I found this post-war AA5 1948 GE model 115W at a local antiques mall. Normally it's a little too late for my tastes, but the thing is the set is truly NOS inside and out and the solid plaskon version is a bit uncommon. For a menial outlay I had to get it. The cream-colored bold cabinet with the caramel knobs, brass accents, and bright gold perforated inset grill give it a very classy post-war modern look. The only let down for me is they eliminated the dial lamp on this model. The absolute virgin chassis is on the bench now getting a recap. Looking forward to hearing how this one performs.

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=197036&d=1525650689

Noice.

Very cool. My dad's mother had one very similar to that.

Nice set. If it were me, and I wanted the dial light even if it wasn't authentic, I'd do a totally-reversible mod to add one. Unless you have OEM style light/mount from another set, I'd probably do it with LEDs to keep the temps down, volts low, etc. If you make it removable without a trace, I'd see it as 'no harm, no foul'.

Nice set. If it were me, and I wanted the dial light even if it wasn't authentic, I'd do a totally-reversible mod to add one. Unless you have OEM style light/mount from another set, I'd probably do it with LEDs to keep the temps down, volts low, etc. If you make it removable without a trace, I'd see it as 'no harm, no foul'.
Thanks for all the nice comments. It is an elegant, modern (for the times) set with nice warm tones. I thought of the same thing Chip. My local repairman has it on the bench and I'm tempted to have him do just that. It would need two - one on either side. I'll mention the idea to him.

Go for it. DC only though, no switching power supplies, etc. to make sure it's actually usable when finished... And diffusion will be your friend, optically. Search through audiokarma.org for stories of LED dial light retrofits, with regard to color temperature, diffusion, filtering, etc.

I found this post-war AA5 1948 GE model 115W at a local antiques mall. Normally it's a little too late for my tastes, but the thing is the set is truly NOS inside and out and the solid plaskon version is a bit uncommon. For a menial outlay I had to get it. The cream-colored bold cabinet with the caramel knobs, brass accents, and bright gold perforated inset grill give it a very classy post-war modern look. The only let down for me is they eliminated the dial lamp on this model. The absolute virgin chassis is on the bench now getting a recap. Looking forward to hearing how this one performs.

http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=197036&d=1525650689
The model is listed in Nostalgia Air. The models, 114 & 115 never had a dial light.
It's a higher-end model and it seems strange, but GE did some strange things at times. :scratch2:

The model is listed in Nostalgia Air. The models, 114 & 115 never had a dial light.
It's a higher-end model and it seems strange, but GE did some strange things at times. :scratch2:
Other than an early battery set, a nice radio playing without the nice glow of a dial lamp just seems wrong.