot of family gatherings at that big house.
Just got this one home yesterday. Really nice Knight console. Bought it at an auction. Just need to find some knobs for it. It had huge wooden dresser knobs on it when I got it. Looks much better with those off.
Just saw this thread and I m loving this!! But I can’t help but notice the shadow of the “Old man’s major award” in the background. I have one but my wife will not let me keep it up all year round only for Christmas
I have three antiques at home. One is a 36 Silvertone, then I have a 52/53(?) Maganvox AM/FM/phono (doesn'twork for some reason) and just picked up a Packard Bell table top for our room. I will post pics later when I get home. Mike
The Jalopy Journal
