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Radio Rentals '64'

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Front view [36K]

  • Guess early 50's
  • LW, MW plus SW wavebands
  • Typical Mullard 5-valve lineup of
    ECH35, EF39, EBC33, EL33 and AZ31
  • A.C. Mains
  • A rental set.
NOTES Typical Radio Rentals. Solid bakelite cabinet behind which is an un-cluttered chassis and a decent audio output valve, the EL33. Nothing particularly remarkable, just a good practical design.

The rear cover is held on by two screws. But cunningly, these also double as the chassis retaining screws. Add to this that the speaker connections go via a connector and the front controls simply slide through holes in the cabinet means undo two screws, unplug the speaker and you've got the chassis on the workbench in under 20 seconds tops. Simple. So why didn't other manufacturers follow suit ?
SERVICE DATA Radio Rentals service data is rarer than rocking horse poo, but fortunately there is some information on the vintage radio CD Vol.4. This shows that the schematic is the same as the model 62 although the chassis layout is slightly different.
CURRENT STATE Original Radio Rentals plug [7K]Clean and tidy but with a minor crack in the cabinet. Some work has been done, as the audio output tranny is definately not original and also looks a bit small for an EL33 output stage. The chassis is all cleaned up and I'm pretty sure the main electrolytics have been replaced, as has "that" capacitor. Still plenty of waxies left though, as well as one H*nts capacitor (which looks like it is in the tone control circuit).

The rectifier is also a 5Z4, which should really be an AZ31.

One nice extra is that it came with an original Radio Rentals plug.
WHERE FOUND The bring 'n buy sale at the December 2005 Wotton Bassett bash for £20.

Rear view [32K]
The sparse population of components above the chassis ...
The under-chassis view [31K]
... is matched only by the sparse population of compnents below the
chassis. They don't come much easier to service than this.


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J.Evans 2005
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THE EARLY 50's RADIO GALLERY
Last updated
4th December 2005