Classic Hifi Care

My living room is getting new paint and other finishes. As much as I hate the ordeal of impossible perfection of a radio or TV cabinet, a room of neglected finishes needs even more physical work, patience and money.

Fortunately my two 100% original Motorola models SK77WA and SKR151WA are on wheels, covered when not in use and never in harms way. These two have made the last 2 months fly by as I labored to give this room's finishes the TLC it deserves after 26 years, 10 of that using a coal stove for heat. Recessing receptacle boxes into 160 year-old horse-hair lime plaster was no fun at all, but they were cut into the floor sometime in 1930s, an NEC code violation for a long time now.

Between the superb record player in the '62 and the tuner in the '64, short work was made of my jobs inside this " 2 week winter" now mud season till April.

Looks like your doing a good job!

Great job, Dave, your hired.

Your second photo, the SK77, what output tubes does yours have? We have had this discussion before, and I forgot what you said. I have the same cabinet, and yours looks like new compared to mine that looks like it was beaten with a chain and then the top got wet. Mine has 6BQ5's and 6BM8's and shorter legs.

Bill

"Honey-do" projects never end. Looking good, Dave!.....

William wrote: ↑Sun Jan 28, 2024 12:23 pm Great job, Dave, your hired.

Your second photo, the SK77, what output tubes does yours have? We have had this discussion before, and I forgot what you said. I have the same cabinet, and yours looks like new compared to mine that looks like it was beaten with a chain and then the top got wet. Mine has 6BQ5's and 6BM8's and shorter legs.

Bill

Thats right! you do have that very unique one SK-52? I did a similar model and had to replace 6BM8s that were burnt up by a leaky coupling cap.

The SK-77 was squarely in the era after Motorola started using 3 pair of 6V6GT. Tube oem's in 1962 were RCA 274, then Tung Sol 322 for 1963's and finally made in Japan for the 1964 models. This model was made before margins dried up on TOTL tube models.

I can't remember my model number off the top of my head, Dave, and it's buried behind a bunch of stuff right now so I can't check. SK52 does sound right though.

Bill