Fisher Consoles 1959-1965

Diplomat II (1964)
(Model E-39)

Chassis: 290-T

TT: Garrard AT-6

14 Tubes/20 Watts

Price: $549.50* (French Provincial/Italian Provincial)
$499.50* (Modern)

*For Multiplex, add $20

D-39-W (Modern/Mahogany)

rshadley; Yours is the Modern/mahoghany. Clean all the switches, pots with deoxit. Sounds like 99% of your problem is dirty contacts. Nice looking console. Check for the Multiplex add on. That may be the reason you get a buzz in FM STEREO.

Larry
 
rshadley, that wouldn't be the same Diplomat that was discussed on Yahoo's Fisher Group website recently? Could that be the elusive 1963 D-38 Diplomat (I)? It's not listed on my website or in Fisher's 1963 console catalog or even on their price list. But I did post a blurb about it here along with some other recent discoveries:

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=3802752#post3802752

Incidentally, I did finally acquire a 1960 Fisher console catalog along with the 1960 price list and the original Statesman model 1010 is, in fact, listed in both. The scan I had relied on previously was missing the Statesman pages. So my theory that the Statesman was a mid-season introduction was incorrect.
 
It is not the one discussed on yahoo fishers group website. It is the D-38 (I) and I came across it at a thrift on friday and actually waited untill saturday as they were having a 50% off sale.
 
Jonboy55---Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have been looking for the 1957 Fisher console catalog for many years. I thought at first that it was a different version of the 1958 catalog since the contents are almost identical. But when I read "A Quality Tradition That Is Twenty Years Young," and did the math (of course, Avery was counting from his 1937 founding of Philharmonic Radio but we won't quibble) I knew it was THE YEAR - 1957. Fisher was, indeed, advertising STEREO in 1957. I had almost given up hope that there would ever be proof that Fisher was among the first few companies to offer stereo radio-phonographs.

1957President.jpg


I wonder what month the catalog came out. I did note the code 2025F50-57 on the right margin of the last page. I checked the 1958 catalog for a similar code and found 3350F75-58. I can't seem to get a month out of those first 7 characters. Anyone?
 
Looks like it still had a mono TT but a stereo tape deck - just like the early Ampex stereo units. I wonder if Avery actually beat Ampex to market?

It's really amazing how few pre-58 Fisher consoles have turned up. Their early 60s units seem to be as common as fleas.
 
Just picked up my '63 ambassador V yesterday and boy are my arms tired...... Really, they are. This thing is heavy and I can't wait to bring her back to her former glory. Great thread.:yes:
 
Jonboy55---Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have been looking for the 1957 Fisher console catalog for many years. I thought at first that it was a different version of the 1958 catalog since the contents are almost identical. But when I read "A Quality Tradition That Is Twenty Years Young," and did the math (of course, Avery was counting from his 1937 founding of Philharmonic Radio but we won't quibble) I knew it was THE YEAR - 1957. Fisher was, indeed, advertising STEREO in 1957. I had almost given up hope that there would ever be proof that Fisher was among the first few companies to offer stereo radio-phonographs.

I wonder what month the catalog came out. I did note the code 2025F50-57 on the right margin of the last page. I checked the 1958 catalog for a similar code and found 3350F75-58. I can't seem to get a month out of those first 7 characters. Anyone?


Glad to help.

I can't make any headway with the code except for the last 2 digits being the year. The first digits could simply be an internal "production" code used by their promotion department, advertising agency, or printer. Sometimes these codes use 2 of the digits to refer to the week of the year it was produced. We might never been able to find out.

Originally I scanned the catalog in single pages on my home "4-in-1" printer. But I just found out yesterday that our local library has a very large "public" scanner so I was able to scan the 2 page spreads without breaking them into single pages. It makes for a better view of the products. You can then have them emailed to yourself or copy them to a USB drive. Our library doesn't charge for the service.

By the way, I purchased the catalog and Custom Electra instructions on E*** last week.
 
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Types of Finish

I thought it better to continue this discussion in the console thread.


Yes, the letter code at the end of Fisher's console model numbers indicates the wood/finish. The wood used in your Series 60 looks like oak in your photos. Is that what it is?

The finish on my '60 Fisher Premiere appears to be lacquer. It is very moisture sensitive. However, my '59 Series 510 consolette appears to have some sort of varnish. It has tiny cracks running along with the grain and does not show any of the hazy areas that I associate with lacquer exposed to moisture. Lacquer vs. varnish could be a 1950s vs. 1960s Fisher thing or, more probably, a high-end vs. low-end Fisher thing.

Your Fisher, being a petite blonde model, is a prime candidate for a make-over. I recommend hand-sanding through the damage on top and then staining to match. The damage looks superficial so it could easily be a weekend project and well worth the effort.


