Antique radios

SENIOR CITIZENS can recall the era before the television, when the family gathered around the radio for the latest news, music and comedies such as "The Jack Benny Show." Let's not forget dramas like "The Long Ranger" and "Gunsmoke." As you can see, some of these great shows were on the radio before they were on the "tube." Finding these old radios has become a popular hobby. Collectors strive to locate the older sets made before the 1940s, but many of the later plastic models are also desirable. There were thousands of radio models made in the period from the 1920s to 1960, which is the period that most collectors look for. Never fear! There is help available to the novice collector in this rapidly growing hobby.

In 1945, shortly after the end of WWII, the vacuum-tube models were being replaced with smaller, less power-consuming solid state transistor models with FM stereo and high fidelity. The manufacturing process moved overseas for lower labor costs, and by 1965, the end of the era was over.

Collectible radios are usually the tube type, and therein lies a problem. Finding tubes and competent people to work on these old radios is difficult. Many collectors learn how to make their own repairs and not only save money, but discover another hobby as well.

Some of the old vacuum tubes are so valuable that collectors will buy an old radio just so they can strip it for the tubes. WD-11 tubes, for example, cost more than $100 each, and are hard to find. There are sources of vacuum tubes, parts, schematic drawings and items to fix up an old radio. Yard sales and flea markets frequently yield good finds. A good "company" source, Antique Electronic Supply in Tempe, Arizona is one of the largest (800-706-6789).

One remarkable fact about the old units is that the vintage radios sound better than the best modern equipment. Apparently, it has to do with the type of speaker used before the early 1940s. The early models used a dynamic electro-magnetic speaker that was good for a full range of sound and frequency response, whereas the modern permanent magnet speakers require a woofer, midrange, and tweeter and still don't reach the same sound quality. There are a few more technical reasons, but a comparison is quite the experience.

I recently had the pleasure of listening to the twelve-inch speakers on a 1940 Zenith console, while across the room, the same radio station was tuned to a modern radio, stereo, and CD unit with a 100 watt amplifier and a full set of quality speakers. The old Zenith had a noticeably better sound. Not a huge difference, but an improvement, nevertheless.

Like any collectible, the condition of the radio is important. Points to consider: is the set electronically complete? If not, how much repair is necessary to make it work? Remember that old vacuum tubes may be cheap or very expensive. Is the cabinet in good condition? Are all of the knobs present? Is the case cracked, chipped or with any other noticeable damage? Is the veneer peeling or the case scratched? If the set has a cloth screen over the speaker(s), does it have any holes or tears? Does the price seem reasonable when checking with a price guide? Remember, when you are searching, the model numbers do not always follow a logical pattern, and can sometimes be confusing.

There are many styles to choose from. The first is considered a classic. These are the Cathedral radios, which

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