Pilot Console Model #1239

[tekuhn]

I thought I would share my recent purchase. I watch Facebook marketplace for any interesting audio gear for sale, and as soon as I saw this I bought it sight unseen. It appears to be in outstanding condition and unmolested. I have not had an opportunity to inspect it closely yet, but glancing through the open back, I see all original Pilot branded Amperex tubes from Holland. Seller stated that he had bought it at an auction and that he thought it came from an estate of a well-known local rancher in the Southeast New Mexico area (where I drove to pick it up).

The amplifier is a model 245-A, the record changer is a Garrard RC88/4, and the speakers are PSV-1's. I have always heard good things about Pilot and I already own an SP 216-A that worked very well when I last used it.

I will probably post more pictures as I inspect this, but any work on it will take a back seat until I finish my other Gillespie W-5M. The walnut is really gorgeous.

 

[Dswankey]

Very nice!!!! and I look forward to updates on it's working status.

 

[RWood]

Yeah, man; that is one sweet console.

 

[Omegaman]

I can't see how you could have resisted that beautiful console

nice find

 

[Dswankey]

@tekuhn

Based on some of your previous posts & threads it seems you have a good handle on tube gear. The reason I mention that is I'm wondering if you're aware of Long Island City (a neighborhood of Queens NYC)?

I created this thread several years ago and there's some neat information about what was going on there back in the day.

https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/long-island-city.566295/

Another reason I bring it up is I'm curious as to who manufactured the furniture aspect of your console. I'm guessing they contracted it out to some local possibly regional furniture maker?.

I know that some Motorola consoles were manufactured by Drexel, a long time, well known entity in the furniture business.

Yours is a pretty aesthetically pleasing piece of furniture for its time and even in this day & age. The dovetailing on the speakers look pretty solid too.

 

[tekuhn]

Very interesting thread! I had made the connection that Fisher and Pilot were from the same area, but not the others. I remember Lafayette Radio Electronics well. I grew-up in Northern Virginia (D.C. area) and we had a Lafayette store locally that was one of my favorite places. My first set of speakers were Lafayette Criterion branded.I loved to drool over their catalog.

I wondered the same about the furniture manufacturer. The quality is excellent. I will keep my eye out for any additional markings that might indicate a manufacturer.

Do you have any experience with these speakers? I'd like to remove the grills to inspect them, but it's not entirely obvious how to remove them. The cloth covered insert appears to be behind the wood so not a simple matter of unscrewing the name plate and pulling it off like KLH for example. There is a seam in the wood and presumably they separate there. Anyone know if they just snap on and off at this seam? I really don't want to damage them prying.

 

[Dswankey]

Do you have any experience with these speakers?

I do not, here's an ad from the 1960 "Audio" catalog and 1959 Pilot catalog

https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Audio/60s/Audio-1960-Aug.pdf

http://www.hifilit.com/Pilot/1959-4.jpg

I'd like to remove the grills to inspect them, but it's not entirely obvious how to remove them. The cloth covered insert appears to be behind the wood

They look to be from the same era as an early KLH 6. Here is a thread I created years ago, note post # 10, I think you're correct.

https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/klh-model-6-six-help.695463/

If you care to learn more about Pilot gear

http://www.preservationsound.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Pilot_HiFi_Line_1962_Catalog.pdf

 

[Jay hartman]

I thought I would share my recent purchase. I watch Facebook marketplace for any interesting audio gear for sale, and as soon as I saw this I bought it sight unseen. It appears to be in outstanding condition and unmolested. I have not had an opportunity to inspect it closely yet, but glancing through the open back, I see all original Pilot branded Amperex tubes from Holland. Seller stated that he had bought it at an auction and that he thought it came from an estate of a well-known local rancher in the Southeast New Mexico area (where I drove to pick it up).

The amplifier is a model 245-A, the record changer is a Garrard RC88/4, and the speakers are PSV-1's. I have always heard good things about Pilot and I already own an SP 216-A that worked very well when I last used it.

I will probably post more pictures as I inspect this, but any work on it will take a back seat until I finish my other Gillespie W-5M. The walnut is really gorgeous.

View attachment 1751873 View attachment 1751874 View attachment 1751875 View attachment 1751876 View attachment 1751877 View attachment 1751878 View attachment 1751879 View attachment 1751881 View attachment 1751882

Truly beautiful

 

[GordonW]

I have done some pretty extensive work with the amp there- the Pilot SM-245A.

IMHO, it's one of the very best Pilot amps, period. I actually prefer the sound of it- suitably updated to address a few minor issues- over the famous Pilot 232 power amp.

