Fisher Consoles

Does anyone know model numbers for Fisher Consoles? I just passed up a F-220 P (price exceeded my curiosity). It appeared to be an FM-1000 tuner faceplate in the picture - I'm intrigued as to what model power amp was hidden inside that very attractive cherry cabinet.

Should I be kicking myself?

Picture

Here's the picture I tried to decipher:

And with the doors closed...

I would have sacrificed a bookcase in the livingroom to make room for this one - and that's a big sacrifice for me.

my guess is thatsa one of the integrated receiver/amps . . . . there's a place north of me in Orange MA with a Mono Fisher Console - real nice shape, but he wants $75 MAYBE if it was stereo . . .

that does look like a nice piece though . . . dont worry - be patient and the right one will fall into your lap.

That is a 600 receiver in that console- Fisher's first stereo receiver- but the tuner is mono as it predates the adoption of a FM MPX broadcast standard.

Fisher made many receiver based console models over the years.

that looks like 800c or 600 model receiver - which are very nice model.
i had 500b 500c 400 models and still have 500b - it is recapped and sounds sweet. if the price is under a few hundred, i'd get em. looks like a minty cabinet, too. i've really fallen for the soft and sweet sound of fisher tube recievers, but beginning to feel the need for more excitement and dynamics. i really wonder what fisher tube pre and the mono blocks sound like. for me to find out, it'll cost me a lot of $$$$.

Yikes!

markus said:

. . . dont worry - be patient and the right one will fall into your lap.

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That's got to weigh well over 100 lbs.!

gogofast said:

that looks like 800c or 600 model receiver

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On this website:

http://www.fisherdoctor.com/fisher.html

I thought the knob configuration looked almost but not quite like what is identified as the FM-1000. el-37, 600? Mono, eh? Maybe given what they were asking for it, I did the right thing. Thanks.

huh huh

I usually wait with a pillow in my lap

just brought a cool mono Symphonic 6L6GC PP console home today for a penny (plus gas of course).

it helps to be a PATIENT cheapskate.

Well...I have Fisher junk - coming out of my ears....just ask my girlfriend....!!!

What gives it away- is the shape of the face panel. All of the pre 1961 units have a brass panel that is more rounded in shape- look closely at the border around the dial glass and you will see what I am talking about. Then the three switches in the middle denote it being a 600. The only other receiver that shares similar styling in the 500-S and it has a knob in the middle.

Don't knock mono FM. Almost every FM signal is so basterdized these days that you hardly notice a difference. Also...mono FM is extremely quiet. But remember all of the pre 1962 Fisher stereo receivers have mono FM sections (600, 500-S, and the 800) as well as the tuners that say "Stereophonic" on the facepanel (100-R, 101-R, FM-100, 100-T, 202-T). I have almost all of the Fisher tuners (with the exception of the FM-200 and 202-R), and the one I listen to the most is a mono FM-100. The sound is just stunning.

The 600 has an awesome EL84/7189 output stage...and it is also a part of hi fidelity history...it may very well be the first stereo receiver. The Harman Kardon TA-230 came out about the same time...and they do run neck in neck with the "who had the first stereo receiver" challenge...and all of my magazines from the era seem to imply that they basically came out at the same time.

What do you suppose would be a fair price for a functioning but not updated original 600 (minus the woodwork)?

I feel that a clean 600 that is original is worth about $175.00-$250.00. Prices on EBAY tend to be in the same bracket...but you will see some creep in at about $150.00, and extremely near mint examples will of course be over $275.00.

You also can convert a 600 to MPX stereo with the outboard Fisher MPX-100 adapter, but even a ratty MPX-100 will cost you about $175.00 these days.

There are usually Alnico Jensen drivers in Fisher consoles (P12Q's, P8R's, etc)....so if you decide to break one up, you usually recoup some of your money selling the Jensens to guitar guys- since most of them are terrible for hi fidelity use.

I hate to break up a console...but the hard truth is that almost nobody has room for them or even wants them these days. I have attempted to give away almost perfect Fisher consoles to people (on the condition that they keep them intact since I do not have the room for one) and everyone has been honest with me and told me that if I did not break it up- they would be the one to do so. The "Boss" will only allow a Fisher President in the house (in a Danish Modern cabinet) and since the President cost anywhere from $2500-$5000 in 1955-1964, I don't think I am finding one soon.

Fisher also usually modified the console units with .0047mfd (vs .047) coupling caps to filter out rumble from that Garrard RC-88. So when rebuilding, if you encounter .0047mfd coupling caps be sure replace them with .047mfd.

Thanks el-37. Looks like I might get a shot at this one after all. I was wondering if I could use the cabinet speaker enclosures with some of my disused drivers without too much modification and expect much in the way of fidelity. I've got some Klipsch 8" drivers and a pair of horns from the 1980's. What size speakers would you expect in a console of this era?

TheRed1 said:

I would have sacrificed a bookcase in the livingroom to make room for this one - and that's a big sacrifice for me.

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That has a very similar look to my Fisher Custom Electra. I won't be parting with mine anytime soon, not even for $$$$.

I want one of those....awesome stuff fellas...

Well...my console brochures are buried somewhere so don't take this as the definitive answer.

There is probably a good chance there are 12" drivers and some kind of dome tweeter. Some of the consoles had an 8" midrange speaker...but I think the receiver based models are all two ways since they were cheaper.

Some of the speaker "enclosures" in consoles are big enough for you stuff something with a 10" woofer in their like a KLH 17 or AR-2A. But a 600 would not be super happy driving those since you are dealing with about 17 WPC.

I wonder what 10" Audio Nirvana full range drivers would sound like in that console??? They are extremely affordable, and the 8" version impressed me quite a bit.

Duffinator: Wow! That's handsome. How does it sound?

el-37: Do you have any idea if Fisher console speaker enclosures are sealed? It doesn't sound like my Klipsch drivers would fit without some modification of the enclosure but don't you think they'd be efficient enough to produce sufficient volume with a 600's wattage? I'll check out your Audio Nirvana recommendation, though.

Wish me luck, I'm going to take a look tomorrow morning. I'll be sure to take a pillow, just in case, markus.

TheRed1 said:

Duffinator: Wow! That's handsome. How does it sound?

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Thanks, it belonged to my grandmother. I haven't turned it on in a few years but the last time it worked fine and sounds fine too. It takes minutes for it to warm up and has a really cool green "eye" used for tuning the stations. The TT hasn't worked in years but it's all there. I have the original brochure and delivery ticked. It was a Christmas gift from my grandfather to my grandmother and cost $1,000 in December 1955! The cabinet is still in almost new condition and is the fruitwood option. One of these days I'll scan the brochure and post it.

Are you going to buy one of the consoles you posted pictures of?

Duffinator said:

Are you going to buy one of the consoles you posted pictures of?

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I'm going to go look at it (both pictures are of the same unit) this morning. If it's functional I might get it. I think it looks sharp but not nearly as nice as yours. What a great history your console has!

I got it! It's immaculate and fully functional having been in use and probably in the same spot since purchased. It's a 1960 Fisher Premiere. The previous owner had recently passed away and her daughter was selling the house - very nice lady. She timed our meeting to coincide with the piano movers and that's how I got it in the van.

It came with a box of spare tubes and extensive hand written notes on its repair history plus step by step disassembly and trouble shooting instructions. The previous owner's son was apparently an electrical engineer and was active in maintaining his mothers old Fisher. The one down side is the size; which was not apparent in the photos. It's 4.5' long and will definitely be the focal point in our living room.

I'll try to get a photo or two once I get some help to get it out of the van.