Hey guys, I went to a local Thrift Store to pick up some Vase's I won on eBay and found this totally cool Capehart.

I think it might be A 1947 but I'm not sure, can't find it in my books. It has channel 1, I can't find the tag but someone wrote "Model 504" on the back

The turntable has been changed to a "modern" Gerrard, anyone know what should be in there (and where to get one?)

Sorry for the pictures but it's still laying on it's side in the back of my truck

http://www.vintagetvsets.com/images/capehart-1.jpg

http://www.vintagetvsets.com/images/capehart-2.jpg

http://www.vintagetvsets.com/images/capehart-3.jpg

http://www.vintagetvsets.com/images/capehart-4.jpg

http://www.vintagetvsets.com/images/capehart-5.jpg

http://www.vintagetvsets.com/images/capehart-6.jpg

Eric,

Hooked a nice big one, huh?

There is a model 504 listed in Riders #2, but just the TV circuits. I would guess the original turntable was a Webster maybe a model 70, 78 only. Shouldn't be hard to find something close to put in there.

Chuck

Hi Chuck, I went out and started taking the set apart because that's the only way I will be able to get it in the house, plus it needed cleaning BAD!

It looks like mice were using it to store food? The inside was covered with dry Dog food! It looks like someone had tried to remove some of it prior but there was still a bunch of it.
Fortunantly the Mice didn't use it for a rest room, there is no evidence of urine or feces, not even any chewed wires except perhaps the speaker wires which wern't connected to anything.

I found a date inside the HV cage also, 10-48 so it looks like it might be a 49 model :(

There were actually two channel number plates, one was hidden under another control, both are channel one but now I'm not sure they are correct for this set at all. The channel selector knob is the same as an RCA 721.

Anyway the 10" CRT is good so that alone is probably worth what I paid for the thing.

Then if I sell the Gerrard TT and the Shure Stereo Pre-Amp that was added I may come out ahead :)

Eric:
A friend of mine has almost the exact same set. I have emailed him to see if he still has the original turntable.
Marlin

Hi Marlin, that would be great if he does, I could sure use a model # or a picture.

The mounting board has been cut out up mine but I can see it used 4 mounts, one at each corner.

I don't know if the TT mounted flat on the board of if it had it's own small cabinet that sat on top of the sliding board?

Eric

Hi Eric, Marlin directed me to your post. I have what looks like the same Capehart tv-radio combo. Unfortunately my turntable has been removed and retro-fitted with a later unit also. I'm not sure what was originally installed, but my feeling is that it might have been one of those complex turntables, perhaps one that played both sides of a record automatically. Don't quote me on that. I don't know this for sure.

My Capehart is in storage, and I have not looked at it for a while. If you would like to send me a list of specific questions, I'll go look at the tv, and try to answer your questions if I can.

I don't own a digital camera yet, so I can't send any photos. If I remember correctly, I think my set has it's owners manual, and I could scan it for you though. Maybe this shows the correct turntable.

Mike.

Hi Mike,

a scan of the manual would be terrific!

I don't think it had a flip over type changer, there doesn't seem to be enough room for that, if it did then it will really be hard to replace it!

I'm guessing it had a changer that was mounted on it's own base, maybe that is what the 4 mounting holes were for?

One other question I have, does yours have two channel mumber plates, one hidden behind the volume knob and apparently used just for decoration?

Eric

Mike, one more thing I just thought of. My set has a hinged
doo-dad inside behind the radio, I think it is for a loop antenna that is missing, can you verify that?

Thanks,

Eric

Eric,

Here is a scan of what may have been in your Capehart, it's a model P-56. The other possibility is a model P-70, I can't find a picture of that model.


Chuck

Thank you Chuck, is that a Webster or a Capehart changer?

I suppose at this point it wouldn't matter if it was exactly the right changer, maybe I (assuming I can get this thing running) should just stick a DVD player in that door and play old TV shows with it :p:

You know this thing has 32 tubes in the TV (plus the CRT) and another 13 in the radio! 45 total!!

By the way, does anyone know what this thingy is? It plugs into the back of the radio chassis and also has cables with M&F RCA jacks. Can't remember what the tube (not shown) is, 6AS7 or 6SC7 or something like that. I'm guessing it has something to do with the FM?

I have the Sam's for the TV but not the Radio.

Eric

Eric,

That's the Capehart changer.

I can't see the picture posted on your unknown piece, but it sounds like a preamp for a low output magnetic cartridge like a GE VR series. Capehart used them in their radio/phono combinations alot.


Chuck

I wonder if it is a retrofitted preamp to make the more modern cartridge work?

Chuck, Marlin, I think you may be right about the Pre-Amp.

There was a non-original Stereo, Shure pre amp added on but this one is original equipment and had been disconnected.

Possibly it is similar to the Zenith Cobramatic which used some kind of inductive pick up?

Hi Eric, I finally went to look at my Capehart Tv-radio-phono combo, and brought the owners manual home. It is a 504P. Also with the set, was a typewritten letter from the Capehart salesman to Mrs. Thompson (presumably the original owner), about the features available with this unit.

