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Fisher console

Jcricket:

Case in point within the above posts. jaymanaa is one of several people on AK that are so far beyond my understanding of tube audio. Yet, I still learn something from each of their posts. The breadth of knowledge from newbie to expert and beyond is embodied here. You have something very special in that Fisher. Take your time and ask questions as you proceed when in doubt. When you're fully engulfed in the tube console virus and ready to gut some old Maggie and turn it into a stand-alone, Jay, markus and many others have been there. For now, just concentrate on that wonderful piece you have. You have been assimilated. :thmbsp:

Dave
 
Hey everybody,
sorry to be away for a bit. Had a kids B-day party to go to.
I will take a huge number of photo's. If anyone has any particular questions, please feel free to shoot them at me. I will look, read, and pass on whatever info I can.
As to maggies, I already have a set and my mind was starting down that road too. One step at a time, one project at atime - gotta keep telling myself that.

I do have one question, what is first? I mean waht is first after I have taken the tubes out and checked them, then baked the unit. I do not have a variac. Any suggestions?

I'll be in touch soon.
Mark
 
Jcricket:

While you have the chassis out, you will want to replace the filter capacitors and likely the coupling caps as well. Those cans on the top of the chassis contain multiple capacitors (2 or 3) each. While it is possible to get them open and repack them with fresh caps, that can be a daunting and painstaking task. There is usually plenty of room under the chassis in which to install replacements instead. This method also preserves the original look as well.

As to a variac, you can easily construct the poor man's variac. This is an excellent article on building and using it: http://www.antiqueradio.org/dimbulb.htm

Dave
 
I was going through the paperwork I received when I bought my 510 and found the previous owner's handwritten instructions on how to hook up the various cables written on the back of this. His name is also listed on a receipt from 1960 when he paid a local electronics firm $5 to hook up his Fishers and set the stereo balance. (Incidentally, I also have the owner's manuals for both the 510 and 560 if you need info.) I remembered the guy I bought it from saying something about the previous owner being an artist friend of his who had passed away so I googled him.
MitchellJamieson.jpg

Amazing guy - he was a Navy combat artist who went ashore at Normandy with the first wave demolition teams on D-Day, presumably sketching as he went. He also served as an artist in Vietnam but his work from that period is very dark. I guess he'd seen enough of war by then. Here's a little bio I found: http://www.history.navy.mil/ac/d-day/d-day12.htm

My big Fisher's previous owner was an Air Force Colonel who flew B-17s over Germany in WWII. During the Cold War he did a tour at SAC HQ and later worked at the White House. Now I just need Army and Marine Fishers to complete my collection.
 
It is possible to find new can capacitors to replace the original ones which is what I did with a Scott LK-72A amp I have restored. Also check all resistors and replace all that are out of tolerance and those close to going out of tolerance. Replace all electrolytic caps and paper caps. Any ceramic disc caps that are in the amp will be ok.
 
The filter cans are easily replacable, the problem being, finding the exact replacement.

They are called type FP capacitor cans. AES sells a good selection and there are a couple places Ive found that are selling vintage NOS cap cans. Of course with those there is a chance of it not being any good anymore and you of course must bring them back to life with a variac.

Heres a link to the old radio parts NOS parts page:

http://www.oldradioparts.com/2a7fl.txt
 
jcricket -

SWEET looking console !

as Dave says, I'm one of the console addicts here on AK . . . I'm sucker for a tube amp in a pretty wood wrapper :D

take a peek at the underside of the tonearm - if it's a standard crystal pickup, you should be able to run a cd or ipod into the phono input, assuming the preamp doesnt have an aux input . . .

also, the cartridge *might* be a GE RPX which is pretty cool . . . big following with our Asian Hi-Fi friends :yes:

whats that baby got for speakers ?
 
Okay everyone,
Here are some pics. I have a lot more but am pressed on time so I am onl;y going to load a couple. I will post more later.

The owner told me they plugged it in to see if it would light up :yikes::yikes::yikes::yikes::yikes::yikes::yikes: and some smoke came out!

I checekd the tubes on hte consollette(not the companion yet). Both output tubes are shot. Does this mean something???
The rest test great. Also, yes there area couple of telefunken and a couple of mullards in there.

Mark
 
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Best $45 you ever spent, hmm? And I'll bet the seller was pleased it was going to someone who'd fully appreciate what they got. Good job!
 
Looks like...

..a pair of Mullard 6BQ5's there. Too bad the others are shot. Hopefully the smoke was only a cap or something minor. You're gonna enjoy that when it's restored. Smoke a pipe?....:D
 
I'm not sure if this is a valid way of dating your consolette but your grill cloth and Fisher emblem are a dead ringer for those on my '60 Fisher Premiere - the close-up picture of the emblem you took looks just like the photo on my website: http://members.cox.net/fisherconsoles/

So your 510 might be the 1960 model.
 
It looks like have a fairly large problem. My wife hates these - the looks of them. I am not quite sure what to do.

Maybe I can paint them:yikes::grumpy::grumpy::yikes::dunno::dunno:

I can usually sweet talk her into al ot of stuff, but she is not going to budge on this one.

:tears::tears::tears::tears:
Mark
 
Jcricket said:
It looks like have a fairly large problem. My wife hates these - the looks of them. I am not quite sure what to do.

Maybe I can paint them:yikes::grumpy::grumpy::yikes::dunno::dunno:

I can usually sweet talk her into al ot of stuff, but she is not going to budge on this one.

:tears::tears::tears::tears:
Mark
Click to expand...

OH NO ! the dreaded WAF !

maybe bribe her with some jewelry ? :D
 
She doesn't like jewelry and has a new convertible. Maybe a trip to the Hawaii?
Seems awful expensive for a set of consoles. Now if it was a McIntosh set up.....

Mark
 
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