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Interest check: Antique radio MP3 players/iPod docks

Johnny B

Familiar Face
Messages
73
Location
N. America
Hi all

I'm asking here because I know you guys would be a good test audience since you're my demographic for this idea I'm having:

I've recently come into a collection of about 100 old tabletop tube radios from about 1920-1950. The thing is, these are all just shells. The guts have been removed, probably for the tubes, years ago and the remainder is just a lot of wood and cracked bakelite. However, they are still nice looking radios. There's a couple Crosley Coloradios in there, and quite a bit of Philcos. This was a really neat acquisition.

A long while ago I turned an old Admiral radio into a basic MP3 player dock by gutting the (non-functioning) insides and replacing it with a quick and dirty chop job by wiring a pair of speakers into it and hooking the original buttons up to the volume and power dial. The result was a vintage radio that could play whatever you could fit on an MP3 player or ipod or, anything, really as long as it hooked into a 3.5mm jack.

I had the idea to fill the void in my summer between university graduation and unemployment with reconditioning the old chasises... chasisi... or whatever, and actually doing a nice installation job of modern electronics, you know, mounted and secured and all, mainly speakers to turn them into iPod docks since all the "retro" looking ones today are horrible, ugly and cheap plastic. That way one could have a modern sound system in their home without breaking decor. You can hide teh stereo or whatever and just connect the wire output from the radio into its output so these old things get a second lease on life. That or install a new, modern radio into them (I've done this with one and it's pretty neat) that can pick up modern bands.

I mean entirely stripped, refurbished, revarnished, repaired, repolished radio chasis that you can hook an iPod into and actually use the radio controls to adjust power and volume, built to last another 5 decades. If I were to do this and stick them on eBay at .99 cents starting bid a piece (but aim for a 30-40 dollar range), or just sell them on a website for the same, would anyone here (or would you know of anyone) be interested in buying them, or is my idea so horrible and what I am proposing such an awful idea I should quit the internet posthaste and kill myself like the monster I am?
 

Viola

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,469
Location
NSW, AUS
I'd be interested depending on the shape/style of the radio, because I'm shallow like that. But it sounds like it could be really cool.
 

Brinybay

Practically Family
Messages
571
Location
Seattle, Wa
The "guts" (chassis, the outer part is the cabinet or shell) were probably removed for capacitors and other useable electronic parts, including the tubes. Not sure what you did with the non-functioning insides (chassis) of the Admiral, but if you tossed it, shame on you!

Since all you have are shells, I may possibly be interested, depending on the design. Have a picture of them?

FWIW, I have a 1929 Majestic High Boy with all original components, including the power cord. Non-functioning, but I intend to get it functioning somehow, someday.

 

PADDY

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
7,425
Location
METROPOLIS OF EUROPA
Johnny...

Johnny, welcome to the Lounge!! the idea sounds workable. Get some photos of a cross section of the radios you have that you would be reconditioning (ie, stripping, polishing..etc).

Also, I'd suggest that the smaller 'table top' styled radio shells would be initially the way to go (as postage costs would be cheaper too).

(Get your message count up to the magic 15, which then activates your PM - Personal Messaging option, and then drop me a PM please).

Good Luck with that - I love enterprising ideas!
 

Macheath

One of the Regulars
Messages
254
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
"I'll have one in a beige bakelite, pleez..."

Sounds like a neat idea. Like the others suggested, some pictures would be nice, as well as an illustration of the components' layout.
 

Johnny B

Familiar Face
Messages
73
Location
N. America
Okay, well, 7 hours later and people say they're interested pending seeing what one looks like. Natch.

Right now I am very busy with graduation, moving, the last few weeks of hardcore (student) employment but give me

whats today

the 11th okay give me about a week and a half and I'll have a basic one here for viewing if this works out Loungers will get deals on whichever they like, if it doesn't, you get to beat me with sticks

(Get your message count up to the magic 15, which then activates your PM - Personal Messaging option, and then drop me a PM please).

ive had PM ability for a while
 

Viola

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,469
Location
NSW, AUS
Cathedral radios and green bakelite radiate mind-control rays I cannot ignore... following this thread with interest.
 

Johnny B

Familiar Face
Messages
73
Location
N. America
Alright so I've got som extra time this weekend to put one together to show what they'll end up looking like, and to sell off. I've got larger 30s era wood tabletops, smaller 40s and 50s bakelite and 50s plastic and steel small tabletops. Which would one be most interested in seeing (ie for purchase)?
 

"Skeet" McD

Practically Family
Messages
755
Location
Essex Co., Mass'tts
Johnny B said:
Alright so I've got som extra time this weekend to put one together to show what they'll end up looking like, and to sell off. I've got larger 30s era wood tabletops, smaller 40s and 50s bakelite and 50s plastic and steel small tabletops. Which would one be most interested in seeing (ie for purchase)?

For me, as already stated: 30s wood tabletop. Not interested at all in the other items. Your mileage may vary....

"Skeet"
 

J.J. Gittes

A-List Customer
Messages
375
Location
Chinatown
This is going to be the JohnnyPhi of Radios! Definatly interested! 20's to 30's for me.

Lets see a large wood 30's tabletop you speak of.
 

Johnny B

Familiar Face
Messages
73
Location
N. America
Alright let's start off with this 39 Roger's Majestic

rutipt9pezbfboo1ftd9.jpg


I'll have to replace the buttons though
 

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