Fisher 500C Photo

[John EH]

Took a front shot of my 500C yesterday.

It cleaned up nicely. I'm working on the chassis. It doesn't look all that great.

John

[PioneerSX-50]

Its beautiful......

[Larry]

How are you going to clean up the chassis..mine needs a cleaning, but haven't figured out a good way to get it looking good.
Larry

[jcmjrt]

Yes, I'd be interested in chassis cleaning myself. I have one that could use a little beautification. Of course, I could always just build a great wood box and fuggedabouit!! :)

[CarlV]

Of course, I could always just build a great wood box and fuggedabouit!!
Works for me. :)

http://www.audiokarma.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1819&size=big&password=79841ecd89e4063f281fb868befcd82f&sort=1&cat=500

Carl

[smollett5]

Cleaning any Fisher tube chassis is extraordinarily difficult. Unfortunately, Avery Fisher used an extremely fragile cadmium coating over a steel frame. Any brushing with virtually any solvent, metal polish, or cleaner- and I've tried them all - including Windex will rub the cadmium off leaving a permanent dark steel chassis area showing through. I've tried over a dozen or more techniques on parts chassis with not a lot of good results.

Accordingly, the best thing to do, and I do not mean to be facetious, is to buy a pristine example and keep it that way. Which means cleaning it, where appropriate, with water and cotton swabs and pads. Be especially gentle with any lettering, as that can disappear quickly. Be real quick and light. Oh, and do not keep the component in a room with more than average humidity - the cadmium will begin to break down, no matter how dust free you try to keep it, and get dark.

Wear latex or vinyl gloves when handling the chassis - oils from fingerprints will etch themselves into the cadmium. I have a 500-B with someone's 40-year prints on the side. I only wish Fisher had used something that looked as good, but had some staying power.

If you don't want these headaches, buy a Fisher that has already deteriorated somewhat in appearance. The sound quality won't be effected, and you won't pay extra for "museum quality." I have two "museum quality" pieces, a 500-B and a 500-C, and one excellent quality KX-200. They take more care to preserve their appearance than many people in the right mind want to devote.