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VINTAGE
RADIO REPAIR & RESTORATION |
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YOUR RADIO OR TELEVISION - PROFESSIONALLY RESTORED |
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RADIOCRAFT
was founded in 1986 and was based on an original idea for the
time - to supply vintage radios - fully restored, safe and original,
(in other words 'as new') to the general public. My intention
was to introduce the vintage radio ownership to people who had
hitherto not been enthusiasts, but who perhaps might consider
a beautiful and unique piece of early-twentieth century history
- say, as a finishing touch to their room .
Radios of all styles and ages from the 20s
to the 60s are restored and the business never looked back.
So, if you have an old radio you'd like to use and enjoy again,
get in touch ! Quotations are free. Unlike many modern
'black boxes', these 'electronic antiques' are as good to
look at as they are to listen to. Nowadays, their individual
designs and beautiful materials mark them out as highly desirable
collectors items.
As it turned out, I found that one of the
best parts of the job was the amazement and delight on customers'
faces when they first saw their old radio 'as new' again.
This was real job satisfaction !
Our customers were not only private individuals.
On one occasion we supplied at Marconi set to the BBC for
the reception area at BBC Radio Essex in Chelmsford (the original
home of Marconi radio), and for a while sets were also available
to the public through the well-known London store Harrods.
More recently we have been selected by the National Media
Museum at Bradford to supply two 405-line televisions. One
of these is now left switched on there - all day every day.
Lastly remember, when you choose Radiocraft
you are assured of a friendly, efficient and personal service
at all times. ;-)
BEFORE

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BEFORE

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AFTER
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AFTER
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Radiocraft now offers a full range of service options to suit
your exact needs and budget !
Our "gold" restorations are covered
by a FIVE YEAR guarantee. No one else backs their work with
such a guarantee, and no one else offers a personal collection
and delivery service with national coverage, geared to your
convenience. No one else provides such a transparent pricing
method for estimates either, with the facility for customers
to check how the figure was arrived at online.
Whatever your radio restoration needs, I'm sure you'll find
something on this page to suit.
To follow one particularly ambitious recent restoration -
click HERE. And there's another
HERE... If you
have any questions I recommend you click HERE
first for the FAQ.
"Just to let you know that we got the Bush back
to Leeds without incident and that the reception is excellent
on AM and FM with little aerial extension. We'll be taking
the set down to Kent later in the summer. Many thanks once
again for the restoration; as well as sounding good it is
a beautiful object." G.J. Leeds
| But
what's this that touched down in the workshop recently
? It's a SPARTON BLUEBIRD, a very rare American
radio from 1936. It's now back with the customer, having
been entrusted to us for a complete electronic restoration.
This is probably the only example in the UK... |
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How
to enjoy your own overhauled vintage radio.
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First, you'll need either to already have your
own radio or should obtain one from one of our
approved vendors - (see our Radios
For Sale page for this). Then fill in the
details in the INQUIRY FORM
below. We operate a fixed price restoration
scheme subject to conditions. Use the form to
find out what the job will cost in advance. Be
sure to scan our FAQ lower
down this page too.
In general, even the 'gold'
restoration of an old radio only falls into the
same price band as say, having your car serviced.
Whereas garages charge far more than us per hour,
we need far more hours than them to do the job,
so things balance out. For further discussion
on this, please see the section on pricing
lower down the page...
| NEW!
