1959 Sears Suburbanite Blonde Console
 

This is exactly like the TV that I grew up with! My folks bought it new, shortly before I was born, and it was our only TV, until 1971, when the CRT was too dark and weak to watch! At that time, (1971) my Dad bought our first color tv, a Sears 19" Medalist color on a metal stand. I found this set almost two years ago, recapped the cans, and had it basically working, although it had a constant vertical roll, no vert. sync. Tube swapping didn't help, so I tabled it until last week, after repairing my Sencore SS137, I substituted the Vert. Sync Pulse, and that stabilized the "rolling." Working backwards, I found the culprit, a .0068uF at 600v. cap that was almost open! Replacing that solved my vertical issue, and you can see it now makes a decent picture. I have just a couple more things to do to it, but it's 95 percent.

I thought for a second when reading this, you had found the color set.

Might be time to just redo all the rest of the caps too......

i second that..

That control panel looks interesting. Is that a backlit tuner on the right side?

Increased the exposure on the photo to show the details of the cabinet.

-Steve D.

It might be, what they referred as the "Orbit" tuner. It was a large thumbwheel knob. It had a knob, next to it for the fine tuning.
The Suburbanite line was the middle line Sears product, where the Medalist, was the TOTL. Good sets, but not the same calibre as the similar priced, Zenith, RCA or Motorola. :scratch2:

This set does have what they call the "Orbit Tuning" as dieseljeep said, of course VHF only. My folks always bought Sears or Wards everything, as far as appliances especially. They both worked, but I'm sure didn't have Zenith or Motorola money to spend. It was a good set for us, for 11 or 12 years, only required a few repairs, until finally the crt was weak and dark. Someday I hope to find a Sears like our first color tv, I'll have to post it's model number, in case someone comes across one. I am going to replace the rest of the coupling caps, I have already replaced the electrolytic caps and I have new diodes to replace the old Selenium rectifiers with. It'll soon be complete! I wonder, I'm guessing that this is a Warwick produced set.

I remember the set. It's a Warwick built set. The Suburbanite was usually a two stage IF set, without keyed AGC, where the Medalist was a three stage IF set, with keyed AGC. The earlier models were all voltage doubler, where, the later models, only the Medalist models were.

I just received an email from a lady that has what looks to be one of these with a record player for sale. I am hoping to go have a look at it this week sometime.

Gregb

The Medalist Dave is referreing to may be one I had once. It had a one-knob tuner and "chromix" control, similar to a sepeia-tint control (versus hue on Motorolas my avatar). There was also a very solid handle and tough back cover with a concentric, round, teacup-shaped CRT boob.

Greg, is it like this one http://reading.craigslist.org/atd/4837407951.html

Hi Dave:
She sent me a picture which is below, I am going there to see it tomorrow evening.

Gregb

I hope you get the set Greg, that's a neat looking TV-HI-FI! I'll bet it's got about the same vertical chassis that my Suburbanite has. Good luck.

The set referred to is a 71-72 model, probably the last of that style. The chassis is a newer design, using a different color demod circuit and different tube line up. I bought it from another collector. I haven't tried it in ages.

I went and had a look at the set tonight and it is in really nice condition. It has a British made Collaro turntable with a "Fleetwood" brand on it. The picture tube is the original Silvertone and came up to 40% on my tester right away so should make a picture. It does have the vertical chassis with two circuit boards and looks like a really easy set to service. I look forward to bringing it back to life. I paid $50 for it, I think it was great buy.

Gregb

The chassis number is C817.51480, if anyone has any service data it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Gregb

Greg,

Went thru my Sams Photofact Index looking for your chassis #. There are pages & pages of Sears-Silvertone sets listed. I did not locate that chassis #.
Seeing your location, could it be that your set is a Canadian manufactured set?

-Steve D.

Thanks for looking Steve and yes it was manufactured in Toronto Ontario Canada.

Gregb

Is there still a Simpson-Sears presence in Canada?
The chassis might still be a Warwick design. The record changer might've been changed at one point.
Maybe a picture of the chassis, would help! :scratch2:

Simpson Sears is still here. I don't see Warwick anywhere on the set but there is Silvertone all over it. I have no doubt at all that the record player is original to the set. I see this turntable in numerous different sets with different names on them but they are all the same.
Here are some pictures of the back of the chassis, the turntable, and the audio amp and speakers.

Gregb

BUMP, anyone have any service info on my new find?
Thanks

Gregb

The chassis looks like the typical Warwick Silvertone. It looks like a few of the caps and transformers are of Canadian manufacture.
BTW, what are the tubes in the small stand-alone amplifier. IIRC, the set, I remember, used the audio output stage for the TV for the mono phono.

Its normal for canadian market units to have british changers. Even RCA used Collaro or BSR changers in its products sold in Canada. It was cheaper to import them than ppay import duty on USA made changers. Looks like yours is a collaro, better quality than the usual Silvertone changers which were made by Crescent, I think.

The tubes in the little amp are a 12AX7 and a 6AS5. The turntable has a stereo cartridge in it and there is an extra jack just out of sight in the amp and speaker picture that is marked "Stereo".
The amp is only connected to the large speaker, the small speaker is wired back to the TV chassis.

Gregb

Gregb, I just saw this, and your TV Chassis is just like the one in my Silvertone, looks identical! So if you P.M. me your email, I can help you with a Schematic, for the TV chassis at least. Those Collaro Changers are well made, and usually only need the old lube cleaned out, and re-lubed with the proper Lube, and sometimes on that Collaro, I've seen the Speed Selector assembly frozen from solidified lube, you must then clean ane re-lube that assembly if that's the case. Dave, "BigDavesTV"

The 6AS5 is a low B+ tube, similar to a 50C5. It looks like they're running it at slightly higher plate and screen voltage, as the 'lytic is a 200 volt cap.
Probably an honest 3 watts. :thmbsp:

I really look forward to getting this one going. The Collaro changers are nice, I have a couple of them and they work great. It will be interesting to hear what the sound quality of this guy is.

Gregb

... interesting
have the same Suburbanite b/w console in storage ... havent looked at it in ages ...
do remember it does have vert. roll ... have original manilla envelope with all the usual sales literature manual etc.

I saw one of those RCA "International" German built, radio-phono combinations. Looks like the typical German console, large glass multi-band dial scale, large white push buttons, ETC.
The changer was the usual RCA changer, we're so familiar with. Go figure! :scratch2: