Fisher Consoles 1945-1958

Sam, I seem to recall you saying that your Contemporary came with all its documentation. Do you have a date of purchase or any indication of which model year it's from? The reason I ask is that I just noticed that each of the catalogs for three different model years the Contemporary was offered list slightly different cabinet dimensions:

1957: 36" wide, 18-3/4" deep, 30-3/4" high
1958: 36" wide, 17-1/8" deep, 33-1/8" high
1959: 36" wide, 18-1/8" deep, 33-1/8" high

How deep and high is your Contemporary and do its dimensions agree with the year (assuming you know the year)?

It's a later '58 model. Definitely mono, so it's not a '59, but it had a GE VRII cartridge on the Garrard, so it was sometime past the start of '58. The faceplate says "stereo" instead of "TV" like the Medalist II that showed up here several weeks ago, but it doesn't have any sort of real provision for stereo operation unless the Contemporary was being used as the extension speaker.

I think it's odd that Fisher changed the cabinet dimensions. I wonder if they had a reason for doing so.

I can't imagine why they would, unless someone was sloppy with a tape measure when writing those descriptions.

Having just reviewed all of Fisher's cabinet codes 1958-1964, one thing that's clear is that Fisher was consistent, model year to model year: "P" always stood for Provincial (either Cherry or Fruitwood). Here is the complete list:

M = Mahogany
W = Walnut
T = Teak
P = Provincial (Cherry/Fruitwood)
B = Blonde
E = Ebony
C = Cherry (or Contemporary - they always occurred together.)
PM = Provincial Mahogany
EA = Early American (Maple)
TM = Traditional Mahogany
IP = Italian Provincial (Walnut - in '62 it was "Driftwood Gray Walnut")
IPM = Italian Provincial Mahogany
AI = Antique Ivory

After '64 it gets a little out of hand with codes like EAO = Early American "Oldtown" (Cherry) and the all-to-common MD = Mediterranean (Butternut & Oak) to list but a few. I think the most likely explanation for your "P" cabinet code is some sort of mistake.

I could buy Fruitwood as the finish. It doesn't look like Mahogany or Walnut, the grain and coloration just isn't right. It's not red enough for Cherry.

Fisher made one tube layout chart for the R-20 based consoles, then used an ink stamp to insert the basic model number. The finish code was then hand-written on the end. I wonder if mine was a special order for someone who wanted the Contemporary cabinet but different veneer? Unfortunately I don't have the sales paperwork, just the manuals, tube chart and hangtags.
 
I can't imagine why they would, unless someone was sloppy with a tape measure when writing those descriptions.
Or they were measuring from a pre-production mock-up. Just out of curiosity, how deep is your Contemporary?

I could buy Fruitwood as the finish.
Fruitwood was an option on the 1958 Series 51/61 consolettes and it would have been coded as "P" on that model. I think that's a distinct possibility.

I wonder if mine was a special order for someone who wanted the Contemporary cabinet but different veneer?
I know Fisher did custom orders but it doesn't make sense that they would use a preexisting cabinet code for a custom veneer/finish.

Does your hang tag look like this? This one came with my 1959 510 consolette but it must have originally been on the 560 Stereo Companion Speaker since it's for a model 30-A. These are cool since they give you the approximate date that they left Long Island City, New York - in this case it would have been some time after 9-29-58.

510HangTag.jpg
 
Or they were measuring from a pre-production mock-up. Just out of curiosity, how deep is your Contemporary?

I think it's right around 18". I'll check again tonight.

Fruitwood was an option on the 1958 Series 51/61 consolettes and it would have been coded as "P" on that model. I think that's a distinct possibility.

I'll try to get a better picture of the veneer. It really doesn't look like any Walnut finish I've ever seen, and it's definitely not Mahogany.

I know Fisher did custom orders but it doesn't make sense that they would use a preexisting cabinet code for a custom veneer/finish.

Maybe the Fruitwood finish was added as an option sometime in '58?

Does your hang tag look like this? This one came with my 1959 510 consolette but it must have originally been on the 560 Stereo Companion Speaker since it's for a model 30-A. These are cool since they give you the approximate date that they left Long Island City, New York - in this case it would have been some time after 9-29-58.