There are three Radiocraft service packages
to choose from: GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE with
prices now starting at just £29. Any
new valves needed are included FREE! *
To help you make your choice, consult
the table below, then go to the form further
down and request your free personal estimate. |
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>>>>>
BE SURE ASK OUR COMPETITORS FOR THEIR
CHECKLISTS
(if they have one) - THEN COMPARE >>>>>
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'GOLD'
restorations cover all radios and British-made televisions
dating from 1925 to 1963
Setting the standard when only the best will
do... |
'SILVER'
overhauls cover all valve and transistor radios
dating from 1946 to 1963
Thorough and professional renovations at keen
prices... |
'BRONZE' servicing covers non 'piano-key' British-made
valve radios, dating from 1953 to 1963
Your radio safe and working properly, all at
a keener price than other restorers... |
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WHAT
IS INCLUDED
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GOLD
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SILVER
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BRONZE
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| Dismantle,
clean and physically restore chassis |
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| Clean
and restore knobs |
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| Testing
of all resistors |
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| Replacement
of dial lamps |
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Re-stringing of dial mechanism
when necessary |
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| Shroud
internal mains connections (when possible) |
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| IF
re-alignment using wobbulator |
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| Lubrication
of all linkages and potentiometers internally packed |
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| Replacement
or reforming of all electrolytic capacitors |
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| Replacement
of all waxed tubular (or equiv. eg: Hunts) capacitors |
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| Re-grommeting
as necessary. |
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Lubrication of dial mechanism,
wafer switches, valve bases
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Testing and replacement of valves
as required
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| Internal
fusing added to 110-volt fed receivers |
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| RF
& IF re-alignment using standard techniques |
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| Check
& tighten if necessary all screwed earth tags. |
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Replacement
of internal mains wiring when necessary
at no extra cost |
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| Fit
60ºC thermal reset to mains transformer |
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Meggering
of power transformer inter-winding insulation
and replacement (at extra cost)
when sub-standard |
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General
fault finding, rectification, replacing capacitors
and resistors
as necessary |
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| Check
output valve for grid emission |
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| Replace
coupling capacitor to output valve grid |
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| Fit
new mains lead, plug and 3 amp fuse |
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Rectification
of any designed-in points not up to current
safety standards. |
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| Replace
perished wiring |
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Soak test for 3 hours |
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| Discounts
available for more than one set at a time? |
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NO
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NO
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Typical ball-park cost for an
electronic service to a radio.
The actual cost will depend on
age and complexity of your
set, and could range from under
half, to over double this figure.
Payment accepted
by cash, cheque or online credit card. |
£292
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£195
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£78
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| Rate
per return mile for national pick-up & delivery
service |
40p
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60p
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80p
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| Guarantee
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5
years
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1
year
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6
months
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The
charge for overhauling TRANSISTOR RADIOS (1955-1963) is
currently just £89.95 + battery - with a 12 month
guarantee.
A
SPECIAL NOTE ON CABINET RESTORATION...
We are the only radio restorer in the UK that specialises
as much in cabinet restoration as much as in electronic
restoration. We use the original materials, namely
cellulose lacquers (high-build, pigmented and clear)
with compressor and spray gun, to achieve 'as-new'
or 'better-than-new' results. As an alternative,
especially suitable for continental 'piano key'
sets, an ultra-high gloss two-pack spray finish
is also available. |
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SPECIALIST
SERVICES ~ also available as separate services
except where marked.
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COST
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| Concealing
new capacitors within old |
136.56
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| Replacement
of magic eye and rewiring to suit, as necessary* |
28.75
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| Repair
& fabrication service for damaged or missing parts |
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| Supply
and fit vintage style mains lead covered in gold
fabric* |
16.96
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Electronic
repair and re-creation of a new dial from a damaged
original
(gold or
white print is not included in this service) |
99.95
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| Electronic
repair and re-creation of a new internal label |
69.95
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| Addition
of VHF/FM coverage* |
114.94
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| Digital
Radio (DAB) plug-in unit |
Coming
soon !
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| Stripping,
preparation, toning and re-spraying of cabinet** |
172.50
- 339.25
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| Re-plating
service for screening cans, escutcheons etc.*** |
35.00
per part
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| (Television
only) - providing a complete 405-line signal
with programmes**** |
249.00
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*only on sets previously or currently being serviced
by Radiocraft.
**depends on size and complexity - large radiogram
cabinets may be more.
Either in bright nickel (which looks like silver/cadmium)
or super-bright zinc (which looks like chrome) - as
requested.
****includes Modulator/Converter, DVD player,
power supply, all leads, with free DVD of vintage programmes,
strictly for private exhibition only.
All prices + postage/carriage. If you prefer
to phone, our tel. no. for queries is 01386 882280.
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ASK
FOR AN ESTIMATE ! |
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Click
on the radio button below to email us. Please
be sure to include the make and model
number of your set and tell us if you'd like
a quote for transport included too (mainland UK
only) .
