Absolutely gorgeous RCA Victor AM-FM

[alexkerhead]

I got this years ago at a yard sale for a few bucks, because the needle was broke(like all of these models) and it was very dirty with paint specs all over it. This is a 3-RF-91.

Today, I put a new cord on it, and to my surprise it worked flawlessly(did need some DeOxit[faderlube of course] though). The 8" speaker sounds better than any table-top vintage radio I have ever listened to. The radio fires up in a few seconds, all tubes strong, and no buzz.

So, I was worried I couldn't find a needle for it. Then, while I was cleaning the dial round out(hard to do I might add), I found the needle pieces in the "dust-cake". I soldered the needle back together, which looks perfect and cleaned the outside up. I don't clean the insides, because I like the smell of burnt dust, but I do make sure there is nothing inside the chassis.

I really like that it has FM, because AM is just talk and gospel..
This is one of my new favorites. With all the research I have done, mine seems to be the only one of these pictured on the internet with the needle intact. Most have the half-moons broke off. most people just break the other half off when one half is broke.


Here is a pic of the radio when the needle was broke, right after the initial cleaning.



Here is the inside and back of the radio. I hooked a CD player to the phono jack, and it sounds great. I have a rca bakelite 45 player somewhere I will hook to it someday.



Here are the pics after the full-on cleaning and needle repair.

[Hemingray]

Beautiful RCA! I assume it's chock full of 6V tubes since I spy a power tranny there.

My Victor also has the golden throat label on the back cover, albeit it's printed on it in a bright yellow.

[Sandy G]

NICE set, Alex !

[Tony V]

I have both this version and the wooden model. These are nice performing radio's and the 45 changers sound great on these! What surprised me is that theres little to no drift on FM which is nice for an early tubed FM with no AFC. Nice find!
-Tony

[alexkerhead]

Cool! How do the needles look on yours?

I ran mine for 4 hours today, and the station stayed locked, and it hasn't ever been serviced.

[mhardy6647]

... I've got one of those in the basement (come to think of it). I doubt that its cosmetics are as good as this one, though.

[toxcrusadr]

The mahogany version was the 6-RF-91. I also have both - actually I think I have two of the 3's. They are really nice radios. There's a thread around here about the 6's I think. Congrats! And change out those caps when you can, they won't last forever and could take your power tranny with them.

[toxcrusadr]

Here are a couple threads, the second one especially is all about this radio.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=161185
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=118564

BTW besides the electronics, the airplane dial with backlighted Lucite dial scale is ultra-cool. It makes me want to get out my narrow black tie and the martini shaker.

[alexkerhead]

Thanks for the info tox!~ Seems to be a rare radio, but the tubes and electronics are easy enough to find.

[Tony V]

Originally Posted by alexkerhead

Cool! How do the needles look on yours?

I had several of my 45 changers cartridges rebuilt and they sound great. Obviously they only play mono records but if you have some old 45's then you'll have fun. The cool thing is these make a nice bookshelf system. The dial pointers on both of mine were missing half of the circle piece but otherwise good shape. I eventually located replacements.
-Tony