510HangTag.jpg

I think that tag would have been on the power cord, and I don't have it as I don't have the original R-20 (I think you remember the Medalist II I stripped). I do have both of the hangtags that would have been on knob shafts, along with the manual, turntable manual and tube chart.
 
The Custom Sixty - Fisher's First Flagship Console 1951-1957

The Custom Sixty debuted in late 1950 (1951 Model Year) for a mind-boggling $1330. However, that price probably represents a fully-optioned model and the prices may have started at as low as $795. The "Sixty" designation is no doubt a reference to the claimed 60 watts of "reserve power". The price inexplicably jumped to $1534 in Feb. 1951 but was back down to the bargain price of $1347.50 by the '52 model year.

The chassis comprising this high fidelity tour de force were the 60-A amp, 60-AP power supply and the 60-R tuner. Options likely included Fisher's Dynamic Range Expander and Dynamic Noise Suppressor (the latter licensed from H. H. Scott). The Custom Sixty was available in the traditional 'Hampshire' and modern 'Allegro' cabinets although these same cabinets were used for Fisher's less expensive model series as well.

An ad from Oct. 1950:
No Other Like It!

THE GREATEST OF OUR
RADIO-PHONOGRAPHS


FISHER
CUSTOM SIXTY

Newest of a long line of distinguished FISHER
radio-phonographs, the Custom Sixty is by a wide
margin the finest instrument we have ever produced.
Featuring an amplifier with a reserve power of over
sixty watts
, the Custom Sixty is also distinguished by
an FM-AM receiver of unusual fidelity and sensitivity,
no-drift FM tuning, a three-speed changer with jewelled
magnetic pickups of professional quality, 15" co-axial,
dual speakers, and consoles of singular beauty and taste
with acoustically designed speaker compartments. Your
entire concept of fine record and radio reproduction will
be radically altered when you hear the Custom Sixty.
Models from $795.00 to $1330.00

I believe original 'Series 60' Custom Sixty ran through the 1954 model year after which it was replaced by the 'Series 360' shown below (from AK member Duffinator's 1955 brochure). In its last year, 1957, the model name was changed to the "Ambassador Series" and it was only available in the 'Hampshire' cabinet. The price for the '55 Custom Sixty was $1295. In '56 it dropped to $1195 which was also the price of the '57 Ambassador.

The Series 360 still featured the chrome-plated 3-chassis ensemble of the Series 60 but there appear to be substantial differences - the most notable being the claimed 100 watts of reserve power. I believe that these chassis are designated as 360-A, 360-AP and 360-R but I haven't been able to confirm that. There is one shown on the FisherDoc's website.

The Series 360's big moment in history was on Feb. 13, 1956 when it was supposedly featured at the Philadelphia Academy of Music's "Soundorama", where Eugene Ormandy pretended to conduct the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Paul Creston's "Fanfare for Brass," but halfway through the orchestra put down their instruments as the music continued. This stunt received wide-spread press coverage and was used in Fisher's advertising, though there are conflicting ads which indicate that the equipment used was the Fisher 80-C and 50-AZ.

FisherCustomSixtyCustomElectra19-2.jpg

FisherCustomSixtyCustomElectra19557.jpg
 
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Red, I think I've finally figured out why some later R-20 equipped consoles have that "Stereo" marking instead of "AUX," despite the lack of any stereo circuitry. Fisher was intending the R-20 units to be used as the extension speaker for the later R-30-S equipped consoles (stereo preamp, mono amp)! It actually makes a lot of sense, considering that stereo radio broadcasting was confined to FM-FM or FM-AM simulcasts. For listening to stereo radio, you'd use the tuner in each console (say, a C800 Contemporary and a C810 Contemporary II), for listening to stereo tapes or records set the mono console to the "stereo" position, which you've already connected to the stereo output on the R-30-S equipped console with an RCA cable. Instantly, you have one really, really versatile console setup! The only thing it wouldn't be able to handle is FM Multiplex stereo broadcasts, and it probably wouldn't be too hard to add an MPX output jack if one wasn't supplied on the R-30. The only problem with an outboard multiplex decoder is the lack of a second line-level input on the R-30-S, but that could be solved with a simple outboard switchbox.