These amps really need a conversion to individual bias adjustment pots for each output tube (I have posted a thread describing how I did this- https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/woot-pilot-245a.371778/ ). It really takes a good amp, and makes it great, IMHO. Once the bias circuit is improved, a thorough recap is done, and any out-of-spec resistors are dealt with, these amps are truly excellent performers...

BTW: The SM-245A I got, had already been separated from its console, years before I got it- so I took it upon myself to build a custom wood case for it:

Here's the thread about the construction of the case: https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/i...or-a-pilot-sm245a-tube-integrated-amp.594557/

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[tekuhn]

They look to be from the same era as an early KLH 6. Here is a thread I created years ago, note post # 10, I think you're correct.
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/klh-model-6-six-help.695463/

I was thinking of KLH Model 17's that I had that the front nameplate screwed off and then the cloth attached to fiberboard, would pull away from Velcro-like attachments. Unfortunately, on these PSV-1's, the cloth attached to fiberboard is not simply inside of a recessed cabinet face, but actually behind the wooden frame. The wooden frame does have a seam on the side, though, and must separate there. It's just a question of whether it was glued together permanently, or is there some kind of clip system that will separate with enough pressure. If they do separate, they are quite strongly attached. Hopefully these pictures will help explain what I mean. You can see in the first picture that the grill is under the wood.

 

[tekuhn]

I have done some pretty extensive work with the amp there- the Pilot SM-245A.

IMHO, it's one of the very best Pilot amps, period. I actually prefer the sound of it- suitably updated to address a few minor issues- over the famous Pilot 232 power amp.

These amps really need a conversion to individual bias adjustment pots for each output tube (I have posted a thread describing how I did this- https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/woot-pilot-245a.371778/ ). It really takes a good amp, and makes it great, IMHO. Once the bias circuit is improved, a thorough recap is done, and any out-of-spec resistors are dealt with, these amps are truly excellent performers...

BTW: The SM-245A I got, had already been separated from its console, years before I got it- so I took it upon myself to build a custom wood case for it:

Regards,
Gordon.

Great information, thank you! I read through the rebuild thread and it caught my attention about the Sam's schematic error. I was looking at that schematic today and thought the diode polarity didn't make sense but that the filter cap polarities on the dc filament/bias supply circuit looked right - now I know why! I intend to study what you did with the bias adjustment mods more closely, and I'm also interested in Dave Gillepie's comments about how he modded his Pilot using a similar, but different approach. Heck, if I'm going that far, it would be interesting to see if this might benefit from the application of EFB(tm).

Your walnut case came out fantastic!

 

[tekuhn]

I can see there are two small finish nails on each side of the grill frame. They are filled with putty. I tried prying on the frame and can see it pivot slightly at the closest nail. I’m not sure how to remove the nails without damaging the wood, but I’m considering digging them out and then drilling the holes to accept a wood plug and then use small wood screws to make the grills a little more removable.

 

[gadget73]

Might have better access from the rear panel if you're looking to work on the speakers. A lot of older ones went together from the back side.

 

[Trolly90]

So, you're the one that beat me to that! Congratulations, I was about 18 hrs to late on a reply, but I'm glad a fellow AKer got it! I nearly had a stroke when I ran across that ad, and was anxiously waiting for a reply back, and had even started the 2hr drive down, when he replies that it had sold! Not a total loss, as I stopped in at the Roosevelt Brewery for a couple of Green Chile Lagers on the way back home ,to drown my sorrows...

 

[tekuhn]

So, you're the one that beat me to that! Congratulations, I was about 18 hrs to late on a reply, but I'm glad a fellow AKer got it! I nearly had a stroke when I ran across that ad, and was anxiously waiting for a reply back, and had even started the 2hr drive down, when he replies that it had sold! Not a total loss, as I stopped in at the Roosevelt Brewery for a couple of Green Chile Lagers on the way back home ,to drown my sorrows...

Oh man! Sorry about that! I had the same reaction when I saw it. I go back and forth between Tyler and Midland. I was in Midland at the time (1.5 hr drive to Hobbs), but was literally loading up to head east. I messaged and asked if I could pay for it immediately, but not pick it up for a week or so. He agreed and I got it paid for as fast as I could. I was nervous all week that somebody else was going to offer more than the asking $ and change his mind before I could get it picked up. I really couldn't tell that much about the condition from his pictures, but as you can see above..... What a deal. I really don't think this was used very much - it appears to have all the original tubes.

