Help & advice needed!

[citybiker]

Hi all,
I have just acquired a gramophone from my late grandmother which has been sitting in her "good" room for years. It was passed on through the family but there are no dates or stamps that I can find to identify it. It was in poor condition when my grandparents got it but then myself & my grandfather cleaned it up & french polished it years ago, reconnected a few wires and got the radio working. Unfortunately when I turned it on yesterday, the radio cut out & I think I may have blown a fuse (valve?). Luckily the turntable still works although the sound is very low & the only record I have for it at the moment is not in great condition. Can anyone out there identify this? It obvioulsy has huge sentimental value & I would love any information people might have. Thanks in advance!

[phonogal]

Hello and welcome. I think you will find more information on the radio forum http://www.antiqueradios.com/. This forum is mostly early crank up phonographs. Hope this helps. Jan.

[soundgen]

Your radio is a Pilot Clipper but doesn't belong to the case it has been inserted into an older case

[Henry]

[deleted]

[VintageTechnologies]

Before turning on the radio anymore, please find someone knowledgable about old vacuum tube (valve) equipment to inspect and repair it before the radio is completely ruined beyond economic repair. In worst cases, it might even be a fire hazard.

Several things may cause the low volume. Although tubes (valves) do wear out from use, the more usual causes are other components that have deteriorated from age until they are out of "spec". They should be replaced, but fortunately those parts don't cost much, apart fromt the time to replace them. Resistors drift higher in resistance or sometimes burn out. Capacitors "leak" or go bad completely. Some radios will limp along with bad parts, but the performance deteriorates. The greatest concerns should be the electrolytic filter capacitors in the power supply. They often fail with a complete short-circuit and burn out the power transformer (if your set is old enough to have the power transformer design). Radio repairmen jokingly call it the smoke test! Once that happens, the set is not worth repairing, provided that replacement transformers are even available. I repaired radios for years, so this is all practical information.

[soundgen]

What does the record playing part look like ? Picture would be great

[soundgen]

What does the record playing part look like ? Picture would be great

[Phono48]

It is (or was)a 1930s "His Master's Voice" radiogram, which would originally have had the radio next to the record deck, under the lid.(you can still see where the original tuning dial was). Unfortunately someone has "modernised" it by fitting this later radio chassis very inappropriately, and thus, without wishing to offend, completely ruining the rather attractive cabinet. It looks as though the original 78rpm deck is still there, though, which is good. In case you didn't know, it uses steel needles, which must be changed after each side of a record. (two sides if the records aren't valuable!)

[citybiker]

Thank you all for your replies, model 521 from the 1930's it is. That's a shame hearing this news. I had hoped I might be able to find the original radio and re-fit it but that won't be the case now! There is a box of steel needles in the cabinet, I did wonder why there was so many of them. I will indeed try and find a radio repair person and hopefully get the radio working properly & made safe. I have also found a few holes inside the cabinet whick look like woodworm might have taken up residance so they will have to be moved on too. Picture of turntable attached if you are interested. Thanks again!

[martinola]

I guess it all depends on your level of sentimentality with this machine balanced with how much work you'd be willing to do. If it was something my Grandmother or Parents had, I'd certainly keep it, but I'd consider two options.

One option would have you simply get the radio and record player working in its current configuration. The chassis could be readily removed for service and reinstalled. It would represent the machine as a testament to the difficult post WWII years in the UK that left many with the desire to waste nothing. Since you say it was in her good room for years, I can only assume that she found it useful in that state.

The other option would be to pull out that panel in front with the cut-out for the newer radio and replace it with a new panel (salvaging the old speaker trim). One hole would have to be filled on the right, but you'd be refinishing the front in this scenario anyway. Then it would be a hunt for the original radio pieces. Much more labor intensive. Certainly more money, but cool in that it would be back in its original configuration.

In either case, you will have more money in the machine than can be recouped in a sale. BUT you will never have another opportunity to buy your Grandmother's machine at any price.

Best of luck in what ever you decide. Please keep us informed.

Sincerely,
Martin