Considering the volume and sound quality level my C800 is capable of with its 6BQ5 outputs, two of them in the same room would be pretty amazing.

Despite appearances, the R-20 output transformer has 8 and 16 ohm taps. Instead of the familiar multi-position terminal strip, it uses a weird little round plug with the 8 ohm tap connected to one terminal and the 16 ohm connected to another. The C800 only uses the 16 ohm tap, but both are available. It's not like some of the 30A OPTs that only had one oddball-impedance speaker tap.
 
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You're right, Sam, that makes perfect sense. It also fits with Fisher's extraordinary efforts to obsolence-proof their products. I have read Fisher kept a mailing list of all their customers to keep them apraised of new technology Fisher's technicians could install to upgrade their existing radio-phonographs. I'm not sure how long this practice continued and have yet to see such a letter. I would be surprised, however, if owners of Fisher's mono consoles didn't receive advice on how to get aboard the stereo bandwagon.

Now you've got me contemplating a living room with a pair of Contemporaries. I can even envision using a pair of FM transmitters tuned to different frequencies to transmit stereo. It would be easy - I have one transmitter all ready. I could do it with my existing living room set-up sending the left signal to both channels of the TA-600 in the Premiere and the right to both channels of the 400. I wonder what that would sound like.
 
I know Fisher made 30A-equipped extension speakers to match their R-30S-equipped consoles, but that setup wouldn't allow the purchaser to get stereo radio broadcasts. Now I'm wondering if the R-20 consoles with the "Stereo" marking weren't produced simultaneously with the R-30S consoles.

As I mentioned earlier, it should be easy to tap into the FM circuitry to install a MPX output jack, then you could run an MPX-100 either sitting on top of the Contemporary II in a walnut cabinet or hidden somewhere. A small input switch box would allow the preservation of AUX input capability while still inputting the stereo FM signal.

I'm thinking the same thing you are. It's a good thing that: 1) I doubt a C810 is going to drop into my lap anytime soon, and 2) I would need three times the living room I have now to house two Contemporary cabinets. :lmao: Outside of having the additional mono turntable, there isn't much advantage to running a C800 instead of the Contemporary-styled extension speaker. I really doubt that anyone is going to play around with simulcast stereo anytime soon.
 
I don't know how I missed this but, in the 1959 Fisher Radio-Phonograph catalog (see below), is confirmation that the President was released in 1956. Add that to Enewcomb's post about his Uncle's President and I feel pretty confident in stating unequivocally that Fisher was the first out with a stereo radio-phonograph in 1956.

Mr. Newcomb, if you still out there - I sure would be interested to see photos of what's left of your Uncle's President and the documents you mentioned.

1959FisherConsoleCatalog-President.jpg

Hi,

I have information and all the components for a 1956 Fisher President II. I inherited it from my uncle. As for price, my mother told me she remembered it costing her brother around $3,000. in 1956. He knew Avery Fisher, was a big Opera fan, and taped live operas, a few of which I have.

It was exactly at the transition to Stereo. Tape was stereo in 1956. Records were stereo in 1958. FM stereo was via a few experimental broadcast methods in 1956.

It had a pair of fisher 30 watt mono blocks, Mullard EL37s. I use EL-34s now, enough power for me. I will try some 6L6s soon. I am still listening to them every day, they sound awesome. I replaced some capacitors recently.

The speakers were 4 way, all electrovoice drivers, 16 ohms.
15" woofer (15B or 15W, I forget. Woofer weighs 37lbs, 7" thick magnet, chrome spider)
compound diffraction horn, (actually 2 coaxial mountet horns, 1 driver)
horn tweeter, brilliance and presence crossover controls on the back.
I had custom rosewood cabinets made, and listen to them every day. Had the woofers re-coned in NYC years ago, and had electrovoice rebuild a burnt tweeter when they were still in business, as well as a spare pair in case.

