Crapified radios

[Frank]

https://qctimes.com/lifestyles/each-radio-tells-its-own-story-davenport-man-restores-antique/article_adf8c81c-0531-5ea7-b8df-1061911821b3.html

[John Robertson]

Post by Frank
https://qctimes.com/lifestyles/each-radio-tells-its-own-story-davenport-man-restores-antique/article_adf8c81c-0531-5ea7-b8df-1061911821b3.html

Let us hope this doesn't become a 'thing'!

I thought restoration meant to make more like the original, otherwise
just buy a Crosley clone...

John :-#(#

[Frank]

Post by John Robertson

Post by Frank
https://qctimes.com/lifestyles/each-radio-tells-its-own-story-davenport-man-restores-antique/article_adf8c81c-0531-5ea7-b8df-1061911821b3.html

Let us hope this doesn't become a 'thing'!
I thought restoration meant to make more like the original, otherwise
just buy a Crosley clone...
John :-#(#

Which Crosley clone has the lovely veneer of his True Tone restoration?

https://www.craftedqc.com/product/truetone/2968?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=121

And how many hours of our precious lives have we wasted looking for correct knobs?

https://www.craftedqc.com/product/stromberg-carlson/2964?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=121

And here's some more!!

https://www.craftedqc.com/product/stromberg-carlson/2964?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=121

[Frank]

Post by Frank

Post by John Robertson

Post by Frank
https://qctimes.com/lifestyles/each-radio-tells-its-own-story-davenport-man-restores-antique/article_adf8c81c-0531-5ea7-b8df-1061911821b3.html

Let us hope this doesn't become a 'thing'!
I thought restoration meant to make more like the original, otherwise
just buy a Crosley clone...
John :-#(#

Which Crosley clone has the lovely veneer of his True Tone restoration?
https://www.craftedqc.com/product/truetone/2968?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=121
And how many hours of our precious lives have we wasted looking for correct knobs?
https://www.craftedqc.com/product/stromberg-carlson/2964?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=121
And here's some more!!
https://www.craftedqc.com/product/stromberg-carlson/2964?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=121

Oops! Here's the full line up of gutted trash!

https://www.craftedqc.com/shop/johnny-boxes/121

[Frank]

Post by John Robertson

Post by Frank
https://qctimes.com/lifestyles/each-radio-tells-its-own-story-davenport-man-restores-antique/article_adf8c81c-0531-5ea7-b8df-1061911821b3.html

Let us hope this doesn't become a 'thing'!
I thought restoration meant to make more like the original, otherwise
just buy a Crosley clone...
John :-#(#

Speaking of ghouls, we fans of "Night of the Living Dead" will see a familiar face here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1939-7-S-363-Vintage-Zenith-Radio-Sonos-Sonance-Electronics-Inside/164013326853?hash=item262ff4c205:g:jskAAOSwCmBeC77k

[Frank]

Post by Frank
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1939-7-S-363-Vintage-Zenith-Radio-Sonos-Sonance-Electronics-Inside/164013326853?hash=item262ff4c205:g:jskAAOSwCmBeC77k

The bluetooth "restorations" of the other old tabletop radios is comical but what happened to this Zenith is disturbing.

It looks to me like audio distributor had some dead on the shelf expensive bluetooth items and decided to gut a nicely restored Zenith console in an attempt to spice up sales.

It's now a one-off novelty item likely headed for the dumpster in a few years.

[J.B. Wood]

Post by John Robertson

Post by Frank
https://qctimes.com/lifestyles/each-radio-tells-its-own-story-davenport-man-restores-antique/article_adf8c81c-0531-5ea7-b8df-1061911821b3.html

Let us hope this doesn't become a 'thing'!
I thought restoration meant to make more like the original, otherwise
just buy a Crosley clone...
John :-#(#

Hello, and thinking of Powel Crosley, outside of museums I wonder how
many of his 1936 WLW Super Power radio receivers are still out there.
That was one B.A. radio (and heavy). Sincerely,

[Frank]

Post by John Robertson

Post by Frank
https://qctimes.com/lifestyles/each-radio-tells-its-own-story-davenport-man-restores-antique/article_adf8c81c-0531-5ea7-b8df-1061911821b3.html

Let us hope this doesn't become a 'thing'!
I thought restoration meant to make more like the original, otherwise
just buy a Crosley clone...
John :-#(#

You've reminded me that "restoration" can mean different things to different people. To me, it's "return something to a previous condition". But I've seen items that were individualized, customized, re-purposed or crapified called "restored".

New paint or varnish seems to be the predominant prerequisite.

I don't actually have any problem with the "restorer" who guts old, forgotten radios, stuffs in some LEDs and a bluetooth speaker and gives it all a dozen coats of poly. Unrestored, these radios were likely to be in the dumpster in some years. "Restored", they'll hang around until they get replaced with different goofy kitsch.

[Terry S]

Post by Frank
https://qctimes.com/lifestyles/each-radio-tells-its-own-story-davenport-man-restores-antique/article_adf8c81c-0531-5ea7-b8df-1061911821b3.html

Crapified? Did you even read the article? Those radios are RESTORED!

