A family's special radio and its story:
I've had to slow down. I can no longer spend much time leaning over the bench or driving long distances. I still need to get things done around the tree farm. Hunting for radios on E-Pay or at "antique" stores has been off of my to-do list for a while now. I have completed several projects though. Each of them has been noteworthy. Here is the story of one of them.
About 3 months ago I received an email. A Mr. D Arnold said that he had a Scott radio that had belonged to his grandparents. It had always occupied a spot of honor in their house and had worked recently. Unfortunately it had been demoted to serving in the garage. He asked if I knew anybody that could preserve it and keep it going.
My reply: "Where are you? If I am close enough, I can help. If not maybe I can find somebody near by."
I get a lot of mail mostly asking for repair or what's my radio worth. I get a few like the one from Mr. Arnold but most of them are hundreds or thousands of miles away. Mr. Arnold replied "Bend".
Bend is a day-trip from here.
I've had to slow down. I can no longer spend much time leaning over the bench or driving long distances. I still need to get things done around the tree farm. Hunting for radios on E-Pay or at "antique" stores has been off of my to-do list for a while now. I have completed several projects though. Each of them has been noteworthy. Here is the story of one of them.
About 3 months ago I received an email. A Mr. D Arnold said that he had a Scott radio that had belonged to his grandparents. It had always occupied a spot of honor in their house and had worked recently. Unfortunately it had been demoted to serving in the garage. He asked if I knew anybody that could preserve it and keep it going.
My reply: "Where are you? If I am close enough, I can help. If not maybe I can find somebody near by."
I get a lot of mail mostly asking for repair or what's my radio worth. I get a few like the one from Mr. Arnold but most of them are hundreds or thousands of miles away. Mr. Arnold replied "Bend".
Bend is a day-trip from here.
This is an "after" picture but it would have required a close inspection to see the defects "before".
When I saw it, I was thinking Silvertone or Airline. Surely he must have been wrong about it being a Scott.
When I saw it, I was thinking Silvertone or Airline. Surely he must have been wrong about it being a Scott.
Nope!
According to David Poland, Scott had acquired a few of these cabinets to be offered for free along with the purchase of one of their smaller radios - never a Phantom.
So, it must have replaced another radio in that cabinet? Also nope. From the mounting holes it was clear that this was the only radio ever installed in that cabinet. The instructions from Scott regarding installation in the Mayfair cabinet were with the original paperwork for the Phantom Deluxe which the Arnold family preserved.
Here is the rest of the very unique story:
According to David Poland, Scott had acquired a few of these cabinets to be offered for free along with the purchase of one of their smaller radios - never a Phantom.
So, it must have replaced another radio in that cabinet? Also nope. From the mounting holes it was clear that this was the only radio ever installed in that cabinet. The instructions from Scott regarding installation in the Mayfair cabinet were with the original paperwork for the Phantom Deluxe which the Arnold family preserved.
Here is the rest of the very unique story:
The phonograph is a Garrard AC-80 from around 1950 - a replacement.
Mrs. E.L. Arnold wanted to purchase a radio for her husband as a Christmas present. There were a few complications however. For one she was going to need a really good radio since their address was:
North Entrance Station
Yellowstone National Park
Gardiner, Montana
Yes, according to Mr. Arnold, his grandmother was the first female ranger at any national park. Which points to the need for a good radio and to the fact that there were no radio retailers, or radio service nearby, not to mention radio stations.
How it was delivered or assembled is a mystery. Though, I suspect, that when it was delivered there was "some assembly required". Most of the components had been properly mounted but the receiver chassis itself required a block of wood to resist the force of gravity. Apparently the mounting brackets were not included (some things never change).
Mrs. E.L. Arnold wanted to purchase a radio for her husband as a Christmas present. There were a few complications however. For one she was going to need a really good radio since their address was:
North Entrance Station
Yellowstone National Park
Gardiner, Montana
Yes, according to Mr. Arnold, his grandmother was the first female ranger at any national park. Which points to the need for a good radio and to the fact that there were no radio retailers, or radio service nearby, not to mention radio stations.
How it was delivered or assembled is a mystery. Though, I suspect, that when it was delivered there was "some assembly required". Most of the components had been properly mounted but the receiver chassis itself required a block of wood to resist the force of gravity. Apparently the mounting brackets were not included (some things never change).
The chrome was in great shape.