I think I have to deal with varnish. I only had turpentine and denatured alcohol to test with. It had no effect on the finish


http://www.associatedcontent.com/ar..._of_finish_does_your_furniture_pg2.html?cat=6


I'm pretty sure it's a 60-B, although the amp chassis only has "60" stamped on the tag.

Thanks for the help


Steve
 
I thought it better to continue this discussion in the console thread. I'm pretty sure it's a 60-B, although the amp chassis only has "60" stamped on the tag.
The console model number would be 60-B. Fisher chassis have their own ID numbers which in your case is the "60". You would suspect that the chassis number should match the console model number but this is only occasionally true. Very often Fisher, especially with their consolettes, would mismatch one model year cabinet with another model year chassis. There were almost certainly Series 60 consolettes that left Long Island City with either a "101" chassis from the previous model year or a "61" chassis from the next. Yours just happens to match.
 
Here are the photographs of the Fisher Chadwick.

I'll have more photographs within the next few days.

Here are more photographs of the Fisher Chadwick I picked up in July. You can see the speaker system and closer pictures of the chassis.

I just rearranged the garage and was able to get to it. Soon I hope to start the restorations.
 

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Today I picked up a Fisher Custom Electra IV and a Fisher Chadwick. They both came from the same family. The Electra was purchased in about 1961 and the Chadwick about a year later. The Electra was in the house of the son (now age 72) and the Chadwick was in his fathers house.

The Custom Electra IV is model E44 in the Early American cabinet with chassis 440T and 440A. The Chadwick uses chassis 460T and 460A with a multiplex unit. This appears to be in a Provincial cabinet.

Both are in nice condition with almost no scratches. I was told the Electra doesn't work but with one of the output tubes broken I knew there would be a problems. I didn't test eather of them yet.

It started to rain here and I had to move them quickly into the garage. I hope to have more photographs, especially the speakers within the next few days.

Here are the photographs of the Electra. The next post will have photographs of the Chatwick.


Here are more photographs of the Fisher Custom Electra IV I piced up in July. You can see the speaker system and closer pictures of the chassis.

I just rearranged the garage and was able to get to it. Soon I hope to start the restorations.
 

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e492

Hi Guys, I could use your help. My 92 year old Grandpa pass a few weeks back and he owned a Fisher Console. I was hopeing the fine folks on here could tell me what I have. It's a Model E492 chassis 21R

here's some pictures

Thanks in avvance for any info or advice

Dave
 

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Hi Dave, welcome to AK. Sorry to hear about your Grandfather. Your Fisher is a 1967 Custom Electra with the Mediterranean cabinet. The 21-R receiver is also known as the Fisher 220. What sort of advice are you looking for? Of course, we here are going to advise you to keep it - maybe put a little work into bringing it into condition for daily use.

Did you inherit any of your Grandfather's record collection? A man who owned a Fisher was probably pretty serious about his music. What type of music did he listen to?

Here's some info from Fisher '67 console catalog:

Page_09CustomElectra.jpg
 
Thanks for the quick reply Red [Edited by Moderator]

It sounds great to me but the turntable does not spin (belt?) it has sound from the needle. As for records, he had mostly showtunes. He worked at a fine Furniture store in his younger days which may explain why he had such a nice setup.
 
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Hink: Nice Electra. '67 was last year as a CUSTOM Electra. In '68 the name was changed to ROYAL Electra.

The Turntable is an IDLER WHEEL or RIM DRIVE. No belts. Pull the platter off after removing the spindle and the "C" clip. Clean the inside rim of the platter with HOT WATER, DAWN and a Nylon Scrubbie. Rinse and DRY! Remove the Idler Wheel and do the SAME. DO NOT TOUCH THE RUBBER or the INNER RIM of the platter AFTER CLEANING. A drop or two on the IDLER WHEEL SHAFT and the PLATTER CENTER SHAFT of Either Zoom Turbine Oil (Ace Hardware) or Singer Sewing Machine Oil is required.

Re-assemble in reverse order. Fire it up and Thank your GRAMPS for all the MEMORIES. If it has a Pickering V15F Cartridge, get the elyptical stylus. About $30. each on most of the internet needle shops. Turntableneedles.com, LPGEAR.com. or KABUSA.com has them.

Larry
 
Fisher 3000 President Console

Here is an blurb from Billboard Magazine dated July 15, 1957 promoting the Fisher 3000 President console that will be available for viewing at the 1957 Radio Show in Chicago.

Sorry for the poor quality. The article to the left of the picture has nothing to do with the blurb.

Not a bad deal for $2,495.00!!
 

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Executive Model 990-A (1962)

800-B receiver, Garrard Laboratory Series turntable, no tape deck, 3 way speakers. 22 tubes including the tuning eye tubes. Add 11 tubes if the tape deck is included (per diagram).
 

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where is the console ??

hmm, info The Red One provided indicates a 800C for that unit. For sure yours is the 800B and has the Executive face plate. Very cool, I prefer the looks of the 800B myself.
 
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