All
the pricing options (gold, silver & bronze)
that are available for your set will be included
in our reply.
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A
corner of our modern air-conditioned workshop
- visitors are welcome.
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TERMS
OF BUSINESS
Guarantee
All "gold" restored radio sets are
covered by a written 5-year guarantee.
All "silver" overhauled radio sets
are covered by a written 1-year guarantee.
All "bronze" restored radio sets are
covered by a written 6-month guarantee.
Any chargeable repair work
carried out after the guarantee has elapsed
is then protected by its own 3-month guarantee,
but covering the repair only. This applies to
'gold' and 'silver' sets only. In all cases,
the guarantee only runs from the time that payment
for the work has been received.
Quotations
'Gold' chassis restorations include both electronic
and physical restoration. Cabinet work is also
available, and is of the highest grade.
Quotations for restoring your sets are free
and without obligation. Cabinet work and restoration
of the electronics are itemised separately. These
quotations are accurate - subject only to the
following:
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Bush
TV1 from 1947.
Another restoration completed !
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- The estimate must have been approved within
three months of submission date.
- The set is complete, with all its unobtainable
parts in restorable condition.
- No wound components (transformers, chokes,
coils, speaker coils, motors, etc.) are found
unserviceable when the rest of the job has
been completed. Such faults will not normally
be revealed until the job is otherwise finished.
These will be subject to a normally modest
surcharge to cover parts and fitting. If this
occurs, the original faulty components can
be returned alongside the set for independent
inspection.
- The set has not previously been tampered
with or otherwise modified.
- There are no very rare and valuable valves
that need replacement. Such valves are occasionally
found in upmarket radiograms and just a few
table sets. We'll warn you when this is likely
to apply. 'Magic Eyes' also come into this
category.
- In the unlikely event that an original valve
is completely unobtainable, no additional
work is involved in adapting the set to use
a non-standard valve.
- In certain cases, we may ask for a deposit
before starting work and may also ask for
the work to be paid for in stages as it progresses.
- Quoted prices for cabinet work will assume
all the original veneers and unique fittings/escutcheons
etc. are still present and the original speaker
fabric is restorable. If they are not, an
extra charge will be made. In extreme cases
we may decline the job.
- Any work set out in the blue 'specialist
services' section (further up this page) shall
be at extra cost, subject to prior approval
of the work by the customer.
- Television sets are only accepted for service
on the understanding that the cathode ray
tube and line output transformer are already
in good condition and that service information
can be sourced.
Transport
Because vintage radios are fragile items, when
in the UK personal delivery and collection of
your set are always to be preferred. So if you
wish, we can come to you. A mutually convenient
time for meeting will always be agreed first.
This service covers the mainland UK, but does
not include the new inner-London congestion
zone.
The cost of our personal transport service is
kept to an absolute minimum. For 'gold' restorations
it costs 40 pence per mile (counted both ways
on the journey) to anywhere on the mainland
UK. For 'silver' the rate is 60 pence per mile.
For 'bronze': 80 pence per mile. In addition,
when the return distance exceeds 400 miles,
there is a standard surcharge of £80 to
pay for overnight hotel expenses. We will always
quote you the cost first. The cost of a transport
run becomes payable at the time of providing
it. This service is only available for transporting
sets which are being serviced by Radiocraft
or being fitted with FM converters. Email
us with your location now and we will get back
to you with a precise no-obligation quote for
transport without delay !
Of course, please remember this transport service
will be required twice if you are using us to
both collect and later return your set.
For international customers we will quote by
email for the items' return once we have received
your goods.
Prices
We reserve the right to adjust
our prices from time-to-time, up or down. Please
note that once a quotation has been accepted
it is fixed and should not later be considered
as 'an opening figure for negotiation'. Restoration
charges are calculated transparently, in a special
area of our web site. A link to this area will
be included with every estimate. There is also
a discount structure currently available which
can reduce this quoted price. This applies when
more than one set (radio or tv) is submitted
for gold restoration at the same time. This
discount is: 4% off (both) when two sets are
submitted; 9% off (all) when three sets or more
are submitted. This discount structure only
applies to valve sets.
