Fisher Statesman IV S-79 Console Newly Acquired

robertnjax

Active Member
I just got my Fisher console home. It is a 1964 Statesman IV, Model S-79. It has a Garrard Model A II turntable and a Fisher reel to reel tape deck. The cabinet is a 1960s modern style. The unit is in good shape overall. Want to restore this and hear how it sounds.

Had a couple of questions:

Is there a good amp and tuner rebuild pack or kit out there that is friendly to a novice. I have exchanged capacitors and completed some basic chassis work on old radios, but not on a nice vintage Fisher.

The speaker connectors that plug into the power amp are gone - cut off by the previous owner.

One of the slide switches is broken on the tuner chassis. Any ideas where this switch can be found.

The cabinet power on indicator jewel is missing. Any ideas here.

The tape deck says made in Sweden any idea who was the manufacturer.

The on-off/volume switch does not have a click to it when it is rotated, so I'm guessing that the on-off switch is broken.

Any advice is greatly appreciated
Thanks,
Robert
 

Attachments

  • photo-19 copy.jpg
    photo-19 copy.jpg
    59.1 KB · Views: 102
  • photo-18 copy.jpg
    photo-18 copy.jpg
    55.5 KB · Views: 94
Tape player looks like a Tandberg (edit: Nope its a Luxor)

Make sure the auto off selector is set to OFF

Is it tube? 1964 is right on the cusp of transition
 
Last edited:
I just got my Fisher console home. It is a 1964 Statesman IV, Model S-79. It has a Garrard Model A II turntable and a Fisher reel to reel tape deck. The cabinet is a 1960s modern style. The unit is in good shape overall. Want to restore this and hear how it sounds.


the Statesman uses the same Tuner/ amp as the 64 ambassador. www.fisherconsoles.com has the Service manual for the ambassador.
:worthless Of the CABINET


Had a couple of questions:

Is there a good amp and tuner rebuild pack or kit out there that is friendly to a novice. I have exchanged capacitors and completed some basic chassis work on old radios, but not on a nice vintage Fisher.

In a word, NO! They aren't complicated. I've got 7-8 FISHER Consoles, andI had to just go thru it and list all the electrolytic caps, and the old films. Value and voltage. Then Match the values up @ mouser or Digikey.

The speaker connectors that plug into the power amp are gone - cut off by the previous owner.
IIRC it's a standard 3 pin MOLEX Connector for the Left and Right Internals. You CAN put RCA plugs on the leads and use the WS-1 jacks. They are paralleled with the internals. The WS-1 speakers were 4x6 mid/highs that were optional extensions. Use them until you get the Molex connectors. :music:

One of the slide switches is broken on the tuner chassis. Any ideas where this switch can be found.
Ebay. Or if you are an AK subscriber, you get access to BARTERTOWN. Our own "flea market for anything and everything Audio." :thmbsp:
This switches are standard SPST/SPDT/DPST/DPDT switches BUT the length of the knob is a good 1/8" longer. Extremely hard to find, unless you've got a parts donor handy.

The cabinet power on indicator jewel is missing. Any ideas here.
There's a thread for a X-202 and jewels on the front page right now. Mouser has 3mm LED JEWELS in various colors that would probably work.
Mouser part #'s
593-2000G for the Green ones
593-2000A for the Amber ones
593-2000R for the Red ones


The tape deck says made in Sweden any idea who was the manufacturer.
Most likely "TANDBERG" or "REVOX". :scratch2:


The on-off/volume switch does not have a click to it when it is rotated, so I'm guessing that the on-off switch is broken.
Quite possible. When you have it open the switch is on the end of the Volume control. It can be removed. Mark Oppat @ www.oldradioparts.com should have a replacement about $20.

Any advice is greatly appreciated
Thanks,
Robert

ENJOY!

Larry

Did I already mention....................................................................................



:worthless OF the CABINET!
 
Last edited:
I don't believe Tandberg built any product in Sweden, but I could be wrong.

That deck does have a few points of comparison to their early decks, esp. the joystick-style transport control.

Don't know enough about Revox to comment on that but Switzerland and Sweden are not the same (nor is Germany) :)

John
 
Pictures

Hi Larry,

Thanks for the advice.

Ok on the pictures. I will be polishing it up a little tonight and definitely get pictures posted tomorrow. Really cool design.

I will also include some rear cabinet/component pics too.

