Philco meets Zenith
 

Shuffling some stuff around in the house yesterday, and I come up with these relics. I'd forgotten just how many tubes were in that Philco.....

http://www.videokarma.org/attachment...1&d=1346889181

Wow....that looks like a Philco 37-116X with automatic tuning and 15 tubes. Philco made several high fidelity radios in the 30's which really put out some nice sound. The 37-116x cost $195. new.....that's like 1/3 the cost of a new car in the 30's. I like it's machine age looks that says "I mean business".

I own a 1931 model 112 console, 11 tube with the Norman Bel Geddes designed cabinet.

Easy to see how Philco became the number one is sales after only three years of radio production, they made great stuff !

You're right, it's a 37-116. It's the only radio console that I own that has passive radiators in addition to the speaker.

That's bitchin'. Do you have it restored and running?

Hey, that Zenith isn't a slouch either. It may only have 8 tubes, but that wavemagnet assembly makes it one of the best performing radios I have. If you haven't restored it already, do it!

No not restored, etc. That'll be one I tackle after some practice on something "lesser"... BTW, in case no one noticed, that Philco has the rare "Atari on top" option. :D

BTW, that Zenith (that leadlike correctly identified as a nice console) came from your neck of the woods.... Missouri that is. My brother in law got it from a neighbor IIRC, and gave it to me. Prince of a guy, he also pulled aside a Hickok 539c that was going to be dumpsterized at work. He gave me that too....

Nice radio and tube tester to get for free! The Hickoks are built like tanks. Change the two or so capacitors in there, check the tubes and it's probably good to go another half century.

Do you have lesser radios to practice on? If not we can talk about that...

Hey Tox.... I think I sensed an offer in there, and thanks. However I have "lesser" radios to practice on.... mostly tabletop models, and even have a couple (cosmetically terminal) consoles I could play with.

Believe it or not I have two 539c's. One that was being thrown away at my workplace years ago (with a ton of NOS tubes too), and the one I got from my brother in law. Yeah they are tough!!

Absolutely fantastic looking! I love older equipment like that.

Thanks. I like the old stuff too :thmbsp: But it can be overly addictive :thumbsdn:

Welcome to AK. Where are you located in WV ?

Right in the middle of the coalfields. Logan, WV. Not too far from where a lot of flooding has happened recently.