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Here we have a spectacular 1936 Arvin model 617 "Rhythm Maid" tube radio. This is the most highly sought after tabletop set featured in Arvin's famous "Rhythm" line of radios. It features an absolutely stunning tombstone designed American Walnut cabinet, genuine Zebrawood inlays, waterfall top, bright & colorful backlit dial with lighted pointer, great Art Deco appeal and fantastic performance.
Cabinet: The American walnut cabinet is an absolute stunner. Gorgeous wood grain flows
throughout the entire set. Fluted sides and Zebrawood inlays really catch your eye. The waterfall top design certainly adds to the Art deco appeal. The three-bar oval grill not only looks great but allows for optimal sound from the speaker. Dark walnut tones finish the cabinet off with the perfect contrast. You'll be the envy of all with this masterpiece proudly displayed in any room of your home or office.
Dial
& Knobs: The large round dial is as good and as big as they come. Over 7 inches!! And just look at it lit up in a dim room. What an impressive sight! It features an array of colors from black & white to yellow & green. Four pilot lamps illuminate the dial; three on the dial itself and one that follows the pointer for easy dark room tuning! Quite the innovative feature for the time. All four wood knobs are in great shape and control volume, on/off, band switch, variable tone control and tuning.
Grill Cloth: The 1930's style grill cloth is a fine replacement fabric featuring a honey gold color with a wheat like pattern. This fabric can also be purchased separately in our eBay store or just click this link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/147135146971.
Chassis: All tubes in the 6-tube chassis were
tested with any weak tubes being replaced. All caps, filters and resistors were checked and replaced as needed. All brittle or bare wiring was replaced or
re-insulated. The chassis has been cleaned, lubed, and re-aligned for optimal
performance. Using the included copper line antenna the radio plays exceptionally well. I can pick up many stations across the AM broadcast
band with deep, rich tone and room filling volume. I am also able to pick up quite a few shortwave stations, especially at night.
Not a
fan of AM broadcast? Little or no AM stations in your area? Stream / transmit
your favorite music, radio shows, playlists, or anything else to your vintage
radio with our Bluetooth AM transmitter (sold separately)! No installation or alterations
required. Simply pair your audio device to the Bluetooth receiver, place it
inside or next to your radio and get ready to transmit through your radio. It's like your very own in-house radio station! AM
transmitter sold separately in our eBay store. Here is the link which includes
a demonstration on how it works: https://www.ebay.com/itm/134813988497.
The
Cabinet’s Finish, Restoration Process and Repairs: Our
Radio cabinets undergo a vigorous restoration process. Our goal is to maintain
the natural beauty of the wood and grain, while providing a deep luster and
shine. We achieve this by removing all the old and worn lacquers and stains. We
then sand the cabinet with fine grit pads down to the original bare wood.
Nicks, chips, and blemishes are filled and/or blended. Any loose veneer is
re-secured. We make sure any filler applied, or repairs made are blended nicely
and do not detract from the beauty of the set unless otherwise noted. New
stains and sealers are applied by hand. We continue by using many coats of
Mohawk brand lacquers and toners applied in the same manner as when the radio
was originally finished in the factory. We use nitrocellulose piano lacquer
which is applied through a professional HVLP turbine spray system in a
climate-controlled room. Nitrocellulose lacquer is very thin. We also apply
very thin coats. This allows the lacquer to seep into the grain and not cover
it up. A fine grit wet sanding follows every third coat along with a polishing
process and ending with a QAR-Glaze rub (available in our eBay store or click
here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/133346478270 ). Many hours of work are put into the radios, but as you can see, the outcome is
a beautiful, natural-looking cabinet with gorgeous luster & shine. Our radios are a great piece of history that comes to you ready to proudly
display, as well as listen to, in any room of the home or office.
Dimensions:
Shipping
Costs: Free within the Continental US. If you opt to pick the radio up, I will refund $100 of the purchase price.
Antique tube radio reception can differ greatly depending on location, length of antenna, time of day and amount of interference in different areas. Many modern-day appliances can also interfere with reception and cause static, distortion or buzzing. This is an 80+ year old AM radio. Its reception, sound and performance should not be expected to compare to a modern radio with today's technology. Playing capability is accurately described based on my location, surroundings and hooked up to a loop or 12’ copper line antenna. The antenna will be included in the sale, but I cannot guarantee reception quality in your area. It may differ (better or worse) depending on your location, surroundings, distance from AM broadcasts in your vicinity and interference. Antique Radio Electronics, whether restored or un-restored, are by nature hazardous due to their voltage, design, age and should not be operated unattended or for great lengths at a time. Any operation, repairs or other adjustments are done at your own risk.
Click here to add us to your favorites and Click here to view our other listings including Bluetooth transmitters, novelty tube lights, Zenith black dial wall clocks, vintage radio dial coasters, retro Bluetooth speakers, grill cloth, decals and many radio, amp & vintage electronic supplies.