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fisher console restoration

Z

ziphius

New Member
Hi All,

I recently picked up a fisher console and would like to restore it. I am new to tubes and would appreciate any help or advice to fix this unit up.

The console is a 1960 custom electra III. It has a 610-st chassis for the tuner, preamp and amp for 1 channel. There is a separate 30-a chassis for the other channel amp.

The thrift store had it running the night before I bought it. When it was delivered I plugged it in thru my dim bulb tested and it failed (Light stayed bright). I separated the 30-a and tested it. It passed, so I hooked it up to the pre-amp out of my reciever and listened for about 10 minutes. It sounded good.

The 610-st looks to have had some recent work. see pic. There is a new 100 ohm wirewound going from one of the can caps to the rectifier tube. This should be a 140 ohm resistor. Also some of the tubes are new.

I think this is my problem area. My plan is to recap, replace resistor, replace tube.Does this sound right?

Can I use much higher voltage rated caps as replacements? ex .047 600v orange drop to replace .047 250v cap? 40 uf 500v sprauge atom to replace 40uf 350v?

There are some black molded caps that say pyramid on them, a .022uf 500v and .01uf 600v. Is a mallory 150 a good replacement for these?

Do I need to replace these molded caps or just the electrolytics?

Thanks
 

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Mallory 150 is ok for the pyramids. They are Wax caps sealed in plastic. treat them like a regular Wax cap. Replace them.

You could also use CDE, Orange Drops, Illinois caps. Whatever lights your fire.

Increasing the voltage rating on the caps is ok. Don't go lower.

Good lookin FISHER. I've got a '65 Electra VIII.

Larry
 
I have a electra IV. its funny how different they are but look so close. Do you have a pic of the amp?
 
ziphius said:
The thrift store had it running the night before I bought it. When it was delivered......
Click to expand...

Wow, your store delivers! I've heard of them picking stuff up, but I didn't realize some of them would deliver too.

I have a 60 Custom Electra, but pulled everything from the cabinet. It wasn't in very good shape, and I'm trying to make more room. I listened to it for a little while before dis-assembly, and I could hear the sound degrading. I'd really like to hear that 30-A outside of the rest of the Fisher components, but I don't have a pre-amp.

If you haven't fully explored it yet, you've got 10" down firing woofers...... they're Jensen P10R's.......which are quite popular with the guitar guys.
 
Mallory 150 is ok for the pyramids. They are Wax caps sealed in plastic. treat them like a regular Wax cap. Replace them.

You could also use CDE, Orange Drops, Illinois caps. Whatever lights your fire.

Increasing the voltage rating on the caps is ok. Don't go lower
Click to expand...
.
thanks for the info Larry, will replace with the higher rated voltage caps I am finding.

Warrgo, will try to get a pic of the amp up tomorrow.

Goodwill_HiFi, yeah I never heard of them delivering. I don't think they wanted to try to cram it in the back of my 4-runner.I couldn't fold down the rear seats because my young son was with me. They offered for gas money, 10$
The 30-a amp sounded amazing by itself. Definitaley got me hooked to fix it up.
I'll have to try out some old twangy surf guitar albums on those jensens when I get to the turntable.
 
Beautiful Fisher, I love the Modern cabinet style! Welcome to the Custom Electra club. I have a '63 Custom Electra VI (French Provincial/Fruitwood) that started my fascination/obsession with consoles.

Dave
 
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I think maybe we oughta just post pictures again of our Electras.....Or even have a "Got a FISHER CUSTOM ELECTRA? POST PICS HERE.." Thread.

They seem to be the most popular version of the consoles so far of the FISHERS.
Here's my '65 Custom ElectraVIII (HYBRID) Tube and Transistors.
e-490p_PanasonicRS-260US.jpg
 
My Sister-in-law has that model in the French Provincial cabinet. I have schematics, owner's manual, catalog info and ads on this one. I just finished scanning the owner's manual that Audiodon sent me (Thanks, again!) and would be happy to pass the Karma along. Just PM me an email address if you need any of this info.

An interesting item about the Custom Electra III from the owner's manual:
multiplex connections...

