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really early fisher gear?

S

stereorob

Super Member
Banned
we all know our 500,500b ,c, 400, 800 series fisher tube gear, but what about the REALLY early stuff? im talkin 1940s and earlyer? like the stuff avery built pre-war, like the mystery "avf philharmonic" branded stuff?

once apon a time, i got a 450-t receiver with a bunch of brochures with it,
it had a pic of avery himself, donating his first receiver to the smithsonian, in 1965 i think? id really like to know more about this super early stuff, can anyone tell me about it? and id REALLY like to see some pics!
 
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Rob. There a whole bunch of older stuff (as opposed to nothing) in the FISHER CONSOLE THREADS as sticky's. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot out there, but it's coming in out of the cold slowly as AK'er pick them up.

And the prices' they are a climbing. There's a ad for a Mid 60's astrosonic (might be an imperial or equiv) in the baltimore CL and the guy wants 3G's. I actually fell on the floor I was laughing so hard!

Larry.
 
I have 500c and 400. But for that worthless single giant speaker of mine, I would love to try getting my hands on one of those Fisher 500 mono receiver to pair with it.
 
stereorob said:
we all know our 500,500b ,c, 400, 800 series fisher tube gear, but what about the REALLY early stuff? im talkin 1940s and earlyer? like the stuff avery built pre-war, like the mystery "avf philharmonic" branded stuff?

once apon a time, i got a 450-t receiver with a bunch of brochures with it,
it had a pic of avery himself, donating his first receiver to the smithsonian, in 1965 i think? id really like to know more about this super early stuff, can anyone tell me about it? and id REALLY like to see some pics!
Click to expand...

You're not the only one interested in Fisher's mythic origins. You may not have noticed but Fisherdude, at my request, recently re-purposed the failed 1958-1965 Fisher Consoles sticky to cover Fisher's early (pre-stereo) period, 1945-1958. It's my hope to shed some light on Avery Fisher's high fidelity odyssey, including his original company, the Philharmonic Radio Corp. So you might want to check in from time to time to see what we've found out. OR, if you have any information, you could post it there for posterity.

Incidentally, it was March, 1960 that Avery Fisher donated the 1937 Philharmonic receiver chassis and phonograph from his first high fidelity radio-phonograph to the Smithsonian. I've been trying to set up a meeting with the curators there for several months to sit down and go through their accession files. I'm not sure exactly what they've got in the way of documentation but, hopefully, (keep your fingers crossed), I'll find out sometime early next month.

http://homepage.mac.com/oldtownman/recording/electrical.html#group13
 
TheRed1 said:
You're not the only one interested in Fisher's mythic origins. You may not have noticed but Fisherdude, at my request, recently re-purposed the failed 1958-1965 Fisher Consoles sticky to cover Fisher's early (pre-stereo) period, 1945-1958. It's my hope to shed some light on Avery Fisher's high fidelity odyssey, including his original company, the Philharmonic Radio Corp. So you might want to check in from time to time to see what we've found out. OR, if you have any information, you could post it there for posterity.

Incidentally, it was March, 1960 that Avery Fisher donated the 1937 Philharmonic receiver chassis and phonograph from his first high fidelity radio-phonograph to the Smithsonian. I've been trying to set up a meeting with the curators there for several months to sit down and go through their accession files. I'm not sure exactly what they've got in the way of documentation but, hopefully, (keep your fingers crossed), I'll find out sometime early next month.

http://homepage.mac.com/oldtownman/recording/electrical.html#group13
Click to expand...

the 1937 philharmonic receiver, thats the one i was talking about. i forgot that that was the name. that would be pretty cool if you get acsess to it! hell, maybe they will even let you try it, and JAM IT!! lol
 
Did you see the NEEDLE on that thing. WHOA!!!!!! and probably 20gr to boot. TVA could have used that thing to dig trenches.

Love that receiver. The EYE TUBE with the Upper Lid. Remember the Chrome Headlight lids like that on 50's and 60's cars as an add on.
 
larryderouin said:
Did you see the NEEDLE on that thing. WHOA!!!!!! and probably 20gr to boot. TVA could have used that thing to dig trenches.

Love that receiver. The EYE TUBE with the Upper Lid. Remember the Chrome Headlight lids like that on 50's and 60's cars as an add on.
Click to expand...

thats not a needle... its a harpoon
 
perchdog said:
thats not a needle... its a harpoon
Click to expand...


Oh stop it you guys :D Now you know they didn't have diamond tipped stylus back in the day. If you have any crank up phonographs, you would be use to them. Yes eventually the needle will create its own groove in your 78 record...if you accidentally knock the tonearm over while playing...you'll have a nice canal for water :D I have a reproducer be WE that weighs about 2lbs.
 
wow! really wow!, that receiver is to die for! i wonder what the chances are of running across one of those at a thrift shop would be......

id love to hear what it sounds like! probubly damn good!
 
Whatcha wanna bet the caps in that Philharmonic are drier than the SAHARA? :eek:

New caps, new resistors, diodes, WIRE, and maybe a couple of tubes(if you can find them). NAH, won't take much to get that one running again. Change out everything but the front glass, chassis, and the knobs.:pity:
 
Possibly Fred Rice? He posts at antiqueradios.com and seems quite knowledgeable on early Fisher. You can search their boards for his threads. If you're registered there you could send a PM...
 
Thanks, Tom. You were right. It was Fred Rice. I went ahead and registered so that I could PM him.
 
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