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Fisher Consoles 1959-1965

Sweet! This thread has long deserved a place of honor, given the time, effort and love that has gone into it, especially on Red's part...:thmbsp:

Here's to Red!....:beerchug:
 
HOT DAMN! Consoles FINALLY have respectability! AWRIGHT! And #1 too. Way to go RED!

Larry
 
Another thing about the Fisher Custom Electra II that I picked up.

There is a plaque on the front of the turntable draw with the name of the retailer where the unit came from - at least I think it was the retailer.

"Campbell Music Company, Washington, DC"

Here are some pictures.
 

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I'm curious where you found your Custom Electra. Was it in or near Washington, DC? I'm not sure when Campbell Music went out of business but I remember their radio ads "Give the Gift of Music" from back in the 80s. They had a store in Tysons Corner, Va. that I vaguely remember but it is now long gone. I've also encountered Campell Music in old Fisher ads. I don't know how many Fisher dealers were located in the DC area but they were the only one advertising in this market as far as I know. They might well have been the source for some of the Fisher consoles I've collected. At one time they had a store at 1108 G. St. NW which is about 5 blocks from the White House. A Google search revealed that Campbell Music was owned by Earl Campbell, one-time president of NAMM.

CustomElectraIII1960.jpg
 
This Fisher Custom Electra II came from north of New York City. I found it in a town called Amenia, NY which is about 100 miles north of New York City.

It was at a bed and breakfast that was in the process of being sold. I saw the ad on Craigs List. The owner of the B&B said someone in the area gave it to him a few years ago.

It came a long way from Washington, DC!
 
jonboy55 said:
This Fisher Custom Electra II came from north of New York City. I found it in a town called Amenia, NY which is about 100 miles north of New York City.

It was at a bed and breakfast that was in the process of being sold. I saw the ad on Craigs List. The owner of the B&B said someone in the area gave it to him a few years ago.

It came a long way from Washington, DC!
Click to expand...

Eh, that's a short jaunt. I have a (non-Fisher) console that came from South Africa. :smoke:
 
My Custom Electra VIII was originally purchased in Oct.64 @ Campbell Music in 7 Corners. right around the bend from Tysons Corner, or maybe the same place.

Larry
 
I FIXED the problem with the Multiplexer in my Custom Electra. Loose Tube Socket for V402(12AX7). Had some Milspec Ceramic Sockets with shield bases laying around and fitted it in. Used Screw in rings underneath for assy....which gives me a ground point instead of using the socket itself. Took about 4 hours to do. Now it locks in a station with the MPX'er and it stays locked unless I take off the antenna.

HOT DAMN! All I have to do now is get some new 6HU8's.

Larry
 
larryderouin said:
My Custom Electra VIII was originally purchased in Oct.64 @ Campbell Music in 7 Corners. right around the bend from Tysons Corner, or maybe the same place.
Click to expand...
CampbellLocationsMay72.jpg


Campbell Music had locations all over the DC metro area. Besides those in the clipping they had stores in Wheaton, Md., Laurel, Md., Silver Spring, Md., and Springfield, Va.

I figured I might be able to track down more information on the Fisher Radio Corp. by investigating one of their major East Coast dealers. Campbell Music turned out to have a very interesting history. Founded in 1941 by Earl Campbell, who had been the manager of New York's Hammond Organ Co. store. He brokered a major organ sale to the U. S. Navy (550 electric organs) which took him frequently to Washington D.C. He saw an opportunity to open a music store here and bought out the Kimball Piano Co. store at 721 11st NW. He opened his piano store in Aug. 1941 - his timing was not the best. All piano production stopped with the coming of WWII. He was able to sell off his existing stock and repair and refurbish enough units to keep going and actually saw a steady sales increase during the War.

In 1944 he signed a 5-year lease on a 5 story building at 1108 G. St. NW. He only had enough stock to fill the ground floor and used the 5th floor as his shop. He sold Steinway, Sohmen, Kimball, Gulbranson and Cable pianos, and Hammond organs. He subsequently added Magnavox, Fisher and Norelco (North American Philips) radios, phonographs and "combinations." The "Fisher Salon" was on the 2nd floor. Then he added sheet music, records and finally band instruments.