PS: I did plug it in and played it for about 10 - 15 minutes just to see if it worked. Played OK, however I can tell that it will sound much better when restored. Won't play it anymore until it has been restored.....don't want to ruin anything.

Thanks agin,
Robert
 
Take a picture of the AMP please. I want to check on something.

Larry
 
More Pictures

Take a picture of the AMP please. I want to check on something.

Larry

Hello Everyone,

Here are some more pictures.

Question: There is a white tubular ceramic top-mounted resistor that gets very hot when the unit is played for about 10-15 minutes. It is located close to the power transformer in between two tubes. Is that normal.

Thanks,
Robert
 

Attachments

  • photo-21 copy.jpg
    photo-21 copy.jpg
    144.9 KB · Views: 91
  • photo-20 copy.jpg
    photo-20 copy.jpg
    143.3 KB · Views: 83
  • photo-27 copy.jpg
    photo-27 copy.jpg
    142.6 KB · Views: 102
  • photo-29 copy.jpg
    photo-29 copy.jpg
    137.4 KB · Views: 80
  • photo-24 copy.jpg
    photo-24 copy.jpg
    56.2 KB · Views: 76
  • photo-25 copy.jpg
    photo-25 copy.jpg
    123.3 KB · Views: 80
Microphones

Here's some pictures of the microphones that to with the tape deck.

Says: Made in West Germany on the back of these.

Says: Made in Sweden on the back of the tape deck.

Any idea who manufactured the tape deck and microphones?

Thanks,
Robert
 

Attachments

  • photo-31 copy.jpg
    photo-31 copy.jpg
    73.2 KB · Views: 32
  • photo-30 copy.jpg
    photo-30 copy.jpg
    94.9 KB · Views: 25
Don, you are the best. I would never have guessed this brand - Luxor. :banana:

Looks like it is made very well.

The recording eye tubes light up, but no motion to the reels. Will have to investigate.

Thanks again,
Robert
 
You should pull the tape deck out and take a look at the chassis

and the tubes

These decks were pretty simplistic and getting the transport working is usually just a good clean and lube session. I'd say about half a box of q-tips and some rubbing alcohol

There was a lot of competion to get good recording back then and I have not seen a Fisher tube reel to reel

you got yourself some De-Oxit right?

more pictures of the tape deck please
 
Last edited:
Very cool console from a very good year. I had to go back and edit my treatise on The Evolution of Fisher's Modern Design because I misidentified this particular design as a one-year-only aberration. (Corrected.) I now realize this cabinet spanned the divide between the all-tube Fishers and the first generation of transistorized, tube-hybrid models. It debuted in 1963 and remained available through 1964. Quite an unusual design for Fisher.

How did you acquire it and do you know any of its history?
 
Very cool console from a very good year. I had to go back and edit my treatise on The Evolution of Fisher's Modern Design because I misidentified this particular design as a one-year-only aberration. (Corrected.) I now realize this cabinet spanned the divide between the all-tube Fishers and the first generation of transistorized, tube-hybrid models. It debuted in 1963 and remained available through 1964. Quite an unusual design for Fisher.

How did you acquire it and do you know any of its history?

I found this console listed on Ebay. I rented a van and traveled from Jacksonville, FL to Pampano Beach, FL............a road trip adventure. The seller stated that this unit belonged to a gentleman (original owner) and was left behind when he moved into a retirement home. It sat in a living room for three years not being used.

You're right this was available in 1963 as the S-78 (used 7591 x 4 output tubes) and 1964 as the S-79 (used output transistors).
 
Re: the Resistor between the Transformers. It's a DUAL 6.8K 7W resistor listed in the Parts list as R13 and R14, but on the schematic it's R13A and R13B. It DO GET HOT!

Same Thing with the 2 over by the speaker outlets. Parts list shows R37 A&B and R39 A&B Deleted. But they are there. Dual 15 and 10ohm 10W.


On the AMP! Whatever you do, DO NOT TOUCH THE 4 POTS near the speaker outlets! Those are for the output bias and was later found on the 49A and 59A (which the 690a is the closest to) and also the 600-T that the pots' had a tendency to open up and the transistors would go into thermal runaway. The fix was 4 1n2326 RCA Germanium Temperature compensating diodes that kept the bias set to +/- 0.015v of the nominal setting and a resistor change in that circuit. This was done by FiSHER on the 49A/59A and 600-T as a recall. Don't know if the 690A was included in the recall or not. It should be as it has the same topology as the 59A. It is possible that the mod was done and the pots just disconnected and left in for looks.

