Fisher 1800 Receiver Information thread and roll call

RS Steve

Tube Junkie
Subscriber
I thought I'd start this thread so anyone can easily locate information on one of Fisher's rarest tube receivers, and current owners can post their information and pictures.

If you have any documentation, manuals, information, etc. please feel free to post it here.

From what I have learned, they started making them in 1967 and stopped in 1969. They were mostly sold in PX's for military servicemen needing the dual voltage option for overseas use. I have yet to see an actual manual for the 1800, it would be a great find if any exist. They are identical to the 800-C except for a dual color face plate, dual voltage transformer, and from what Dave G. noticed, a few internal components have slightly different specs. Knowing the existing 1800's probably have a history to them by giving comfort to our nations fighting force, just adds to the cool factor.

http://classicreceivers.com/fisher-1800

Any AK member who owns a Fisher 1800, please post all you can about it, including the serial number. :thumbsup:

I currently own serial numbers 52406T and 51692T

This is a terrific thread about its restoration.
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=637634

**Current known 1800 serial #'s**

51564T - RS Steve
51694T - for sale online
51611T - lithography
51607T - Janko
51642T - DavidAlm
51674T - rufleruf
51676T - RS Steve
51692T - RS Steve
51845T - online
51906T - online
51996T- online
51997T - Ivorydan
52004T - KStrange
52127T - Tuna
52154T - Ivorydan
52167T - Fisherdude
52293T - RS Steve
52375T - unknown
52406T - RS Steve
52468T - Dave451
52478T - coryo
?????T - Tubino



Fisher 1800 specs.jpg

Restored Fisher 1800 (2).jpg
 
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Good idea to start a thread for these. There have been two on eBay recently. 51632 (I think) just ended. Another ended in late May. I guess that means they're around. Someday I'll grab one!
 
I just wonder how many of the 51,501 and up serial numbered units are actually 1800's as they are lumped in with the 800c for the service manual. The owners manual is probably an 800c with an addendum for setting the transformer to the correct voltage.

Considering FISHER made receivers in 1000 unit lot's it's conceivable that the numbers range anywhere from 1,000 to possibly 10,000 or even more, but that's not too probable in the larger scheme of things. FISHER was winding down tube gear manufacturing and the 800c / 1800 was the only tube model being produced from 1969 on. 1800's weren't sent to the civilian market, just the Military PX's overseas. And there were only two main PX's overseas, 1 in Germany (they doled out to the smaller PX's in Europe), and the Yokosuka Navy Exchange (they doled out to the smaller places in Asia). Mainly it was a catalog order shop, and the gear more often than not got shipped directly home to the states on the GOV'T's dime unless you were a sailor on a larger TARGET and it had the room. Go on a WESTPAC cruise and come back with a new stereo.
ScreenHunter_335 Jul. 15 08.27.jpg
 
I thought I read somewhere that they didn't sell well, and thus only a small run were built. From reading old posts on AK, I have only found about 5 posted here, and a couple go way back to 2010. That's why I'd like to get as many serial numbers as possible to have a range to help figure production numbers.

Anyone knowing of someone that owns a 1800, please see if we can get them to post here about it, or at least supply the information.
 
For all intents and purposes FISHER probably stopped Tube gear production about late Summer of 69 (to coincide with the 1970 Model year.) Presuming the 1800 started production in summer of 66 (for 1967 model year) and being carried thru the end of the '69 model year, co-produced with the 800c, there should be 3 years worth of production on them. But FISHER made various models on the same lines at different times to keep store inventory at a minimum level and/or based on sales. With the advent of Dependable Solid State gathering a following, tube gear wasn't selling well except in the niche markets. Basically in the summer of 1969 (or thereabout's) FISHER all but stopped all marketing of tube gear except for the 1800 which they had to market thru the AAFES and NAVEX systems by contract, But they weren't being marketed to the general public after about 1969.

We don't know the serial of the last 800c/1800 so no idea how high they went. Apparently the 800c and 1800 were built concurrently on the same line and the serials may have been mixed in indiscriminately OR FISHER did enbloc serials for the 800c and or 1800. No one knows for sure. And until a 60K, 70K, or even an 80K serial # shows up we won't know how many 800c / 1800's they actually made.