A multiplex jack bracket is located on the 610 chassis, as shown in Figure 2. The three jacks on this bracket are for making connections to a multiplex adaptor, such as the Fisher MPX-10, which permits you to receive the new Crosby multiplex stereo broadcasts.
Click to expand...

If anybody has a Fisher MPX-10 and wonders why it's not working . . . it might have something to do with the FCC's decision not to go with the Crosby system (which I believe was superior to the one we actually ended up with).

OK, Larry, I'll play:

50sRoomBW-1.jpg
 
This one is fully original (including the tubes) and operates flawlessly. It's not mine, it belongs to a good friend who will never part with it. A quote from his wife: "Frank Sinatra created his music to sound good on these consoles of the '50's and 60's"

Fisher1.jpg


Fisher4.jpg


Fisher3.jpg


Regards,

Carl
 
You know, for some ODD reason I like the look of the GARRARD in Dave's better than the Miracord in mine. Maybe it's the color.

Wonder why FISHER changed phono manufacturers? Bean counters?



Larry
 
WOW! That Electra looks fabulous Dave! Larry, very nice also. Great stuff! Keep those pic's coming!

Carl
 
TheRed1 said:
... OK, Larry, I'll play:
Click to expand...
Red:

I truly love that pic. The setting, mood, lighting, just everything. And a lovely console to boot! That room is just such a perfect backdrop for that Fisher. It actually reminds me of my doctor's waiting room (I think it was in his home) when I was a kid in the early 60's. Throw a few issues of "Popular Mechanics", "Highlights", "Readers Digest" and "National Geographic" on that coffee table.

Dave
 
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relaximus said:
Red:

I truly love that pic. The setting, mood, lighting, just everything. And a lovely console to boot! That room is just such a perfect backdrop for that Fisher. It actually reminds me of my doctor's waiting room (I think it was in his home) when I was a kid in the early 60's. Throw a few issues of "Popular Mechanics", "Highlights", "Readers Digest" and "National Geographic" on that coffee table.

Dave
Click to expand...

Dave you hit the nail on the HEAD! I was thinking of a dentists office in 66 in Groton. He had a Zenith or a Motorola I think. It definately wasn't a FISHER. And the receptionist would come unglued at the kids if they came any closer than 5 feet of it. Boy did we learn FAST!!!!!!!!!!!!

Larry
 
you guys are driving me crazy with Fisher console envy!!!

btw - the great pics by Dave and Red inspired me to go out and find a console to put my console pull back into!

When the weather warms up a bit more I'm taking my console out in the driveway for the full Formby's treatment... I'm thinking I'll need to remove the speakers and speaker grills to really do a good job of refinishing the console...
 
Some good news, I listened to some fm on the 610-st. Not perfect ,there was some backround noise (humming buzzing), but not too bad. It is very encouraging to finally hear some music out of it. I got thru replacing the electrlitic caps and swapped in the ez81 tube from the amp unit and decided to fire it up.

The downside is I did an ugly job fitting the repalacement caps under the chasiss and am going to have to go back and redo it. I have some better ideas for this go around.

some reasons why there are so many electra's out there ?:

1) it was in the mid price-high value range when sold new so there were alot to begin with.
2) relatively compact size for a console, didn't take up so much room so people kept them around.
3) Electra, greek goddess of high fidelity, is ever vigilant in protecting her offspring.
 

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ziphius said:
Some good news, I listened to some fm on the 610-st. Not perfect ,there was some backround noise (humming buzzing), but not too bad. It is very encouraging to finally hear some music out of it. I got thru replacing the electrlitic caps and swapped in the ez81 tube from the amp unit and decided to fire it up.
Click to expand...
ziphius:

That is outstanding news! As for the humming, did you try reversing the plug in the outlet? This *may* be a grounding issue. I might also suspect that the tuner is in need of an alignment. Did you replace the multi-cap can(s) on the top of the chassis?

ziphius said:
...
3) Electra, greek goddess of high fidelity, is ever vigilant in protecting her offspring.
Click to expand...
I love this! :thmbsp:

Dave
 
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I just bought an all original and working 1960 Fisher Custom Electra III. I called a radio shop to see what it would be to get it "tuned up." $400.00!!! Still and all, I think it's worth it.
 
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