In the early- to mid-50s Campbell's carried an extensive line of high fidelity components: Garrard, Webster, Altec, Leak, Browning, Fisher, Brook, Stephens, Bell, Presto, Magnecord, Pickering, Jensen, Craftsmen, Espey, Newcomb, Lincoln and even their own brand of radio-phonographs called Balladier. (I sure would like to know more about those Balladier consoles! I had never heard of them and wonder what sort of electronics were used in them. The Balladier division of Campbell music was located at 118 E. St., NW and managed by Campbell's Hi-Fi expert Frank L. Flynn.) By 1956 Campbell decided to concentrate on "package sets" - i.e.: CONSOLES.

Campbell Music opened their second store at 8417 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, Md. in the fall of 1955. By the time he sold his company to a group of local investors in 1968 they had four locations. Robert Earl Campbell died two years later on June 21st, 1970 at the age of 79. He was the president of NAMM for from 1946 to 1958. In many way he reminds me of Avery Fisher. He was a major patron of the arts here in DC, he seems to have been motivated by a sincere love of music, and he even built his own brand of consoles. He started his eponymous business at about the same time that Fisher started his and cashed out around the same time, too. (His timing had apparently improved since 1941.) I also learned that he had a summer home not far from me in Purcellville, Va.

That reminded me of a conversation I had with an older gentleman who was working at the Nichol's Hardware Store in Purcellville (One of Virginia's unsung treasures - an absolute time capsule of a hardware store. No computers! Written receipts using carbon paper for inventory tracking!) The gentleman related a story about one of the residents of Purcellville whose house was full of ancient Hi-Fi equipment. Seems he liked to play his classical music at full concert hall volume so the entire neighborhood could enjoy. I wonder if it was Earl Campbell he was talking about. I think he said that the house and equipment were still there. Further investigation to follow.

After Earl Campbell sold his company they expanded rapidly and took on a lot of debt. Declining sales and cash flow problems due to the opening of their Laurel, Md. store forced them to file Chapter 11 in May 1981. I presume they never emerged.

(Glad to hear your Custom Electra is finally 100%, Larry. I think I may have found an actual brick-and-mortar TV repair shop like the place you found in Baltimore here in Virginia. I'm going to go talk with one of their older techs this weekend to see about doing some work for me. How do these places survive?)
 
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A real beauty, indeed. Arguably Fisher's absolute best-looking cabinet. The tuner looks to be a 101-R but what model integrated amp is that? I presume that yours is the 1961 Executive VI, model 880. Please let me know if that is not the case. The Executive console cabinets 1959 through 1961 looked exactly the same and my chassis database indicates that the '59 (III) and '60 (IV) Executives both had the 101-R tuner and the X-101-A integrated amp (a.k.a. X-101-ST?). But that doesn't appear to be what you have. I believe my web page for that model is the last one without chassis information:

http://members.cox.net/fisherconsoles/ExecutiveVI.html

How did you come by it? Do you know any of its history? Any documentation? Heck, I only live about 45 minutes away - any chance I could drop by to see it in person? I have the catalog information on that model if you're interested. Definitely the nicest Fisher console I have yet seen.

61ExecutiveVIModernCatalogX-1.jpg
 
Hello TheRed1:
Thanks for your reply and kind comments. I am not sure what the integrated amp model number is, it does look very much like the 101 and has "Executive" on the brass faceplate. I agree that it is a great looking piece, unfortunately I have no history on it as it came to me through a local third party (not original owner). I even have the original Fisher remote control unit that I believe is a fairly rare option to find these days. Obviously the remote is a direct wired unit, not wireless.
Please feel free to come by and take a look at it, you may find that some of my other "stuff" is also interesting. e-mail me if you want my phone number, etc.

Joe
joe11611@aol.com
 
Joe

I hope you don't mind me jumping in here. I absolutely love that console.

That Executive Console is as beautiful today as it was last year when I picked it up from the original owner! Yes I posted this one on post # 107 a year ago. When I knew I didn't have the room for it I listed it for sale and I was sure lucky that Joe was right there to give it a home. You see, I had met Joe a couple of years earlier when he was selling a McIntosh Pre Amp. (I bought it) I enjoyed meeting Joe because he is a gentleman and so knowledgeable about all things audio. And I later confirm through seeing him mentioned on AK that he has a stellar reputation on top of an amazing collection of great gear.

So Joe, my 2 cents...all I can add to Red1 question regarding it's history is see my post (107) as I did indeed buy it from the original owner in Bethesda MD last year.

