[Bob Andersen]

I stumbled across this set on craigslist a few days ago. The seller had just listed "Two Console Radios" with no brand or model #. He did include a photo of the front though and after a little detective work I determined it might be a Mystery Control set. He didn't have a remote and didn't remember his father (the original owner) ever using one with it. However, he described the chassis including the big metal box on the right and I figured it must be a 41-316.

I headed out to see it with a friend tonight and it sure was! After a little negotiation, I got it and a box of spare tubes.

Here it is on my back porch. The previous owner didn't have the remote, but I had picked one up years ago
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[Jayce]

I have one of these consoles. Missing the remote and the dial scale glass is gone.

[Arran]

I've also found a mystery control set although I'm not sure about the year, the owner claims it's a 39-116, I still need to go and look at it and arrange a price. I must say that I like the cabinet of the 1941 edition better, it seems to have more style to it. If I'm not mistaken I think that the radio receiver portion of the chassis was improved as well since it looks like it has more tubes then the 1939 set had.
Regards
Arran

[Arran]

I have one of these consoles. Missing the remote and the dial scale glass is gone.

Need a 41-316 dial? Try here:
http://www.radiodaze.com/product/13792.aspx
Regards
Arran

[TA Forbes]

Nice! Fifteen tubes of radio fun for you!

[Bob Andersen]

Thanks. It's my first early 40s Philco set. I've never encounter the XXL tubes before.

I started to clean it up this afternoon. The top is pretty rough, but the rest isn't so bad.

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This is after a GoJo and mineral spirit rubdown. I haven't gotten to the right side yet.
Too bad some knucklehead drilled a hole into the top
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[Ron Ramirez]

Very neat, Bob! Good luck with that one...I have a 41-616, pretty much the same as yours but with the addition of a phonograph, and an even larger cabinet. I've ben trying to find the time - and the courage - to start going through its many miles of rubber-covered wiring...

[Bob Andersen]

Uh-oh. I hadn't thought about rubber coated wiring I just went though replacing some in a 39-30.

[Arran]

Uh-oh. I hadn't thought about rubber coated wiring I just went though replacing some in a 39-30.

Fortunately Philco decided to opt out of using the rubber covered crap on the power transformer leads after 1939, or so they told me after I asked about the 39-116. The XXL (7A4) tubes are sort of interesting, Philco had an affinity for using either a twin triode mixer oscillator like an XXD (14AF7) or a pair of seperate triodes like the XXL for the mixer and oscillator rather then a pentagrid convertor like a 6SA7 or a octode convertor like a 7A8 in many of their 1941-42 sets. The 1939 116 uses a 6A8 convertor but has a tuned RF stage, the 1941 316 version has those twin XXL tubes and an extra IF stage.
One thing I have been meaning to do is restore both of my "Hippo" sets to stage a performance shootout as to which system works better, one has a tuned RF stage and the 7A8 converter, the other has a XXD (14AF7) twin triode mixer-oscillator but an extra IF amplifier stage. I suspect that the one with the extra RF stage may have the edge but I don't know for sure.
Regards
Arran

[Bob Andersen]

I decided to do a quick repair and refinish on the top before bringing it inside.
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The old finish scrapes off very easily. I discovered this area where the veneer had been sanded right through
I wonder could it have left the factory like this or is it from a poor refinishing done long ago ?
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[Arran]

I decided to do a quick repair and refinish on the top before bringing it inside.
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The old finish scrapes off very easily. I discovered this area where the veneer had been sanded right through
I wonder could it have left the factory like this or is it from a poor refinishing done long ago ?
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It was probably sanded through at the factory, one or two of my sets have had flaws like that buried under the original finish. I guess they didn't worry about it since they knew that the whole finish was going to be tinted anyhow. Now would be a good time to fix the hole that someone drilled into the top, it looks like they punched in through near the lid at the front so that means that it's a small area to patch, you could do much the same thing that you did with the top of the Philco 15DX. I never understood why some former owner would drill a hole in the top, I can understand the side like if someone though they needed to add a switch or a phone jack but the ones people put in the top never seen to have anything installed.
Regards
Arran
Regards
Arran

[Bob Andersen]

If I had the time, I would do a proper job, but I'm just going to do a quick stain and lacquer. I just want to stabilize and protect the cabinet plus make it look a little nicer. When I have more time, I'll refinish the whole cabinet. The aligatoring on the sides is pretty bad.

As for the hole, the owner said this radio was in an auto garage for much of it's life. Could be that someone used it as a workbench while they drilled a hole in something

[Bob Andersen]

OK, the stain didn't look right - especially in the damaged area. So, I removed it and will go with toner lacquer. I should know better by now

[Bob Andersen]

I finished giving the sides a Howard's RAF rubdown.
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I'll order up some reproduction pushbuttons.
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[Bob Andersen]

Coincidentally, I just scored a second remote
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I pulled the chassis tonight. What a beast! Looks to be in good condition. Some crumbling rubber wire, but a lot is cloth covered including the transformer.
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