Payment.
If you are a new customer, a deposit of 20% of
the total may be requested as advance payment.
If it later proves impossible to complete the
job for any reason, this will be refunded. Otherwise
it is non-refundable.
V.A.T. is not chargeable. All outstanding balances
must be settled in full at the time of completion
of the service in question and before despatch
(for international or postal customers) or when
the goods are delivered (for UK customers using
our personal delivery service).
If any special discounts or
offers apply to a particular transaction, these
are contingent on payment being received in
timely fashion on completion of the job, normally
within seven days of receipt of invoice.
Naturally we accept cheques or cash as payment;
however you can now also pay online by credit
card using the secure PayPal system. Payments
are processed in pounds sterling but are automatically
converted to your own currency when billing.
Click on the icon below when you want to go
to the credit card payment page.
Liability Waiver
Our very highest priority when we service all
vintage electronic devices is to ensure safety
- both from fire and from electrical hazards.
To date there has never been an accident caused
by equipment we have serviced. However it must
be understood that vintage electronic apparatus
often run at high internal temperatures and
at high voltages in comparison with modern equipment.
Radiocraft supplies all such
serviced equipment solely on the basis that
we cannot be held liable in the event that personal
injury or damage to property results from operation
of the equipment, and that the operator will
exercise common sense at all times. In particular,
faulty equipment must be disconnected from the
mains at once and not re-used until repaired
by us. Also, any equipment must never be left
connected to the mains whilst unattended, must
never be used in damp surroundings, nor left
in the sole company of minors or pets.
When transport of your treasured
radio is required, we strongly recommend you
use our personal transport service, which has
never yet caused any damage to a radio in transit.
In the unlikely event of a
radio becoming damaged or mislaid whilst in
our custody or using our personal transport
service, our liability as to compensation shall
be limited to the original market value of the
radio and will not extend to any notional added
value which may have been created during the
course of a restoration.
We do not recommend any radio
is posted by mail or sent by carrier, even if
well packed. Liability for safekeeping of the
radio whilst in the hands of any other transport
service (such as the postal service) shall be
borne solely by the carrier concerned, in accordance
with any compensation terms they may or may
not provide.
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FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
I
HAVE A POST-WAR RADIOGRAM FOR DISPOSAL... IS IT OF VALUE
?
No, it's worth very little I'm afraid.
If you have a radiogram you wish
to dispose of, however lovely, please do not
contact us. If you do, there will be no reply.
Radiograms and stereograms dating from
the 1950s onwards are offered to vintage radio collectors
constantly. They are often in beautiful condition, having
been well-cared for all their lives and commonly become
available as part of an estate, with executors desperate
to find someone - anyone - who will take them !
Because of their bulk, unremarkable
styling and the sheer quantity of them available, '50s
and '60s radiograms are not sought after by collectors
and are consequently of zero market
value. If you wish though, pre-1950 radiograms
(which are generally of higher quality) can be
restored by us - and will provide a lot of pleasure
as a centrepiece in the home. However we never purchase
- nor accept as gifts - any radiograms.
Remember,
desirable radiograms always date prior to 1950
and even then are strictly limited to very rare editions
or the ultra-high-grade early Decca, Dynatron,
RGD, and pre-war HMV models. Otherwise there will
be absolutely no
interest !
What you can do is to: .
- Trawl the relevant sections in our directory
for other possible buyers.
- Try the local bric-a-brac or charity shop but don't
expect too much enthusiasm.
- Try advertising it in the local paper.
- Break it up and sell the valves and knobs on Ebay.
- Dump it at the tip.
- Decide to keep it after all.
I
HAVE A VINTAGE UNIT FOR SERVICE THAT YOU DON'T HANDLE.
WHAT CAN I DO ?
This depends. If it's a car radio, tape recorder, record
player or vintage audio item, do have a good look through
our on-site directory
of specialists. You're sure to find someone who can
help there. If it's a television set not manufactured
in Great Britain, you'll have to explore the web for
local repairers who can test and align TVs using your
own national transmission standard.