I went thru a similar situation about 3 weeks ago. Someone in the Dallas area posted a "Vintage Record Player" ad on FB Marketplace. The item was a Garrard Lab 80 MkII that looked to be in pristine condition - $30. That is what was originally paired with my Fisher 400, and I would love to have one to complete the original setup. I messaged and told my story, hoping it might help the cause if there were multiple inquiries. No response. I ended up messaging daily for over a week - even located his email address thru his poorly locked down FB info - no response. After about 2 weeks, the status finally changed to SOLD. I even told him early on that if he had multiple offers, to please allow me to compete. The guys FB page showed he was plenty tech savvy, so I don't think it was a matter of not knowing how to mark his listing as sold. Oh well. Being in DFW, I imagine he was inundated with messages about that.

 

[tekuhn]

Might have better access from the rear panel if you're looking to work on the speakers. A lot of older ones went together from the back side.

I really just want to check the condition of the driver cones and surrounds. I'm also more than a little curious about this "Accoustimatic Turret" system that rotates the tweeter/mid arrays to match the speaker orientation. I believe these are sealed cabinets and I'm wondering how they accomplished the rotation while maintaining a seal. Perhaps the woofer is sealed in it's own chamber. Anyway, it seems like something that might possibly deteriorate with age and I want to inspect it. The x-over caps need checking too, but like you said, it's possible the driver are attached from the inside and I'll have to remove the back plate somehow. It's odd to me they weren't built to be more serviceable.

 

[gadget73]

hm, looking close I don't see screw holes on the back either. They had to put it together somehow. Not a huge fan of things that are constructed in a way that taking them apart is likely to cause damage.

 

[Trolly90]

Oh man! Sorry about that! I had the same reaction when I saw it. I go back and forth between Tyler and Midland. I was in Midland at the time (1.5 hr drive to Hobbs), but was literally loading up to head east. I messaged and asked if I could pay for it immediately, but not pick it up for a week or so. He agreed and I got it paid for as fast as I could. I was nervous all week that somebody else was going to offer more than the asking $ and change his mind before I could get it picked up. I really couldn't tell that much about the condition from his pictures, but as you can see above..... What a deal. I really don't think this was used very much - it appears to have all the original tubes.

I went thru a similar situation about 3 weeks ago. Someone in the Dallas area posted a "Vintage Record Player" ad on FB Marketplace. The item was a Garrard Lab 80 MkII that looked to be in pristine condition - $30. That is what was originally paired with my Fisher 400, and I would love to have one to complete the original setup. I messaged and told my story, hoping it might help the cause if there were multiple inquiries. No response. I ended up messaging daily for over a week - even located his email address thru his poorly locked down FB info - no response. After about 2 weeks, the status finally changed to SOLD. I even told him early on that if he had multiple offers, to please allow me to compete. The guys FB page showed he was plenty tech savvy, so I don't think it was a matter of not knowing how to mark his listing as sold. Oh well. Being in DFW, I imagine he was inundated with messages about that.

No worries, my friend! Im happy for you, that is an amazing console, and I've got about three too many as it is anyhow, saved me from having to explain to the wife why I was buying another! I was just coming back from Amarillo after working all night, and spotted the ad which was about 24hrs old or so, and I thought if I wasn't too tired when I got back to NM, I would contact the seller and head down and hopefully would be contacted on the way down. After about 30 miles in, recieved the reply that it was sold, which I figured would happen....and headed back towards home.

His pictures definitely didn't do that jewel any justice. That thing is beautiful! And as a tube newbie, it appears that it ended up in the right hands, and I was expecting (hoping) a fellow AKer had picked that beauty up. So I was happy to see your post!

And being what he was asking for it, I think you did wonderfully!

I look forward to watching this thread continue

 

[tekuhn]

@tekuhn

.......I'm curious as to who manufactured the furniture aspect of your console. I'm guessing they contracted it out to some local possibly regional furniture maker?.

I know that some Motorola consoles were manufactured by Drexel, a long time, well known entity in the furniture business.

Yours is a pretty aesthetically pleasing piece of furniture for its time and even in this day & age. The dovetailing on the speakers look pretty solid too.

I found this brochure from 1961 which says that they made their furniture in-house!

http://akdatabase.org/AKview/albums/userpics/10007/Pilot 1960-61 Catalog.pdf

 

[tekuhn]

hm, looking close I don't see screw holes on the back either. They had to put it together somehow. Not a huge fan of things that are constructed in a way that taking them apart is likely to cause damage.

I got one of the PSV-1's opened-up. It is indeed the small finish nails on the sides of the grill frame that holds it in place. I used a punch to drive the nail in past the frame and it came right off and then I could remove the nails. Details to come, but these are really pretty high quality.