Just for sh**s and giggles some good news. The 51501 and up service manual (which covers the 1800) is available @ www.hifiengine.com. I will send a digital to FISHERCONSOLES.com for inclusion into their database.
 
So far I know of a 51692T,51611T, and a 52406T 1800, I hope our very own Fisherdude will chime in with his serial number. It will be interesting to see how close they are all.

Thanks Larry for your information, is there any codes on the tubes or transformers to give us any more dated information?
 
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Larry -- Is it a known fact that the 1800 was ONLY offered to military PX's overseas -- OR -- with its dual voltage capability, was the 1800 simply the "export" model that was ALSO available to civilians of overseas markets as well as military PXs?

AND, not to put a bur in your saddle, but the manual you posted does not match Steve's unit in a number of key areas -- so maybe there's yet another 800C/1800 manual out there somewhere???? I'm not sure if even Sherlock could solve this one!!

Dave
 
Larry -- Is it a known fact that the 1800 was ONLY offered to military PX's overseas -- OR -- with its dual voltage capability, was the 1800 simply the "export" model that was ALSO available to civilians of overseas markets as well as military PXs?

AND, not to put a bur in your saddle, but the manual you posted does not match Steve's unit in a number of key areas -- so maybe there's yet another 800C/1800 manual out there somewhere???? I'm not sure if even Sherlock could solve this one!!

Dave

Thanks for sharing Dave, I hope we can dig up more information that answers some of our questions.
 
Dave;
The information I've gotten over the years was that the 1800 was sold only in Military PX's overseas. I've seen no information that refute's this.

Hell, Anything is possible, as this manual turned up within the last year. It's possible that they took the highest #'ed manual at the time and just added the transformer strapping section to conform somewhat to the 1800. I'll keep looking for manuals.

Steve;
You can glean date codes from the transformers EIA codes, and some of the original large electrolytics. If the original can's are still on it, they have eia codes, so they can be dated also. From the serials those 3 were some of the 1st 1800's made. At least in the 1st 500. I seriously doubt that AAFES and NAVEX systems would have any inventory documentation from the 1966-1975 period )Add a couple years to cover inventory still in warehouses after production stopped).


Larry
 
P1000105.JPG

I most definitely still have mine, and I'll post the serial number as soon as I can dig it out of the shelf in the garage.

Pic is a regular 800C, big number dial 800C, and the 1800. I also have a TA-800 and an 800B.
 
I found this picture online, but couldn't see the serial number clear enough to determine what it is. Maybe someone has software to make it clearer to read.

Fisher 1800 serial number.jpg
 
I looked on the 1800 with serial # 51692T, OPT # T991-116-2C (1005632) PT #TX991C115 (352631)
Big paper yellow can cap - 1 52 88 01
metal can cap - C50-18-49 (11896605-A
 
Power Transformer ------->> (1005) Quaity Transformer, Chicago (632) 32nd week of 1966
Output transformer--------->> (352), Magnetic Windings, Inc, Easton Pa. (631) 31st week of 1866(EDIT 1966)
Transformers were made in July or Aug 1966. Complete units probably sometime in Sept, or Oct. Units in stores for sale about XMAS 1966.

No joy on the cap #'s.

Not enough resolution in the original photo to expand it without blurring and pixelation. @ 300% it was shot in that area.
 
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Power Transformer ------->> (1005) Quaity Transformer, Chicago (632) 32nd week of 1966
Output transformer--------->> (352), Magnetic Windings, Inc, Easton Pa. (631) 31st week of 1866
Transformers were made in July or Aug 1966. Complete units probably sometime in Sept, or Oct. Units in stores for sale about XMAS 1966.

No joy on the cap #'s.

Not enough resolution in the original photo to expand it without blurring and pixelation. @ 300% it was shot in that area.


Very cool Larry, Thanks!
 
Those output transformers are EXTREMELY old!!!:eek::)

Dave

Oldies but goodies! It will be very interesting to see how the numbers all compare between the units we have access to, maybe it will help answer more of the mystery questions.
I did find an old post of someone on AK that owned there's since new, it would be great to ask them questions about possible manuals they received with it. This member has not posted for years though, and not answered my PM. If all of these 1800's that AK members own have serial numbers very close, we would have to assume that there might of been only one run of them. :dunno:
 
Well yeah, but 150 years old?? I'm not sure that DeForest had even been born yet when those babies were built!! :)

Dave
 
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