ORIGINAL RADIO SERVICE
Repair, restoration of original antique car radios
Keep your antique vehicle 100% original
For the discriminating car collector who demands 100% total originality, we offer repair/rebuild service for original tube- and early transistor-radios.
Most people are surprised to learn that the causes of radio failures are not "just a tube" or "just a vibrator", but components known as capacitors. These are passive components that don't necessarily wear out, but go bad with age due to corrosion and chemical breakdown. Even in a working radio, about 80% of the capacitors will test bad. Sometimes bad capacitors will manifest themselves in weak or distorted sound, poor reception, or loud squealing noises. They are also responsible for premature failures of tubes, transistors, vibrators, and even the expensive power transformer.
We replace all of these suspect capacitors in every radio with new design types that far outlast the originals. We then test other components to ensure they are in good condition and operating properly. We perform other repairs as needed, clean and detail the set, and check alignment to ensure peak performance. The end result will be a radio you can operate every day without reservation. We also warranty the service for a full year.
Prices for service will vary according to the condition of the set, but typically you can expect a tube radio (before 1957) to be in the $200-250 range, a hybrid set (1957-1962) in the $150-200 range, and a transistor set (1963 and later) to be around $100-150. Of course a clean radio may be on the lower side of these estimates, wonderbar sets are typically on the higher side, and rusty weathered sets to be full of surprises that may render the set unrepairable -- at least for a reasonable price. Prewar sets will typically be higher for two reasons -- they are a bit more difficult to work on, meaning more labor time, and usually these arrive in lousy condition to begin with.
If you have questions or concerns about the repair of your set, please contact us. We'll answer your questions as best we can.