'39 Kent (Arvin) 3 tube metal midget radio

[radiotvnut]

Just got this off epay as one of those "never got around to it" projects by the seller. It's a Kent model 402 midget radio from '39. The tube lineup is 25B8, 50L6, and 35Z5. I've got two or three of the late '40's to early '50's 4 tube Arvin and Silvertone midget radios; but, I have never owned a 3 tuber. I knew that 2 and 3 tube midgets existed; but, the ones I found were always priced higher than I was willing to pay.

Someone has recently recapped this radio with the little yellow caps that we all know about; but, it would have been fine with me if they would have left it alone. There were bad solder joints and some of the connections were loose. The radio wouldn't power up because whoever tried to fix it had the hot side of the AC cord connected to some tie point on the 50L6 socket. The power switch is also bad. For now, I jumped it for testing. Once I connected the AC cord back to it's proper place, the radio only motorboats with no reception.

I don't know it the seller tried to fix this radio or if it was this way when he got it. Whoever did it needs to stay out of radios until they learn some lessons on how to solder and how to read a schematic.

Now, I'll have to be on the lookout for one of the two tube (70L7 and 25B8) versions.