1960 Magnavox 1ST233L Imperial

[electra225]

Everybody likes pictures. Perhaps a picture of the old Imperial might be appreciated. This is my prettiest Magnavox. NOBODY did mahogany like Magnavox. This one is in the Italian Provincial cabinet. This thing sits in our living room, and always garners compliments even from folks who have no idea what it is. It has one of the more non-drifty, non-AFC tuners that I have. I found this on Craigslist, in 2013, right after we got to AZ that year. It was in Creve Ceour, MO, a suburb of St. Louis. It was advertised as a Concert Grand. I contacted the seller, emailed back and forth a few times. He told me his Aunt Rose bought it new in 1961. It "was always on" in his aunt's house. She had passed, and he was cleaning out her house of belongings, then was going to sell the house. I told him that I was in AZ and would not be in that part of the country until April. Surprisingly, he promised to hold it for me until Spring, because he wanted it to go to someone who would appreciate it. When we got home in the Spring, as soon as we could, made the trip of about 250 miles one way to see it. It was pretty sad when we first got to it. It looked like someone had slung mashed potatoes all over the cabinet. The grill cloth was nasty. Not wanting to take it in the house until it was cleaned, I went to work on the cabinet with cleaner and orange oil, the wife went to work on the grill cloth. It had a real bad hum, caused by the cathode bias resistor being burned internally. The output tubes were all fried, so I put a set of JJ's in it. It has the typical Magnavox bi-amp strangled bass, but that's just a part of its personality. The blue lamp on the left of the cabinet "set top appointments" came from a ceramic Easter egg my wife had. She had me make a lamp out of the Easter egg. I used an expensive bit in the drill press to make holes in the ceramic. On the other end of the cabinet, is a handmade solitllo canteen. The bottom holds water, while the lid is actually a drinking cup. It was made by a relative of our neighbor.

[William]

That's a handsome piece of furniture, Greg. I wish my Imperial was that cabinet.

Bill

[Hi-Fi-Mogul]

Who doesn't want to restore these gals after
viewing such a beautiful Hi-Fi ?

Greg, in what situations do you find orange oil of best use ?

[electra225]

I bought a case of Pledge orange oil. It doesn't have any silicone in it. I like it to clean the wood, and feed it so it will not look so dry. Nobody knows for sure what the milky smooth finish was that Magnavox used on their cabinets. They advertised ten coats of hand-rubbed oil finish, whatever that was. The best guess is Danish oil. Orange oil works well with the original finish. There were some flea bites on the cabinet, but a stain stick from Home Depot and some elbow grease pretty much negated their impact on the finish. I used glass cleaner without alcohol or ammonia to do the worst cleaning, the heavy stuff. Then I used the orange oil to finish and make it milky feeling again. I don't remember what the wife used on the grill cloth, but I'm guessing it was Spot Shot that she uses to clean up animal emissions left on the rugs and carpets. She cleaned it with the grill cloth still in the cabinet and it turned out really nice. It's hard to hurt a Magnavox finish.

Bill, I have always believed that this particular cabinet was one of the better ones Magnavox built. It's just plain pretty. Every line, every detail is pretty. Then there is that Magnavox mahogany.........

And, for an old guy like me, it's on casters!......

[Firedome]

That sure did turn out nice... a great save!
We have all dark walnut or mahogany furniture in our Vermont place, mostly family stuff from generations past, but none of our 3 kids like that style, same with all of my wife's silver, china, etc. that she started collecting around age 15. Wonder what will become of traditional-style furnishings like these when we have to pass them down, a prospect we are looking at more and more these days. This includes all of the '50s and '60s audio & TV beauties that I'll hold onto to the bitter end, but then what? The dumpster?... shiver.

[electra225]

I recently painted the wall behind the Imperial. The current color better highlights the mahogany finish. Wait until I get the pale pink whorehouse lamps I have for it and the Concert Grand out of storage. Those will look killer on the mahogany cabinet.

[TC Chris]

Great looking device. Mahogany is a stunning wood and the design is dignified.

Chris Campbell

[hermitcrab]

Nice set, my preference is linseed oil ...

[electra225]

I discovered orange oil by happenstance. Ron the Refinisher had some he used on a radio cabinet I had just purchased. I was impressed enough to try to find some. Pledge was the only company who made what I wanted, without silicone, and the only way I could get it was by the case. It smells good, so we can use it in the house. I've never tried using linseed oil.

[TC Chris]

I've used 50/50 linseed oil ("boiled," which means it has a drier in it) and turpentine as a finish restorer. The guy with the radio collection N of me adds 1/3 white vinegar to the mix for his finish improver. I added some vinegar to my bottle of l. oil & turps the other day and used it on a pine table top. Linseed oil is generally not recommended for pine. It did improve matters some. Better for pine is some shellac, usually orange.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

What is in Howard's?

[Firedome]

I'm told that shellac was what was typically used on knotty-pine paneling that we all remember so well from all those '50s club basements and dens that were everywhere back then, and what gave it that mellow orange-y appearance that was so warm and attractive.

[TC Chris]

What is in Howard's?

Good question. I first assumed it was some sort of solvent that would slightly melt lacquer finishes but it seems not to do that. It does have some pigment or dye in it like a stain.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

Why wouldn't Old English do the same thing as Howard's?

[TC Chris]

Howard's come in a can. Old English, in a bottle. Those of us who can be fumble-fingered might favor cans.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

Container preferences aside, will the contents of the two products give basically the same result?

[hermitcrab]

personally I have tried howard's and to me it is nothing but thinned down stain in a can ...we had a nasty storm come though and my fisher window seat console got soaked because rain came in ... instantly turned the wood white... I freaked out and dried off the water... it raised the grain of the wood , so I used some 1000 grit sandpaper and lightly sanded off the raised grain , then wifey used old english on it and the color came right back ... then after that dried I put a coat of linseed oil on it and let it soak in... looks like it did before the rain... phew!....

[TC Chris]

Container preferences aside, will the contents of the two products give basically the same result?

Not sure. I just looked at a Howard's can. No word on what's in it. They refer the curious to the online MSDS. Here it is; scroll down to p. 2--lots of solvents.
https://www.howardproducts.com/files/HO ... Finish.pdf

Chris Campbell