[Frank]

Post by Terry S

Post by Frank
https://qctimes.com/lifestyles/each-radio-tells-its-own-story-davenport-man-restores-antique/article_adf8c81c-0531-5ea7-b8df-1061911821b3.html

Crapified? Did you even read the article? Those radios are RESTORED!

Yes, much like the way people were "restored" in all those George Romero movies.

[philo]

Post by Terry S

Post by Frank
https://qctimes.com/lifestyles/each-radio-tells-its-own-story-davenport-man-restores-antique/article_adf8c81c-0531-5ea7-b8df-1061911821b3.html

Crapified? Did you even read the article? Those radios are RESTORED!

Yes.

I had one radio that I restored as close to original as possible but
decided to put in nicer speaker cloth than original.

It looks great.


Another one really was a barn radio. The mice did not just eat the
insulation off, they ate three of the wires completely . I was able to
download the repair manual for the Radiola 17 and get it working.

I did not do a full restore, I left it as original as possible.

Most of the tubes are low emission and so were most of my spares. Thanks
to my tube tester I found tubes good enough to get sound out of it and
tune in stations.

[Peter Wieck]

I have watched this conversation over the last several day, and here is my opinion:

a) A radio is an appliance. And as with any appliance, each one will have greater or lesser levels of 'design' included in it.
b) For the most part, consumer radios were mass-produced. So materials, means and methods were chosen to enhance the speed of manufacture, as well as keep costs as low as possible.
c) Very few radio manufacturers were vertically integrated (such as Philco). Most purchased all or most of their parts and materials from outside suppliers, and, of course, each one was the lowest qualified bidder, the manufacturer limiting their work to final assembly (such as Zenith).
d) We, as collectors and/or restorers are not limited to these materials, means or methods. Just as one restoring a vehicle does not have to use 30-weight non-detergent oil and poor-quality paper oil filters, we do not have to limit ourselves to 'historical' capacitors. And just as with that vehicle being limited to 'fish-oil' paint and baked-on lacquers for hot parts, we do not have to limit our choices of finishes either.

Guys and gals - it is the 21st Century - and shortly, some of our vintage radios will become actual antiques (100 years old). They are not Louis XIV chairs, where the vintage fabric, however tattered, and the original finish, however worn makes its value, but also makes it useless - these are, again, appliances meant to be used and enjoyed.

Any means, methods or choices that takes such a device off the shelf, out of the barn, or away from landfill and into use is entirely legitimate. Including metallic tangerine automotive paint. And, if that same radio in tangerine catches the eye of the next generation of collectors and/or restorers, that can only be a good thing.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[John Robertson]

Post by Peter Wieck
a) A radio is an appliance. And as with any appliance, each one will have greater or lesser levels of 'design' included in it.
b) For the most part, consumer radios were mass-produced. So materials, means and methods were chosen to enhance the speed of manufacture, as well as keep costs as low as possible.
c) Very few radio manufacturers were vertically integrated (such as Philco).. Most purchased all or most of their parts and materials from outside suppliers, and, of course, each one was the lowest qualified bidder, the manufacturer limiting their work to final assembly (such as Zenith).
d) We, as collectors and/or restorers are not limited to these materials, means or methods. Just as one restoring a vehicle does not have to use 30-weight non-detergent oil and poor-quality paper oil filters, we do not have to limit ourselves to 'historical' capacitors. And just as with that vehicle being limited to 'fish-oil' paint and baked-on lacquers for hot parts, we do not have to limit our choices of finishes either.
Guys and gals - it is the 21st Century - and shortly, some of our vintage radios will become actual antiques (100 years old). They are not Louis XIV chairs, where the vintage fabric, however tattered, and the original finish, however worn makes its value, but also makes it useless - these are, again, appliances meant to be used and enjoyed.
Any means, methods or choices that takes such a device off the shelf, out of the barn, or away from landfill and into use is entirely legitimate. Including metallic tangerine automotive paint. And, if that same radio in tangerine catches the eye of the next generation of collectors and/or restorers, that can only be a good thing.
Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

Well said, but I still don't care for the look.

However I only collect a narrow range of radios (early battery sets)
because I don't care as much for others.

I have to agree that anything that gets folks saving the radios is a
good thing. The person doing this work, is he saving the guts of the
radio or chucking them and just keeping the empty case? If he was to cut
off the power cord, and then use a wall wart for the BT, but keeping the
original guts then that would be not a bad way to combine the
practicality with saving something for the future...

Rambling off...