The original Viking 75 tape deck was 1/4 " tape, 2 track stereo. It had a switch for either in-line or staggered stereo tapes, and two playback heads. I listened to the 2 track stereo tapes I also inherited and bought at garage sales way back. I cannot describe how great a wide 2 track tape sounds. I need a hard to find drive belt (fabric). If there is anyone who can help me get a belt for it, that would be stupendous.
The Garard changer was mono originally, but Fisher technicians came to my uncles house and added a pair of phono preamps, a new stereo cartridge, and a deck mounted switch for mono or stereo.

Separate Fisher tuners for fm and am, mounted either side of the center control panel. Live binaural stereo broadcasts were being done then. Select FM, tune in WCBS fm for left side of the stage, Select AM, tune in WCBS am for the live right side of the stage. Select Stereo, listen to live stereo. System did not last long.

All the various equalization curves for tape and records were individually selectable in the control panel.

I have all the original manuals for the components, cut sheets of the electrovoice drivers, and the operating instructions from Fisher. (individually typed and assembled in a 3 punch binder).

Let me know if you want any more info.

Elliott
 
As long promised.....

I'm halfway there in my quest of one day becoming this guy. Now I just need to find myself a "stereo companion".
me-2.jpg


Fisher console #4 for me: 1959 Series 510 with chassis #510. A basic little stereo phono preamp with a one channel EL84/6BQ5 amp. It was originally purchased with a Series 560 "Stereo Companion" but it didn't survive the intervening half century. The 560 had a nice little 30-A amp. I imagine the 510's amp section would be fairly similar to the 30-A's.

Series510.jpg


510.jpg


My Series 560 Stereo Companion brochure....

Best I could do as far as finding you a stereo companion.... :D

Note the lack of Fisher Emblem on the unit depicted on the brochure

Fisher560-1.jpg


Fisher560-2.jpg


Fisher560-3.jpg


Fisher560-4.jpg
 
The Distinguished Roster of Fisher Owners

Welcome-to-the-Family-of-Fisher-Owners.jpg


Here are some of the results of many hours spent in AK's dusty archives attempting to compile a complete listing of all the Fisher consoles that have passed through these hallowed forums in the last decade. There were quite a few pre-sticky Fishers - many of which have not yet been moved to the Fisher forum. Plus there is the natural tendency to start a new thread with any major new find such as a these Fishers tend to be.

All my earlier attempts at one big list resulted in a high percentage of entries mysteriously vanishing when I hit the preview button. So I split up the list so as not to overwhelm AK's html processing abilities. The 1945-58 list is, by far, the shorter part; encompassing primarily Fisher's mono high fidelity masterpieces with a few notable, very early stereo exceptions.

I will endeavor to keep this list updated but please feel free to link to any 1945-58 Fisher console post I may have omitted. I will add a link in post #1 referencing this post to aid future Fisher fans in finding this resource once it becomes buried in the middle of this sticky. I plan on doing the same for the 1959-65 (and beyond) Fisher Consoles sticky as well. It may take me some time, however, since that list contains almost 10 times as many entries.

The List: Fisher Consoles 1945-58 And Their Owners

1947-8 Anniversary Series 24B (Georgian cabinet) - Fisherdude
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=495928

1950 Coronet R-1 (Georgian cabinet) - Jonboy55
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=462214

1950 Coronet R-2 (Allegro cabinet) - cooljjay
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=291326

1950 Coronet R-3 (Georgian cabinet) - buglegirl
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=5172289#post5172289

1951 Coronet R-3 (Warwick cabinet) - larryderouin
http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=398119

1951 Coronet R-3 (Hampshire cabinet) - victor3d
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=5362569#post5362569

1951 Coronet R-3 (Allegro cabinet) - wrigley
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=4306508#post4306508

1952 Custom Sixty (Hampshire cabinet) - joel27
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=354241

1954 Series 101 Consolette - Audiomagnate
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=6349146#post6349146

1955 Custom Sixty (Hampshire cabinet) - Ttryon
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=409636

1955 Custom Electra (Normandy cabinet) - radioterry
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=471818

1955 Custom Electra (Normandy cabinet) - Duffinator
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1167416#post1167416
http://www.videokarma.org/showthread.php?t=47032