The outputs as Germanium and expensive as heck. $30+ a piece. X8 = OUCH!

I put in a RFQ with AmericanMicrosemi for 4 1n2326's. Let's see what they come back with.

Do a straight recap on it. It shouldn't affect the bias. If anything it will tighten up any instability in the amp. They are good amps, you just need to watch it a bit with the pots in it. I'll see if I can find the 1n2326's somewhere (info wise.).

Edit: Friday morning 27Sept13 0945. I just finished comparing the 690a amp with the 59A. Per the parts lists and the schematics they are IDENTICAL down to the mistakes made between the part #'s for R13-R14 and the schematics both showing R13A&B. The only real item different is the model #.

Larry
 
Last edited:
Another beauty! A Statesman with the r2r isn't very common. The upper-end Fishers used Ampex r2r's during this time and Sony prior. I don't know anything about the Luxor brand but I've seen some pop up on ebay.

Personally, a r2r in a console is just the icing on the cake! You'll at least need to get it out of the cabinet and DeOx the controls. Good rubber (pinch roller, brake wheels, motor mounts and belt/s) are imperative to it running properly, as well as proper lubrication. Getting it up and running will be worth the effort.

CONGRATULATIONS! I had seen it on ebay and was hoping it would go to a good home.
 
Re: the Resistor between the Transformers. It's a DUAL 6.8K 7W resistor listed in the Parts list as R13 and R14, but on the schematic it's R13A and R13B. It DO GET HOT!

Same Thing with the 2 over by the speaker outlets. Parts list shows R37 A&B and R39 A&B Deleted. But they are there. Dual 15 and 10ohm 10W.


On the AMP! Whatever you do, DO NOT TOUCH THE 4 POTS! Those are for the output bias and was later found on the 49A and 59A (which the 690a is the closest to) and also the 600-T that the pots' had a tendency to open up and the transistors would go into thermal runaway. The fix was 4 1n2326 RCA Germanium Temperature compensating diodes that kept the bias set to +/- 0.015v of the nominal setting and a resistor change in that circuit. This was done by FiSHER on the 49A/59A and 600-T as a recall. Don't know if the 690A was included in the recall or not. It should be as it has the same topology as the 59A. The outputs as Germanium and expensive as heck. $30+ a piece. X8 = OUCH!

I put in a RFQ with AmericanMicrosemi for 4 1n2326's. Let's see what they come back with.

Do a straight recap on it. It shouldn't affect the bias. If anything it will tighten up any instability in the amp. They are good amps, you just need to watch it a bit with the pots in it. I'll see if I can find the 1n2326's somewhere (info wise.).

Larry

Thanks, Larry. I will not bother with the pots, for sure. I noticed that the amp did not produce a strong bass-like sound, even with the bass gain turned up. The unit sounded very clear though. Wondered if that was normal. The loudness switch was in the off position, so maybe that would account for that.

Thanks again,
Robert
 
Another beauty! A Statesman with the r2r isn't very common. The upper-end Fishers used Ampex r2r's during this time and Sony prior. I don't know anything about the Luxor brand but I've seen some pop up on ebay.

Personally, a r2r in a console is just the icing on the cake! You'll at least need to get it out of the cabinet and DeOx the controls. Good rubber (pinch roller, brake wheels, motor mounts and belt/s) are imperative to it running properly, as well as proper lubrication. Getting it up and running will be worth the effort.

CONGRATULATIONS! I had seen it on ebay and was hoping it would go to a good home.

I'll probably take the tape deck out and see what's going on. The cabinet is looking better - just using Johnson's paste wax and not removing any of the fine surface scratches. Don't want to disturb the original patina on this 50 year old console.
 
Any Stateman in Modern is rare as Hens teeth! And this is a Stunning Example.

I also never gave Luxor a thought. With the control "Joystick", it's a distinct possibility that the Luxor is an IDLER DRIVE. Idler drives tend to be noisier, but if everything is up and running by design, with 1/2way soft rubber on the tires they aren't bad by the standards of the day. By todays standards they are clunky, horribly noisy. Terry's Rubber rollers can resurface them with new rubber for about $35-40 each. Not cheap but if you plan on running it, possibly the best way to go.

Larry


The switch in front of the turntable. It should be an auto off setup, where it will shut off the unit when the last record is done playing. If you DO find it not working one day, check the position of the switch. It should be off when not being used.
 
Back
Top Bottom