The 1962 Curtis Mathes line production.

[Glenn Waters]

What a wonderful 1981 Curtis Mathes Television soon she will be 30.

This is my 1981 Curtis Mathes Console Televison.
Check out my Curtis Mathes Web page below:

http://curtismathes.webs.com/

[heathkit tv]

Just looking at those styles makes me smell heavy cigarettes and coffee ;-) And I half expect to see a rifle sticking out the window of the factory (see if you can figure out that reference)

Just how good were CM sets? Reason I ask is because I've heard derisive comments about them as "making nice furniture" In other words, the cabinets were top quality but not the innards.

Also heard that they made studio monitors, anyone know for sure?

[radiotvnut]

Originally Posted by heathkit tv

Just looking at those styles makes me smell heavy cigarettes and coffee ;-) And I half expect to see a rifle sticking out the window of the factory (see if you can figure out that reference)

Just how good were CM sets? Reason I ask is because I've heard derisive comments about them as "making nice furniture" In other words, the cabinets were top quality but not the innards.

Also heard that they made studio monitors, anyone know for sure?

The tube CM TV's and stereo's were my favorite. By the time solid state came along, they were getting most of their color TV chassis from NEC of Japan. And, the cabinets went to particleboard and plastic. About two years ago, someone gave me a '74 CM 23" color TV/radio/record player/8-track combo. The TV chassis was made by NEC, the CRT (which was dead) was a 23" delta gun Westinghouse, and record changer was a Glenburn, and the stereo chassis was whatever they could get from Taiwan. The cabinet was cheap particleboard and plastic. By the late '70's, it seemed that CM sets were most commonly sold/rented through "rent to own" stores.

My biggest complaint about the solid state CM sets was how they were much higher priced than the competition and their ad's boasted about how much better they were; yet, were really not any better, if as good, as other cheaper priced sets. I remember one 19" CM color TV that shared the same NEC chassis as a much cheaper TG&Y brand TV.

I will say that CM was probably the last one to market a TV/stereo combo. I remember some models from the mid '80's that had a 25" color TV, radio, turntable, amd cassette and/or 8-track player.

[bgk283]

got to love a combo

[peverett]

I used to have a CM combo from the late 1950s(square 21 inch B&W TV). This set had a phono, AM/FM radio(not sure about stereo), and a reel to reel tape player built in.

The reason that I do not have it now is that it took four people to move it. I gave it to another collector. It was about 6 ft long by 4 ft high and 2 feet deep.

[old_coot88]

Originally Posted by heathkit tv

...Just how good were CM sets? Reason I ask is because I've heard derisive comments about them as "making nice furniture" In other words, the cabinets were top quality but not the innards.

About 1965 a CM sales rep came to our store (in Globe, AZ) extolling the brand and trying to get us to take on the line. After several more visits, the Boss finally acceded and we became the official CM dealer in the town. Electronically and workmanship-wise, the sets were junk right out of the crate, but the cabinetry was OK. Almost without exception, every one had to be repaired before it could go on the floor let alone be sold. Once sold, they were a nightmare to keep running. We called the brand "Curtis Maniac". After about a year the Boss canceled and told CM to come get their friggin' stuff the hell out of our store, which they did.

In retrospect, it's sad to relate the experience since CM was an all American company.
Bill(oc)

[peverett]

I restored a 1965 CM B&W set. It was full of Japanese capacitors. Even at that date, CM was buying parts overseas.

[old_coot88]

Originally Posted by peverett

I restored a 1965 CM B&W set. It was full of Japanese capacitors. Even at that date, CM was buying parts overseas.

Right. I erred in saying it was an "all" American enterprize.

[Telecolor 3007]

Man, they looked way byoned "R.C.A."

[driph]

Originally Posted by Glenn Waters

Hi captainmoody!
Oh yes this model was a deluxe package a very sweet console.
I think she is a late 1962 or even a 1963 design, a wonderful awesome find!!

Dredging up an old thread, but does anyone have specific model number or production name for the above unit? Looking at getting one of those for a restoration project, but trying to do a bit of research before I dive in. :]

[peverett]

I used to have a Curtis Mathis set similar(but in blonde) to the picture posted by driph. It weighed so much it took 4 people to move it, so I gave it away.

I still have other Curtis Mathis sets, both B&W and color. In fact, one of my color Curtis Mathis sets is on display at the Bob Bullock Texas state history museum here in Austin. I cleaned out a TV shop in Athens, where one of their factories used to be.

[Kamakiri]

And, I just picked up a Curtis Mathis console stereo tonight that's got a 1962 date code on the transformer. Doesn't seem to match the model lineup as posted. Not something I typically search out, but the price was right

[Jon A.]

Whoa, a console stereo with a reel to reel deck, I used to have one of those. The component decks don't have the same charm.

[rca2000]

I have one of those big CM table radios--not the REAL big one--but the one size down. A 6BQ5 amp, 8"2 way speaker--not bad at all. IIRC, a flea mkt. find from maybe 15-16 years ago or so.

[playdrv4me]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

Then, some years later, the station was sold to the (now defunct as an OTA TV network) Home Shopping Network.

Not quite. I still catch it on low power in some markets.

The other day I was playing with my Sony GV-S50 mini 8MM VCR/LCD TV combo here in Corpus Christi and one of the (surprisingly still many down here) low power channels I picked up in the UHF band was HSN. There were 6 other fairly strong channels I also picked up, all of them near crystal clear. This is downtown on the 6th floor of a residential building, so that may have something to do with it.