DO YOU SELL RADIOS ?
No. We are restoration specialists.
If first you need a radio to kick things off with, there
are plenty of people selling 'raw' sets on their web
sites and over Ebay. For example one reputable dealer,
Steve Harris, can be found HERE.
On our 'Radios For Sale'
page you'll find direct links into the Ebay pages. Happy
Hunting ! Once you've acquired your pride and
joy; then's the time to bring it back here and we can
transform it into a condition to use and enjoy.
WHAT ABOUT THE VALVES ? CAN YOU STILL GET THEM
? ARE THEY UNRELIABLE ?
Most valves (known as 'tubes' in the USA) are still
available. Large amounts were originally manufactured
and today these stocks are largely in the hands of specialist
collectors and dealers. Since relatively few vintage
receivers are in use today, this remaining stock will
probably serve indefinitely. Just a few types of valve
are now becoming rare and this is reflected in their
prices. Otherwise valves remain plentiful and cheap.
It's a common mistake to regard valves as fragile and
unreliable. Although it's obviously a bad idea to drop
them, the fact is valves are far more electrically robust
than transistors and will stand much more abuse. In
general they're pretty reliable too. They don't 'pop'
like light bulbs but wear gradually. Their average service
life might be between 10 and 25 years for a set in regular
use.
I HAVE A VINTAGE RADIO TO SELL. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BUY
IT ?.
No. If you have a set you want to sell on our site,
please separately email us with the details by clicking
HERE.
We can then insert it on the Sale page. For private
sellers, this service is totally free ! You
must include a picture attachment, but please note,
anything larger than 1 MB may be rejected by our server
and we simply may not receive it.
You might find clicking HERE
useful to find out what your set is likely to be worth...
WHY DON'T YOU JUST REPAIR SETS RATHER THAN 'RESTORE'
THEM ? SURELY THAT WOULD SAVE MONEY.
Actually we do now, under the bronze and silver schemes
! ...However to answer the question, it's far better
to 'restore' rather than 'repair' sets for two reasons:
the economic use of time - and set reliability. To take
an example, imagine you brought in a vintage set for
repair with the instructions: "Just get it going".
First, we would have to spend an appreciable amount
of time in fault-finding - usually working through one
fault after another. This process would work out more
expensive than the standard 'component replacement'
method we currently use. Also, once you've 'woken up'
an old set by curing the faults, a lot of stress wiil
be put on the other (original) components.The end result
would be a set which would be likely to go wrong again,
making it impossible to guarantee and later on even
more expensive and troublesome for the customer. So,
if you want a reliable job which will give peace of
mind, there really is no alternative to a full 'silver'
or 'gold' overhaul.
BUT IS IT WORTH HAVING MY SET RESTORED ?
As the number of our completed restorations heads toward
the thousand mark, it's certainly interesting to consider
why so many people have considered the answer to this
question to be 'Yes'. There are at least three
ways of looking at it.
The first is to ask: "Would I get my money back
if I were to sell the restored set on the open market
?"
The answer here generally is "No". The situation
is analogous to having a much-loved old car restored
with the aim of enjoying using it again, rather than
just storing it as an investment. Although the market
value of your set would certainly increase substantially
once restored properly, just like with classic cars
only if it is a rare sought-after model would you find
the value (say at auction) had increased so much that
it would pay back the restoration fee. Having said that
though, it's worth remembering we guarantee to redeem
two-thirds of what you paid us as trade-in against
another Radiocraft restored set from stock, so long
as your set is still in good condition.
The second approach is to ask: "What would it cost
me to obtain something else which would be as useful,
provide the equivalent service and carry a comparable
guarantee ?
The answer here is probably "A decent home entertainment
system." This would cost many hundreds of pounds,
probably far more than the cost of restoring your valve
radio.
The third is to ask "What else could give me as
much pleasure in ownership, or have as much character,
or would be as unique, or as well-made, or would carry
with it as much history ?"
The frank answer to this is "Nothing". These
qualities are hard to find at any price. And as your
Radiocraft 'gold' wireless set endures, it will become
rarer and rarer, probably still working perfectly for
your descendants and becoming a true investment for
your family.