The letter indicated that more than one optional phonograph could be chosen, including one that plays both sides of a record. Also optional was the "Electronic Echo Chamber" for three dimensional sound as heard in an auditorium!

The item you mentioned behind the radio chassis is a loop antenna that is inside a cardboard enclosure. There is bold graphics on the cardboard promoting the antenna.

The small chassis you showed in a picture is almost certainly a phono preamp. It is intact on my unit, and is connected to the turntable that is in the cabinet.

I forgot to look at the channel indicator bezel, but when I return the manual to the tv, I'll look then.

I only scanned the pages in the manual that pertain to the phono, to save download time on this page. I would be happy to send you scans of the entire manual directly if you'd like. It would be 10 scans total.

Hope this helps you.
Mike

Hi Mike, very helpful and very interesting! Thank you.

Yes, if it's not too much trouble, please send the whole scan directly to me :) that will be facinating reading.

I don't think i'd ever find the optional flip over changer nor would I want to fix it if i did, but at least I should be able to find some type of changer that will be appropriate.

Well, my antenna is missing :( probably won't find that! the cabinet needs repairs and refinished, I had to literally wash the chassis to get the dirt and dog food residue out, the mice did use the lower level of the condo.. err I mean cabinet for a bathroom but not too much fortunantly.

Sometimes I think I bite off more than I can chew! :D

Eric

Eric, did you get the pictures from the manual? When I just looked, they weren't there. I must have done something wrong.
Mike.

Mike, I just got the manual in my E-mail! Thank you :D

Really interesting stuff, I noticed the manual says it has a 12" tube, but mine is 10" Looking closely at the mask (see pic) it looks like there is a section around the edge that can be removed for a bigger tube?!?

Also it shows me that the knobs I have are correct, I'm guessing they had a lot of channel 1 escutcheons that were useless in 1949 and decided to use them for knob trim :)

Waiting on the Electrolytics to arrive from mouser so I can get started on this thing!

Eric,

You're quite welcome. I'm happy to help out.

Yes, I think my set has a 12" crt. The plastic "safety glass" looks exactly the same, but the mask is different. If I remember correctly, my channel selector has channel 1 also, but the manual says it is a 12 channel set.

Glad you are enjoying the owners manual.

Mike

OK guys, ready for this! It works!!!

A neck sprain kept me from going to work today and by a lucky coincidence the Caps came from Mouser :D so I spent the whole afternoon replacing the Lytics and a ton of the paper caps (I vote for the flat plastic "Micamold" brand as leakiest caps of all time)

At first all I could get was a faint fuzzy light on the screen then it hit me, I was using a CRT that all the Dag had fallen off of, slapped in the original CRT and viola! a picture.

Wow Eric, you've been busy! You really have gotten a nice clear image out of the old Capehart. Good Work!

Mike.

Personally I am envious that Eric has all that time for his hobby. Do you know how long it took me to recap that Hallicrafters T-54?? A MONTH!

Great looking picture on that set!

Marlin

Thanks guys, I replaced the last few caps tonight and it's looking even better.

You know this set uses two 6BG6 sweep tubes and two 1B3 HV rectifiers in a voltage doubler. Seems like a lot of wallop for a 10" CRT
It also has AGC and DC restoration, pretty Dee-Lux for an old timer.

I still need to get a couple .01 line bypass caps, I hate running 120v ac across the 54 year old ones it has now :eek:

Eric

Hey Chuck or Vera or Dave,

Does anyone have any info, date, wattage, current value, on this Capehart model, it has 52PH..... on it and just an amp and Voice of Music phono. Some previous owner installed an extra plugin for an external speaker. Thanks for any info.

More of the Capehart, bytheway, I paid $10.00 at a local used furniture store.

And now the guts....

Oh and here is the Stromberg-Carlson Console unit I bought for $20.00. It has an Allied 480 turntable, which doesn't turn right now, and a Stromberg-Carlson 220 amp and no tuner. Does anyone have any age, watts, or current value for this one? I am looking at selling it as is or parting it out. If anyone in the St. Louis area is looking for one let me know. Thanks. Bytheway it the amp works, have it hooked up to my Yamaha receiver for trial.

shake it near your ear and listen for a spring vibrating sound.
might be the echo (spring reverb)


Originally posted by Eric H
Thank you Chuck, is that a Webster or a Capehart changer?

I suppose at this point it wouldn't matter if it was exactly the right changer, maybe I (assuming I can get this thing running) should just stick a DVD player in that door and play old TV shows with it :p:

You know this thing has 32 tubes in the TV (plus the CRT) and another 13 in the radio! 45 total!!

By the way, does anyone know what this thingy is? It plugs into the back of the radio chassis and also has cables with M&F RCA jacks. Can't remember what the tube (not shown) is, 6AS7 or 6SC7 or something like that. I'm guessing it has something to do with the FM?

I have the Sam's for the TV but not the Radio.

Eric