Jim
 
Console Mobile....

Hey maybe we can get something going like a book mobile (Tongue in Cheek!!!!!) at the rate that FISHER is making the rounds.

Fantastic looking Executive. I think I'd just about give up a ____ for either an Executive or a President. But saner heads prevail...named Checkbook and Bank balance.

Larry
 
I went over to Joe's house to see his Executive in person today and I can report that the tuner is not a 101-R as I had thought, but is in fact a 4000-R. That's no typo, folks, it's a 4000-R - a chassis I had never heard of before today. The integrated amp is the X-202 which I should have been able to identify since I have the Sams for that chassis. It was very cool to see this beautiful console in person. Joe very graciously showed me around his home which contains a vast trove of hi-fi treasures.

The most remarkable thing I spotted in Joe's collection was a set of speakers that somehow looked very familiar to me. I told him I had a very similar set that were part of a console that a Naval Commander had custom built in Japan by the Yokohama Hi-Fi Cabinet Makers Co. back in late 1963 (The Commander's Console). Turns out his were built by the same company a few years earlier for an Air Force general. We both thought we had one-of-a-kind consoles which I guess we do since his was equipped with a Sansui receiver, Akai R2R (I think), and his speaker drivers were Coral. I don't remember what turntable Joe said it had. Mine has a Fisher 800C, Sony R2R, Wharfedale full-range drivers and a Garrard type A.

Jimmy64, I can't believe I forgot having seen this Executive before in post #107. If it was originally from Bethesda, Md. I'd be willing to bet that it was purchased at Campbell Music. Funny how all this stuff ties together. Thanks for the reminder and for saving this fantastic console from the trash man.

Larry, I've still got the 510 in my van if anyone needs a Fisher console for a special function on short notice. It's small size makes it much easier to transport than the Executive which, at 64" long, is a full foot longer than my Premiere.

Thank again, Joe, for letting me come over to gawk. It was fun.
 
Hi Jim:
I too have enjoyed our all to few visits and transactions. I was hesitant to mention where I originally purchased the unit, respecting your privacy. I trust you and the other members understand. When I purchased the unit from Jim, I didn't think it would ever leave the sunroom where it has been set up and enjoyed by my wife and I as well as a few friends. I want to thank Jim for coming forward with the additional information and Jim, I look forward to seeing you again.
I will be posting a follow up to TheRed1'a visit that some of you may find interesting?
Joe11611
 
AudioKarma at work!

As a Sansui collector, I had the good fortune to come across a custom made system put together by the Yokohama HiFi Cabinet Maker in Japan. It was built in 1962 for a then Air Force Major living in Japan. Included in the system are a pair of Coral 12TX-1 Three Way Speakers, an Akai M-7 Reel-to-Reel, A Garrard Type A Turntable and a Sansui SM-80 Stereo Receiver. At the time, the SM-80 was the largest and most powerful of Sansui’s receivers, built like a tank and
almost as heavy. The SM-80 was what really attracted me to the unit. The only negative was that the console was located in Central Florida and a long drive from my home in Northern Virginia. Despite this fact, I decided to buy it and drive my trusty 1989 Ford Aerostar. The Aerostar does have only 68,000 original miles on it and looks and runs great, it is also hardly ever used. What I didn’t realize was that the tires were dry rotted. How I made the round trip to Florida safely was surely in the hand of a “higher power”. I did manage to get the system home, the electronics and speakers worked great and the cabinetry was perfect. The added bonus was that it came with all of the original paperwork, including the original hand drawn construction notes and receipts from the Yokohama Company.

It remains one of my most prized pieces in my Sansui collection.

This was AudioKarma, but not what was most amazing. What was is the fact that I had the pleasure of TheRed1's company on Sunday. As a Fisher console affectionado, he was interested in seeing my Fisher Executive console that I had posted on AK. TheRed1 came over and examined my Fisher giving it his official stamp of approval. While here, he looked at the other “junk” and saw the Coral speakers. To my amazement, he said he had a custom stereo system that was made for a Naval Commander stationed in Guam by the same Yokohama HiFi in Japan. Now that’s Audio Karma at work!

I will post additional information about my system as well as scans of most of the original documents that came along with it. I’m sure TheRed1 will also, unless he has already post the info. I look forward to any comments or questions - Joe
 
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