There is a highly collectable Midwest set on ebay right now. I would bid on it but not only is it a bit far away from me, but it is also a combo set with a record player and I don't like TV/Record player sets.

I have a Midwest like this without the record player. My set uses the very same chassis as the one on Ebay. The tv uses a 16AP4, and the chassis is very well engineed and produces a fantastic picture, that is sharp and clear. The AM FM radio has good sensitivity too.

Midwest was a "direct to the consumer" manufacturer. They not only manufacturered their own chassis, but they had their own cabinet factory too. The had a mail order catalog. You could fill out an order form in the catalog, and send it in with a down payment, and then your purchase would be delivered to your home. Then you paid monthly payments directly to the Midwest finance department.

I hope someone in the area will be able to save this one. It is VERY collectable. This is the first Midwest I have seen offered in about 6 years. And it looks to be in much better condition than mine was when I bought my Midwest set.


http://cgi.ebay.com/MIDWEST-TELEVISION-CIRCA-1950-/270709603356?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item3f078cbc1c

I have no affiliation with the seller

Looks like a heck of a bargain. I have a Midwest floor radio from the 30's. In researching the company I seem to recall they went out of business in the mid-50's.

thats 3 hrs from me...I might consider it.

Watching that too but it's way too far to do anything but watch. I had the radio/rp version of that set. It sounded very good with only a filter change. I've always been curious when Midwest went out of business. They always advertised in Popular Mechanics and that seemed to stop in late 1956.

Its 5-6 hours from me. Heaven knows I don't need anything that big and I'm basically a radio and phono guy. But its way to beautiful to let it go to trash or become a fishbowl. I've but it on watch. I don't want it, but if it comes down to the last hours with no bid, I'll make a minimum bid and deal with the domestic consequences. Please please someone save me. :)
Paul

Has this set been converted to a larger tube?

The mask is crowding the cabinet on both sides and the tube cup arraignment on the back looks kind of hokey.

The mask does say Midwest so it would have to be a factory conversion or a mask from a larger Midwest adapted to fit.

It is not too far from me. But Not To Worry, I am not going to bid. I can't move around here in the house now!

Eric:

That mask is the way it is pictured in their catalog.

Steve

The door in front of the screen and radio fold down? Must of been great for a kid playing on the floor in front of the TV (my favorite childhood viewing position). :no:
What a strange set!
jr

Eric, re: the weird cabinet arrangement, if Midwest was anything like they were in the 30s, they would slightly modify older cabinets to hold the next year's chassis.

I have wondered this for a long time and this cool old Midwest set is no exception.

What in the heck happens to the speaker grill material to make it show the speaker hole like that?

I have some sets that show and some that don't. This particular example of the speaker on the Midwest set seems particularly transparent. Is it just disintegrating fabric or is there something odd about the sound/airwaves pushing through the material?

I have wondered this for a long time and this cool old Midwest set is no exception.

What in the heck happens to the speaker grill material to make it show the speaker hole like that?

I have some sets that show and some that don't. This particular example of the speaker on the Midwest set seems particularly transparent. Is it just disintegrating fabric or is there something odd about the sound/airwaves pushing through the material?

I've always wondered the same thing...

I've always wondered the same thing...


When the speaker is operating it's producing a constant movement of air. In effect it's pushing the air through the grill cloth and then drawing it back in at a very rapid rate as it vibrates to and fro to produce the sound.

If the air contains any impurities such as soot or smoke, some of these impurities will be deposited on the cloth as it passes through the grill cloth. The more you use the system, the more the dirt will begin to show. Since the woofer moves the most air, it will usually show there first.

The grill cloth acts very similar to an air filter......

Has this set been converted to a larger tube?

The mask is crowding the cabinet on both sides and the tube cup arraignment on the back looks kind of hokey.

The mask does say Midwest so it would have to be a factory conversion or a mask from a larger Midwest adapted to fit.


No Eric, the set was made that way. I think that the cabinet was not made in a way that allowed enough room for the crt bezel. The other possibility is that the bezel is not properly cenered in the opening. The set uses a 16AP4 and I can tell from the photo of the rear that a 16AP4 is indeed installed.

I'd love to give it a home but I'm full up on consoles.

What do you suppose the shipping would be on a 300 lb console, PA to CA?
$50 UPS Ground? :no:

I've always wondered the same thing...

Or didn't they paint the mounting board for the speaker dark grey, like I didn't think to do when I made a new one for my set?

http://www.videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=167587&d=1278045211

I have wondered this for a long time and this cool old Midwest set is no exception.

What in the heck happens to the speaker grill material to make it show the speaker hole like that?


I support the "furnace Filter" theory, Which is one that I used years ago when my Father asked "which on of you kids kicked the Philco" after he had just noticed the dark area for the first time.
But, there could be something else going on... I believe that the strands over the open areas are thinner, with more gap between them... perhaps the vibration has caused some outer fibers to be lost, or packed more densely. :scratch2:
jr

Hooray, its got a bid. I feel like I'm off the hook. Hope its one of you folks.
Paul

Don't get too happy yet, the bidder has a history of Tuners and Amplifiers, he may just be after the Iron and Tubes.

I started bidding on this but it got too rich for me. It ended up going for $152.50! Anyone on here get it? The bid history of the winner looks like it may be headed to a good home.