Sept. 29th 1942, The Arnolds were having an unknown problem with the radio and had contacted Scott for repair. The response below also indicates that they would have liked to acquire a few spare tubes. Below is the response from Ms. E.M. Weishaar:
Sept. 29th 1942, The Arnolds were having an unknown problem with the radio and had contacted Scott for repair. The response below also indicates that they would have liked to acquire a few spare tubes. Below is the response from Ms. E.M. Weishaar:
And I thought that we lived out in the bushes - -
Can you imagine being given instructions to "fix it yourself" today?
I should also mention that later correspondence indicated that at the time of this letter Scott did not know who "Ben Arnold" was. His wife had made the purchase under her name. So Scott was making a good effort at customer service. (Scott needed the serial number). Most of the following correspondence was from H.C. Kerl at Scott.
I should also mention that later correspondence indicated that at the time of this letter Scott did not know who "Ben Arnold" was. His wife had made the purchase under her name. So Scott was making a good effort at customer service. (Scott needed the serial number). Most of the following correspondence was from H.C. Kerl at Scott.
Yeah, I still need a bigger bench.
Years later, April 4, 1944, Mrs. Arnold sent this letter to Scott. She indicates that the radio is "shot" and she is still looking for a new set of tubes but WWII was still happening. She also indicates that she is getting a lot of co-channel interference and asks about a replacement radio. This is the only letter from the Arnolds to Scott Laboratories that was preserved.
Years later, April 4, 1944, Mrs. Arnold sent this letter to Scott. She indicates that the radio is "shot" and she is still looking for a new set of tubes but WWII was still happening. She also indicates that she is getting a lot of co-channel interference and asks about a replacement radio. This is the only letter from the Arnolds to Scott Laboratories that was preserved.
Still no tubes.
Can you imagine putting this thing in a box and getting it back to service in one piece? There were no freeways and few paved roads at the time.
It probably would have gotten there just fine - - today - - yeah, sure.
Can you imagine putting this thing in a box and getting it back to service in one piece? There were no freeways and few paved roads at the time.
It probably would have gotten there just fine - - today - - yeah, sure.
A few parts, some caps and 1 resistor along with several of the controls had been replaced prior to my restoration. The work was neat but the values of the replacement controls were wrong, but not unworkable. Most of the caps had one leg cut and resoldered. An indication that someone had been looking for bad paper caps. Probably a long time ago since they were all bad now.
This is the 'after" picture - below.
This is the 'after" picture - below.
Capacitors restuffed and missing original parts replaced. Candohm voltage divider rebuilt. All cases of screws replacing rivets went back to rivets.
Scott was still confused as to who owned the Phantom or even which "Phantom" it was. Nice war-time stationary. At least , now, the letters were going to Wyoming.
Scott was still confused as to who owned the Phantom or even which "Phantom" it was. Nice war-time stationary. At least , now, the letters were going to Wyoming.
Pretty wood. Toner has not been applied yet.
Mystery solved - or at least the "$64 question". That took a while. Interesting vacation/service proposal.
We don't know if the radio ever saw professional service. But there was one more letter - much later to Scott Radio Laboratories in Plymouth IN. It looks like the Arnolds and the Scott moved to Bozeman.
We don't know if the radio ever saw professional service. But there was one more letter - much later to Scott Radio Laboratories in Plymouth IN. It looks like the Arnolds and the Scott moved to Bozeman.
And, that was pretty close to the end of Scott Radio labs, though Mr. E.H. Scott had been gone from the company for a long time.
Meanwhile - -
Meanwhile - -
Yes, that is a hydraulic jack. This was previously the job of the 2 X 4 I mentioned earlier.
I cut 2 pieces of 10mm Baltic Birch plywood - good stuff. The radio chassis was attached to them with stainless hardware. The bottom of the chassis is attached to that 1" thick piece of hardwood visible at the bottom of the chassis. That is the 15" speaker. It could really use a tweeter.
I added the single tube preamp attached to the left wall. It can be jumpered out if you were to find a good crystal cartridge. It powers on and off with the phonograph .On the lower right is a Bluetooth receiver. The switch on the top right toggles them into the phono input on the radio chassis.
I wouldn't have picked that grill cloth but it appears to be original equipment so it can stay.
It is likely that this is the only Phantom Deluxe with this cabinet.
Russ
It is likely that this is the only Phantom Deluxe with this cabinet.
Russ
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