WHAT'S THE IDEA BEHIND YOUR NEW LOWER-PRICE OPTIONS
?
The vintage radio restoration market has changed since
my business was started in the 1980s. Today, the rise
of the internet has meant a fair number of amateur restorers
are able to advertise for business, carrying work of
variable quality and charging prices which reflect the
fact they don't have to make a living at it - it's just
a hobby or a sideline for them, or maybe an add-on to their dealing activities.
Customers also, often don't want to
pay the cost of really high-grade job. They just want
the set to basically be safe and 'work' and they're
not too bothered if it may (or may not) go wrong again
from another fault a lot later. It's for such people
that the "bronze service" is intended.
YOU SEEM TO BE AT THE 'TOP END' OF THE MARKET. DO YOUR
PRICES REFLECT THIS ?
Perhaps. But it's most important that
we keep our prices keen and that our estimates are transparent.
No business would grow or prosper otherwise. We have
found the most economic way to gain new business is
to receive recommendations (and repeat commissions)
from our existing customers. Therefore we always try
to offer 'something extra' in terms of value - to keep
ahead of the competition. For example, nobody else in
the business offers a five-year guarantee.
WHAT SORT OF PERFORMANCE CAN I EXPECT FROM MY VINTAGE
RADIO ?
There are two major types of performance
to consider. These are: 'how good will it sound ?' and:
'how many stations will it pull in ?' Vintage
radios vary greatly in performance according to when
they date from, who made them, and how expensive they
originally were when new.
Broadly, most mains-operated radios
manufactured after about 1934 will meet up with modern
expectations. Before that, loudspeakers tended to be
'squeakier' and signal sensitivity poorer. Operationally
too, very early sets can require care and a deft hand
with the controls. And these controls may not do exactly
the same thing as the Volume and Tuning we're all familiar
with.
By 1936, domestic valve radios were,
in the technical sense, fully evolved. Mid-market and
up-market radios from the late thirties and on can give
excellent sensitivity and tone. In fact the sound from
these sets on 'AM' - that is the medium, long and short
waves (for which they were designed) is generally far
deeper and clearer than the sound from a modern transistor
radio or ghetto-blaster - where AM is an afterthought
and FM listening is primarily intended.
British-manufactured sets which always
be counted on to give exceptionally good results include
Murphy, Philips, R.G.D and Dynatron. But many others
too will deliver really satisfying listening. And such
radios need not cost a lot to obtain. In fact the more
'collectable' and valuable radios, where cabinet material
and design are the primary considerations, also tend
to be the poorer performers. It's a fact that you'll
often get a better sound from that restored 'brown box'
you originally picked up for a tenner than from a Round
Ekco worth a thousand ! This is can be worth bearing
in mind when deciding whether a restoration of your
old set will be 'worth it'...
HOW CAREFUL WILL YOU BE TO MAINTAIN THE ORIGINALITY
OF MY SET ?
Very. However there are two things
even more important. First and foremost is safety.
Sometimes we will have to make discrete modifications,
particularly to the power circuitry, mains cabling and
earthing, to ensure your set will be completely safe
- for your (and our) peace of mind. The other consideration
is reliability. For example our 'gold' sets are
guaranteed for five years. This is far longer than even
when they were new. So, many of the hidden under-chassis
vintage components will be replaced. This is always
done neatly and in workmanlike fashion. You also have
the option to request that new components are hidden
inside the old if desired.
Vintage radios one day will be centuries-old
antiques. Just as the case is with such antiques today,
evidence of professional attention previously received
does not detract from their value but just becomes an
intrinsic part of their long history. In the future
we believe this will be how Radiocraft-restored sets
will be seen.
HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE I GET MY SET BACK ?
For the past couple of years our backlog
of work as remained steady at around three to four months.
However, if you don't want your restored set back within
this rough time-span you may specify any point in the
further future which you prefer. For example, you might
not need the radio for your classic car to be ready
until the car itself is expected to be coming together,
say in the spring. Handing your set in a long time in
advance has the advantage that we can generally plan
accurately for a deadline far into the future and 'slot
the job in' to be ready exactly at the time you specify.