1955-56 Custom Electra (Gotham cabinet) - electracoupe
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=4953331

1955 Series 202 Consolette - zephedone
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=6267724#post6267724

1955 Series 202 Consolette - Jonboy55
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=443513

1955 Series 101 Consolette - madwing
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=167663

1956 Fisher President (No cabinet) - enewcomb
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=4183104#post4183104

1956 Custom Futura (Covington cabinet) - relaximus via sobr1
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=285615

1956 Custom Futura (Brittany cabinet) - jaynemo
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1208169#post1208169

1956 Series 60 Consolette - Westy56
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=3972777#post3972777

1956 Series 60 Consolette - elduce
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1221210

1956 Series 50 Consolette - cooljjay
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=307819

1957 Custom Electra (Gotham? cabinet) - Rybeam
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=70417

1957 Medalist II (Provence cabinet) - derekva
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=468974

1957 Medalist II? - R-20 - vendo81
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1218354

1957 Medalist II (Unknown cabinet) - mkaras
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=180773

1957 Conteomporary - Craterranch
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=472975

1957 Series 61 Consolette - Thespeakerdude8
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=4903931#post4903931

1957 Series 61 Consolette - jonboy55
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=3238442#post3238442

1957 Series 61 Consolette - tomcza11
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=301605

1958 Custom Electra II (Normandy cabinet) - jonboy55
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=3151319#post3151319

1958 Custom Electra II (Normandy cabinet) - jonboy55
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=2370315#post2370315

1958 Medalist II(Provence cabinet) - Jered
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=323249

1958 Contemporary - frankolombo
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=494699

1958 Contemporary - Sam Cogley
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=305958

1958 Contemporary - kUngdrew
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=127266

1958 Contemporary - jonboy55
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=355797

1958 Contemporary - relaximus
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=443343
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=486573
 
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There were quite a few pre-sticky Fishers - many of which have not yet been moved to the Fisher forum.
I thought long and hard about how to word that to make it just the gentlest nudge. I can't believe how quickly you picked up on that!

Only 150 or so more entries to go with the 1959-65 (and beyond) part of the list. I must remember to add my own recent addition and buglegirl's prospective Fisher console acquisition. No rest for the Fisher-obsessed.
 
I thought long and hard about how to word that to make it just the gentlest nudge. I can't believe how quickly you picked up on that!

Only 150 or so more entries to go with the 1959-65 (and beyond) part of the list. I must remember to add my own recent addition and buglegirl's prospective Fisher console acquisition. No rest for the Fisher-obsessed.

Lucky for you I like this stuff as much as you do. I'll get started after American Idol is over.:D
 
Now that's dedication. Thanks for the time and effort. It's cool just to be on the list.
Dedication or maybe obsession or even addiction. Of the two lists, 1945-58 and 1959-65 (and beyond), this is the cool list to be on - much more exclusive. And I'm not even on it, darn it! I actually have an opportunity to be on that list right now but I can't justify the expense or the even idea of yet another console . . . but I am tempted . . . mostly because I think it's a model not represented yet.
 
Carter, we may have a glitch here. I'll have to double check with Ernie and see if there's a way around it.

I can move these individual threads to the Fisher Forum, but there doesn't seem to be a way to move them into a specific thread, meaning the correct console thread. So, if I actually moved them, they would just "float" in the Fisher Forum as a whole. Plus, then your links won't be correct. Rather than that, it appears that leaving the links in the posts you've created is a better solution.

I'll see if there's a way to move a link from one place inside a forum to another place inside the same forum.
 
Unfortunately, it appears that leaving the above links in this thread is the best solution.

I could move those threads to the Fisher Forum, but then I wouldn't be able to move them into another thread.

I could merge those threads with the correct "Console" thread, but then every individual post in the moved thread would no longer be in its own thread, but would be jumbled up with every other post in the Console thread, in overall chronological order.

No way around it, I'm afraid.:sigh:
 
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