Here are pix of some of my radios. Click on any of the images or captions to see the photo enlarged.
This is a GE Model 114 from about 1948. I replaced the caps and it plays very well now. The bakelite case is in fantastic shape. This is one of my favorite plastic radios.
Here is a mid-1930s Coronado tombstone radio. It’s in pretty nice shape. The finish, knobs, and electronics are all original and hanging in there. The grill clothe looks to me like it’s a replacement. The round glass over the station dial was missing when I picked this up at a yard sale about 15 years ago, but I recently obtained a replacement dial glass on eBay. However, I also need to get a new machine screw to hold the airplane dial in place. If you look closely there’s a screw in the center of the dial that’s more than twice the length it should be, and that’s holding everything together for now, but it prevents the glass cover from fitting where it belongs…
This is a Skyrover cathedral radio from the early 1930s. Someone before me did some restoration work on it. The grill cloth and knobs, I’m pretty sure are not original. I think it’s been refinished. There is some trouble with the veneer bubbling up in the upper left portion. It doesn’t look as bad to the naked eye as it does in this photo–the lighting really accentuated the problem. The electronics are all original, so I’ve never even tried to turn it on. I’m having a hard time finding a schematic for it, which I always try to get before I start tinkering on the insides…
I like the woven metal grill, and big brass-n-bakelite knobs on this Zenith G-511 radio. This was produced around 1950, and has a super smooth and shiny bakelite case. I replaced the caps and a cracked vacuum tube, and now it plays very well.
This is a “treasure chest” style radio from GE. I like the brass handles on the sides. It’s a Model J-62, produced in 1941. It’s completely original and untouched as far as restoration goes. Plays, but not too well. This beauty is high on the list of candidates to next receive a lot of attention
Here you have a Walgreens Aetna tombstone from about 1935. This is in good, original shape, and plays a little bit. Needs plenty of work still, but I love the look here. The Mt. Aetna graphic in the dial display is super cool.
This little radio was pretty dirty and not working too well when I found it in a thrift store about 10 years ago. It’s a Sonora Model 100 from about 1947. After extensively updating the electronics, I cleaned it up and polished the heck out of it, and now I just love it. Besides being a cute little bakelite classic, it plays fantastic.4 Responses
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Messing around with tube radios
Here are pix of some of my radios. Click on any of the images or captions to see the photo enlarged.
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Hello I saw the Coronado model 578A you have I have one just like it! I got it at a yard sale for $4 it had been stored in a damp place all the wood in the radio is plywood so I had to push glue between the plys and then clamp them. That worked great. luckily there was no missing verneer. It was necesary to strip the case as the finish was so bad it just came right off with 220 sandpaper. Then I had to build up three coats of Laquer No polyurethane here it had Laqeur on it to start with. I replaced the electrolytics and paper caps replace the hars cracked gromets ub=nder the tuning capacitor and it looks good and sounds good. It has the original grill cloth in it and it has a very simular design but it is different from what yours has in it. If yours has a replacement cloth the design is quite simular
if you want i will send you a pic of mine so you can see the original
Peace
Wow, that’s awesome. Mine came in better shape, but I have others in the garage that I’ve picked up cheap that are in the condition you described. I’ve always thought the grill cloth was not original because it is so new looking. Though I think it’s a good match for this radio. Definitely send me a picture, I want to see!
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Thanks for the share!
Nancy.R