Alternatively, when you require your
set urgently this can sometimes be arranged too, since
other customers might not be in so much of a hurry.
Let us know your requirements. We can generally work
something out.
I SHALL HAVE TO PACK UP MY SET FOR DESPATCH. HOW DO
I DO THIS ?
If you can't bring your set to us personally,
or don't want to use our transport service, or perhaps
live abroad, then packing up and posting your set becomes
the only option. This needs to be approached with great
care. Your old radio may have a fragile or finely-finished
cabinet. Certainly it will contain delicate glassware
(the valves) which can easily become dislodged and smashed.
How then to go about it ?
Basically the test will be to create
a package that you would feel absolutely comfortable
throwing down on the floor ! To pack to this standard
you must:
- Remove the back and pack around all the internal
parts and valves with soft material or rolled up newspaper.
The idea is that nothing will become dislodged in
transit! Be very careful when doing this
since it is easy to damage fragile parts such as fine
windings attaching to coils etc. If you're at all
unsure, get a more knowledgeable friend to help. If
the set has any valves larger than your thumb, remove
these and pack them separately alongside the set..
Tune the set to the long-wave end of the scale to
close the tuning capacitor vanes. Make sure nothing
can become dislodged or move inside the set, even
when it's upside-down.
- Replace the set back. Put cardboard guards over
the vulnerable bits: ie the dial glass, speaker fabric
and any delicate knobs. Use rubber bands to seat them
against the set (not tape, which can strip the finish
off).
- Put the set in an unused bin-liner or similar.
- Place the assembly into a generous sized stout
cardboard box. Pack around it, top, bottom and sides,
with plenty of packing materials, preferably using
the type of bubble-wrap with large 'bubbles'. Ensure
the set is well separated all round from the box sides.
- Seal the box. Now place it inside a second (larger)
stout box, with more bubble-wrap separating them.
- Add any paperwork before sealing this second outer
box. Ensure the sealing tape covers all the
flap-ends and corners of the box.
- Clearly mark the outer box with with our address:
RADIOCRAFT, 56 Main Street, Sedgeberrow, WR11 7UF,
England. Ensure your sending address is
also shown. Mark the box 'FRAGILE - GLASS. WITH CARE.
KEEP UPRIGHT.' and add pointers around the box to
show which side is the top.
- Lastly, ensure the package is adequately ensured.
Radiocraft admits to no liability whatsoever, for
any damage howsoever caused, even when following these
instructions ! Vintage radios should always
ideally be transferred by hand, but generally if you
take this kind of care, you should be all right.
I SIMPLY WANT SPARES FOR MY VINTAGE SET. WHERE CAN
I GET THEM ?
Try Andrew Emmerson's excellent online
directory
of stockists, now situated elsewhere on this site. It's
the biggest resource of its type on the internet and
you'll find virtually everything you could think of
(and more) there !
Please note, Radiocraft does not supply spares nor can
we provide advice on sourcing for individual cases.
Please use the directory referred to above.
HOW CAN I LISTEN TO FM STATIONS
ON MY VINTAGE RADIO ?
Our FM adapter
has been discontinued. But we've we've gone one better
! Please see the next section.
HOW CAN I LISTEN TO DIGITAL (DAB) STATIONS ON MY VINTAGE
RADIO ?
Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) radio
is the latest way to listen to radio in the UK. This
way you can receive all the stations previously found
on FM and many more besides. We now can supply a two-part
package consisting of a portable Roberts DAB radio (also
usable on its own) and an SSTran AM modulator,
obtained specially from the USA but assembled here in
the UK. This is widely considered to be the best AM
modulator available. You'll want for nothing in sound
quality and you'll be able to continue using your vintage
radio indefinitely into the future !
The result is that you can now tune
any vintage radio in your house into your chosen digital
(DAB) station. You can even have the same station on
several radios at once if you like ! No connection
is needed to your set(s). You simply tune in the selected
digital station like any other medium wave station.
Our complete DAB package costs £295
including postage to anywhere in the UK. Please email
us in the first instance if you would like to order.
