Hello, folks,
This is my first post. Lurked for years to get valuable info about vintage tube amps and vintage turntables.
Now I'm starting my first tube amp project and I thought some here might find it interesting. I've attached a couple of pix with more to follow as I dive in.
I've searched the net high and low for info on this receiver and found none. I expect the astute among you will notice the chassis is actually a Pilot 602 of early 60's vintage.
Of course, the big question is why the complete re-work of the front controls. And I mean complete. The original 602 compliment of seven knobs is increased to ten with the addition of an AFC control, a 'Comp'(loudness?) control, and the splitting of the ganged treble and bass controls into individual knobs for each channel. Four of the slide switches and the input selector knob are replaced with a set of eight push buttons. The on/off slide is moved from the bottom left to the center between the channel controls. The tuning scales are moved toward the center and the tuning-eye is replaced with a new eye for each scale mounted at the outer ends.
All this means the old 602 front panel is replaced with a new one which is, as far as I can tell, a nearly production quality, hard chromed aluminum plate with engraved letters on the main control label band and on the bezel. The grid-pattern engraved skin is applied to the face plate with and intentional split between the right channel treble/bass controls. All in all, this is a pretty amazing re-working of the original 602 front end.
My first theory is that this a near production prototype of an RCA product based on the Pilot 602 chassis. I heard from Uncle Mike over at Vintage Asylum that this sort of prototype would show up from time to time in the South Jersey/Philly area since the RCA labs were in Camden, NJ.
If any one other thoughts or info I'd love to hear from you.
And if you've done a Pilot 602 restoration and would share the parts list, I'd be deeply in your debt.
Thanks,
John
This is my first post. Lurked for years to get valuable info about vintage tube amps and vintage turntables.
Now I'm starting my first tube amp project and I thought some here might find it interesting. I've attached a couple of pix with more to follow as I dive in.
I've searched the net high and low for info on this receiver and found none. I expect the astute among you will notice the chassis is actually a Pilot 602 of early 60's vintage.
Of course, the big question is why the complete re-work of the front controls. And I mean complete. The original 602 compliment of seven knobs is increased to ten with the addition of an AFC control, a 'Comp'(loudness?) control, and the splitting of the ganged treble and bass controls into individual knobs for each channel. Four of the slide switches and the input selector knob are replaced with a set of eight push buttons. The on/off slide is moved from the bottom left to the center between the channel controls. The tuning scales are moved toward the center and the tuning-eye is replaced with a new eye for each scale mounted at the outer ends.
All this means the old 602 front panel is replaced with a new one which is, as far as I can tell, a nearly production quality, hard chromed aluminum plate with engraved letters on the main control label band and on the bezel. The grid-pattern engraved skin is applied to the face plate with and intentional split between the right channel treble/bass controls. All in all, this is a pretty amazing re-working of the original 602 front end.
My first theory is that this a near production prototype of an RCA product based on the Pilot 602 chassis. I heard from Uncle Mike over at Vintage Asylum that this sort of prototype would show up from time to time in the South Jersey/Philly area since the RCA labs were in Camden, NJ.
If any one other thoughts or info I'd love to hear from you.
And if you've done a Pilot 602 restoration and would share the parts list, I'd be deeply in your debt.
Thanks,
John