John :-#)#

[t***@gmail.com]

Post by Peter Wieck
a) A radio is an appliance. And as with any appliance, each one will have greater or lesser levels of 'design' included in it.
b) For the most part, consumer radios were mass-produced. So materials, means and methods were chosen to enhance the speed of manufacture, as well as keep costs as low as possible.
c) Very few radio manufacturers were vertically integrated (such as Philco). Most purchased all or most of their parts and materials from outside suppliers, and, of course, each one was the lowest qualified bidder, the manufacturer limiting their work to final assembly (such as Zenith).
d) We, as collectors and/or restorers are not limited to these materials, means or methods. Just as one restoring a vehicle does not have to use 30-weight non-detergent oil and poor-quality paper oil filters, we do not have to limit ourselves to 'historical' capacitors. And just as with that vehicle being limited to 'fish-oil' paint and baked-on lacquers for hot parts, we do not have to limit our choices of finishes either.
Guys and gals - it is the 21st Century - and shortly, some of our vintage radios will become actual antiques (100 years old). They are not Louis XIV chairs, where the vintage fabric, however tattered, and the original finish, however worn makes its value, but also makes it useless - these are, again, appliances meant to be used and enjoyed.
Any means, methods or choices that takes such a device off the shelf, out of the barn, or away from landfill and into use is entirely legitimate. Including metallic tangerine automotive paint. And, if that same radio in tangerine catches the eye of the next generation of collectors and/or restorers, that can only be a good thing.
Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

The trouble with insensitive restorations is they destroy what the radio is about, and what the experience of using it is. Everyone's currently free to do what they want with their radios but you won't find me installing short-lived digital crappery in a classic set. Like a lot of people I want them as original in nearly every case. (Yes there are occasional exceptions.)

And it is simply not true to say that all radios used the cheapest possible BOM. Anyone that collects, repairs or restores them is aware that was not the case. Even the sets that are of that nature often have their charm.


NT

[Peter Wieck]

"Back in the day", a radio manufacturer did not yet know how to cut corners and make crap, as most everything was being done for the first time. Think about it. regular wall-switches were porcelain ceramic with wiper-type contacts. Why? Because these switches were designed to take both AC and DC. And, DC arcs. Today, not so much.

Old radios worked with vacuum tubes - which required some basic voltage-handling.
Digital manufacturing did not exist, so the cost of miniaturization was high. Note that early transistor sets were much more costly than their contemporary AA5 sets. Nearly $50, vs. about $10 for a cheap 4-tube plastic tabletop.

And, over 300,000,000 consumer-grade radios were manufactured in the USA alone between 1921 and 1963. Yep, just like the Apollo Program - each part was made by the cheapest qualified bidder to perform the function needed at the lowest possible price. We are not discussing Boat Anchors, military or specialty radios - just those purchased by ordinary people for every day use.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[t***@gmail.com]

Post by Peter Wieck
"Back in the day", a radio manufacturer did not yet know how to cut corners and make crap,

This is not too realistic. One could buy low end cost cutter sets with few valves, crude speakers, minimum cost cabinets, poor rf performance, muntzed circuits, undersized paper caps etc. And one could buy sets with better circuits, more & better quality parts, fancy cabinets etc.

Even in the early days there were supplies of corner cutting parts for home constructors as well as respected brands.

Post by Peter Wieck
as most everything was being done for the first time. Think about it. regular wall-switches were porcelain ceramic with wiper-type contacts. Why? Because these switches were designed to take both AC and DC. And, DC arcs. Today, not so much.

also because that was normal practice for fire risk reduction, whereas today we achieve that by using better switching designs. Many Rolls era light switches could be left arcing, it's hard to do that with current ones.

Post by Peter Wieck
Old radios worked with vacuum tubes - which required some basic voltage-handling.

?

Post by Peter Wieck
Digital manufacturing did not exist, so the cost of miniaturization was high.

The reason for the cost of miniaturisation was difficulty hand assembling the parts plus the small market. Automation solved that, it didn't need to be digital.

Post by Peter Wieck
Note that early transistor sets were much more costly than their contemporary AA5 sets. Nearly $50, vs. about $10 for a cheap 4-tube plastic tabletop.

Early tech normally is high priced. The same is true whether large or miniature.

Post by Peter Wieck
And, over 300,000,000 consumer-grade radios were manufactured in the USA alone between 1921 and 1963. Yep, just like the Apollo Program - each part was made by the cheapest qualified bidder to perform the function needed at the lowest possible price. We are not discussing Boat Anchors, military or specialty radios - just those purchased by ordinary people for every day use.
Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

I've restored enough to know that is just not the case. It might apply to german people's receivers and a minority of other sets, but most used more complex circuits than they needed to, nicer cabinets than minimum cost etc. Same as products on the market today, only a minority are minimum cost & minimum part quality. Most mfrs had a reputation to establish & maintain that enabled a fatter profit margin.


NT

[JP]

I'm mostly in favor of "resto-mod" on the antique and vintage electronics. I've done the "gut and stuff caps" level of detail (never again) but mostly I fix what's broke using modern components... I'm not against mods to a set that extend it's useful life. I have a Pilot FM Tuner on a 1939 Stromberg Carlson, so why not add an aux input for Bluetooth/iPod capability as well? What I don't like is the "guy and garbage" of the internals and replacement with a Bluetooth speaker... that makes me a little sad. But hey, if it's your stuff and your money you can do whatever makes you happy, right?

JP