WHAT ABOUT THE 'OTHER' SORT OF DIGITAL RADIO (DRM)
COMING ON AM ? WON'T THAT SPOIL THINGS ?
Digital radio is being promoted as
the next step in the development of radio. Currently
Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) is available through
various means, including over the Band III VHF frequencies
formerly used in the UK by ITA for 405-line television.
However there is also a scheme afoot to also
apply a related technique on 'our' AM (amplitude-modulated)
long, medium, and short wave bands. This would combine
'near-FM' standards of audio quality with the international
range associated with the current AM bands. The projected
system will be called Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM).
You can't receive DRM stations on vintage radios.
The effect of DRM will be that there will simply be
a slight increase in background noise level on the bands
that are currently occupied by AM stations. DRM will
doubtless spread around the world slowly but old-style
analogue stations will remain plentiful on the bands
for a generation or more.
As regards the Short Waves, it is here
that the most interference might be found, though not
from the DRM digital stations but from something much
worse - use of the National Grid for carrying broadband
internet. This is an incredibly leaky and inefficient
way to do the job. With broadband coverage now approaching
saturation in the UK using more conventional means,
here's hoping this horrible technique will never be
used !
Fortunately, the UK is not planning
to use DRM on the Medium and Long waves for domestic
radio. Instead, the UK has pinned its digital hopes
on DAB (radiated on Band III VHF), which offers additional
stations like BBC 1Xtra, 6 Music, Oneword and Core.
However DAB has not quite turned out to 'set the pace'
in the way expected and many now consider its quality
to be inferior to FM.
OFCOM has said that there is no intention
to switch off the AM and FM services in the forseeable
future. There is merely to be a review of AM in 2009
and a review of FM in 2012 - that's all. AM radio will
then continue until at least 2015-16 in Great
Britain. Even after that there will doubtless still
be many foreign stations to enjoy. So there is no need
to panic.
For the longer term, Radiocraft is
looking into ways of preserving the pleasure of using
a vintage receiver and combining it with access to the
digital stations. Just as we supply FM converters today,
there will surely be a digital converter available from
us in the future to ensure you can continue to listen
to your favourite stations on your vintage set.
Another project currently being evaluated,
called 'RDR', is to develop a really attractive new
DAB receiver, using materials and a construction technique
which must remain a secret for now. This would be a
modern radio in the grand tradition of the old, rather
like the Retrovisor was for television. You can
be sure that this site will be where the latest news
appears - as it happens !
WHAT DO I NEED TO OPERATE MY VINTAGE
TELEVISION ?
British vintage televisions will only
produce results from a long-obsolete type of television
signal. This means that not only is the picture made
up of fewer 'lines' (405 instead of 625), but also the
radio carrier wave used is of far lower frequency than
the one used today. So what's involved ?
First, one must arrange an appropriate
405-line picture signal for the old set. This is generally
achieved by stepping down the modern 625-line signal
down to 405-lines, through the use of something called
a standards converter.
Secondly, the 405-line picture has
to be carried into the set atop a radio carrier of the
appropriate frequency. This task is performed by a modulator.
Another refinement is to obtain a Test
Card Generator. A fully-programmable, dual-standard
one is available from R.T.Russell at www.rtrussell.co.uk/products/tccgen/tccgen.html
and includes old favourites such as Test Card 'C'.
In addition, if you live within the
London M25 area (or even farther afield), there's now
a distinct possibility that one day all you'll need
to do is erect an 'H' aerial on your chimney, connect
up your vintage (restored) set and watch. The British
Heritage Television Group is hoping to radiate
a Channel 1 signal from Alexandra Palace again. This
will be a bit like a heritage railway - when old trains
run on their old tracks again. Old televisions would
be running on their old channel again !
For more information on this topic,
be sure to visit our own Vintage
Television site. or if you might prefer instead
a modern 'retro' colour TV, take a look at the Retrovisor.
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RADIO
RESTORATIONS
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TINNITUS
SOLUTIONS
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RETROVISOR INFORMATION
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A
NEW 405-LINE SERVICE FOR LONDON?
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RADIOCRAFT
Main Street, Sedgeberrow, WR11 7UF, United Kingdom.
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