Project is complete !

[Steve-H]

All,
I wrapped up my quick resto of a Stewart Warner 11-6V AM/Shortwave/Phono. Everything works great; but as I said earlier I think something is up with my cartridge, as the phono sounds like crapola. In any event, I refinished the cabinet, made a new suspension plate for the phonograph, replaced all the caps, any resistors out of spec, and the power and rectifier tubes.

Irregardless, here are some pics...I didn't realize that I still had some dust to clean up, so all apologies:





Thanks for all the help !
Steve

[radio63]

Very nice Steve! Good work! It's great to see another fine old set restored. If you can get another outboard turntable with a good cartridge and needle, try plugging it in and see if there is an improvement in the sound quality. Chances are your old cartidge is likely bad, especially if it is an old crystal type.

Gilbert

[theblackknight]

Nice!! looks great! BTW--does it overheat ever(starts playing bad after 30"), since the power tubes are on the side and the heat goes up? My fisher console did that. Annoyed the hell out of me. Rgds, Henry

[Steve-H]

Henry,
Not that I am aware of...Then again I have only played it for more than an hour while listening to AM. Again, the phono sounds horrid; so I can't stand to hear it until I get that sorted out. I don't think that it is all that bad though, as the power tube and rectifier tube have quite a bit of space around them.

Thanks !
Steve

[ozmoid]

Steve, beautiful job on the cabinet! Hope you get the phono issue sorted out, it's nice to see a piece like that in full working order . Nice work!

Todd

[jpdylon]

That is simply stunning Steve. Excellent cabinet work! Glad to see people are preserving history.

[Nolan Woodbury]

Beautiful SW Steve! The cabinet is breathtaking and the chassis looks very clean and sorted. Nice photos; very warm and appealing. A job well done!

[Tony V]

Since that isnt the original turntable for that set, its a possibility that the output on the cartridge installed is the wrong output voltage which will make it sound horrible. The Stewart Warner sets typically handle a cartridge between 1 and 2 volts. That unit originally had a 78rpm only webster turntable in it. Luckily your Collaro turntable (which is a nice upgrade for this set) will fit most of the cartridges out there so its just a matter of finding one with the correct output voltage and your good to go. Most Collaro turntables i've seen were fitted with cartridges in the .25 to .50 volt range so that might be your problem. Beautiful job on the restoration though and since i have a couple Stewart Warner combo's i know you are enjoying the nice warm sound of the radio. They just dont make them like that anymore. Nice job Steve!
-Tony

[jonman]

good job!

[Steve-H]

Thanks to everyone for their kind words. I am glad that I was able to issue an offering to the gods; and you all are pleased
Tony - I am indebted to you; thanks so much for your help; that makes absolute sense. I knew the collaro wasn't the original TT; as the previous owner made a horrible cover plate (not that mine is much better; but at least it looks OK); however I never gave any thought to the cartridge. Now that I think of it, the volume knob is damn near turned all the way up to get sound out of the phono as well...So that all adds together.
Do you have any suggestions on a good, somewhat inexpensive cartridge replacement ?

Thanks again,
Steve

[Steve-H]

Tony et. al.,
After doing some research, I think again that you are right. The cartridge in there now is an Astatic *-77 something or another. The first digit is worn away, so it could be an 'S', or '6', or '8'; not sure which one.