New Silvertone Roundie Combo
 

Last Saturday, one of my fellow VKers here in Tucson (thanks Gary!) left me a message that he found a roundie combo unit at an estate sale, and gave me the address. I was out all day, and didn't get the message until late that evening, by which time the sale was over. I decided to take a chance and stopped by the house on Sunday and knocked on the door to see if it was still available. Fortunately, the owners themselves were running the sale and not some professional "estate sale" people and, a couple of hours and $100 later, the set was sitting in my garage. The cabinet is in very nice shape, and will only take a bit of cleaning and some minor work. The CRT tests good, and there doesn't seem to be much in the way of cataracts. The chassis is an RCA clone (not sure which model.....the Silvertone chassis number is 528-62210), and looks to be pretty clean and unmolested. Flyback visually looks OK. The amp and tuner are solid state. I'm guessing 1965-1966?

Another one for the restoration queue after retirement.....

that's a thing of beauty, good luck

which CRT is in there? it doesn't look like it has any cataract

IT has the original Silvertone CRT, if the label on it is correct. Surprising that the original is still in there and still has good emissions on all three guns.

You're correct. That chassis is a '65-'66 Silvertone. Corresponds to the RCA CTC-15.

-Steve D.

I'm glad you were able to get it, Bruce! It should enjoy a long, long second life.

Getting ready to pick up one just like it.

MIne---still in my van.

The same style as the other one, not quite as nice a Cabinet, but it was local. And now...the E-cycle place I got it from KNOWS I like roundie sets, and the thoughtful owner, who listed this on Craigslist hoping it would NOT be wasted, will be on the lookout for me from now on. I need to inform him about hi-fi receivers, though he likely already has one or more buyers for that stuff.

BTW--the hi-fi chassis is sort of unusual. I sneaked a quick look as the back cover is loose on that side. It seems to have a SS amp chassis on the left hand floor of the cabinet, and the tuner is all TUBES, Like my Zenith 64 combo I have.

I do hpoe the CRT is at least usuable on this.

I once found that EXACT console at an estate sale....It was missing the back and all parts associated with the TV except a few knobs. Someone had stuck a 70's-80's Silvertone preset type varactor tuned table set in where the original TV had been.

I only found this set because I asked. It was in the basement and they were just going to toss it. They let me gut the remaining electronics. I still have the changer, speakers, SS amp, and tube tuner chassis(I believe the FM MPX decoder does have one transistor in it).

It has been a few years since I powered up the chassis I pulled from it, but I do recall it sounding good when I set it up at home without the cabinet.

I sort of wish I had kept the whole thing as a few months later I got my metal cabinet Silvertone roundy that I could have used to complete the console....Oh well.

What number CRT does your set use? My metal table model has it's original Silvertone 21GUP22...You read right not a 21FBP or 21FJP, but a 21GUP....Yeah Silvertone used some unusual type CRTs. My Silvertone table top roundy produces some of the nicest colors of any set I've seen working so I'd guess yours will produce a beautiful picture once you get 'em going.

Don't really know what tube is in there, or if it is an original, but I plan to check it with the CR-70 and see how good it is. hopefully, it is good and usuable. It would be NICE if it is some sort of RE replacement tube!!

Electronic M,

Your Silvertone 21GUp22 isn't especially unusual.
It has the rare earth phosphor as opposed to the 21FJ & 21FB tubes which had the Sulphide brighter red phosphors. I believe the 21GU & 21GV tubes had the latest & last improvements in phosphor to improve overall brightness in 21" round tubes.

-Steve D.

Our first set was the metal cabinet cheapie of this chassis with grey plastic around the controls instead of black...

Like this model?
http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/...y/DSCN0433.jpg

RCA2000...got any pictures of your set after you unloaded it?

Nice looking set Bruce. Time to open up a museum.:D One of these days I need to head down there to check out all your sets.

Any time, Sam. Would love to show off the collection. One of these days I'll have to post some pics of my two display rooms.

I FINALLY was able to check out this set. It is not all that easy to go to my garage and mess around anymore, being on dialysis 3 days a week--which makes me VERY tired afterwards.

Anyway--it is out of the van and safely in the garage. I did that last month. But I was NOT able to check anything out--someone had CUT OFF my extension cord I had been using, when the robbed me last winter!!

Anyway---today I took my CR-70 and a couple of cords to my garage. I wanted to "see what was up". i was NOT able to tell which tube I have, not enough light in there to see the tag well, and it was NOT sunny out today.


But anyway--I decided to power up the set. I got power, and the filaments light, but something began to smoke under the chassis up front, close to that board mounted at an angle...and nothing else began to "come up", so I cannot tell what is up chassis--wise. The smoke had a "resistor smell" to me, maybe a diode.

But I DID check the CRT. I tested it as a 21FJP22, since the 70 checks the GUP the same as the FB and FJ. At first try---NOTHING!! Not even the slightest wiggle from the meter on red, even with increased voltage on the filament!! Then, I rechecked my setti9ngs, and discovered I had the cathode set on the WRONG position. This is one of the few weak points of the CR-70. The knobs, at least on the newer version, which I have--have a BAD design, with a setscrew that ALWALS gets loose, and causes the knobs not to adhere tight to the shaft!!

Once I had the cathode set right, and the tube on 6 volts, I re-checked it. THIS time--things looked different. It came up, somewhat slowly, into the good range and held there on the red gun. But the LIFE TEST did NOT hold all that well. I decided to go to 7 volts and it read a bit higher into the green, and holds a bit better on the life test. The other 2 guns read similar-- great on emission and cutoff too--but they all fall , slowly, on the life test. This tells me the tube is not great--but most likely quite useable for a vintage set--and will probably wake up more. I did NOT have time to "cook it" and check it later, either--only about 10 minuted time checking total....WAY too many "unwanted guests" hanging around. But it is FAR from being "dead".

THe hybrid stereo is not dead. I got weak FM and AM, and weaker stereo, with no antenna on the set. No caps got hot, but still, probably needs caps.

Damn that set looks good! Nice score man!

Well, for 35 bucks and a 30 minute drive....not too bad. I saved it from a recycling company, in hopes that the tube would be ok. Looks like I made a good deal!!

Hell yeah ya did! Makes me happy to see a combo saved, I'm outta space for em so I have to pass, no matter how nice they are. But, anytime I run into one I pass the info on....:)