pre-amp to a RC-1 Garrard tunntable

[David Wilson]

Hello all!

I'm a new member here. I've been collecting radios for over 27 years and I'm looking for some help on aquiring the pre-amp to a RC-1 Garrard tunntable. This pre-amp would be for use in a Scott. Any help on this would be very much welcome.

Thank you!

David

[David C. Poland]

A suitable  1930's E H Scott phono pre-amp would be rare indeed.

Are you sure you need a pre-amp? Some 1930's Scotts were designed for lower output magnetic pick-ups and some for the higher output crystal pick-ups. later 1930's Philharmonic and Phantom models included a dynamic 78 record scratch suppressor.

I understand the RC-1 (for AC operation; the RC-2 for DC operation) is the first Gerrard changer, dating from mid 1930's.  Sometime after 1935, Scott appears to have begun supplying somewhat later Garrard models.

Most any 1950's monaural preamp would serve you and most provide additional controls for bass and treble and a choice of additional inputs usable for an fM tuner and CD player. If you intend to play 78's, look for a pre-amp with the 78 record equalization curves.

What Scott radio model do you have? 

[David Wilson]

 right corner of the cabinet that shows some kind of box was located there. I understand Scott crossovers came later then 1936. So, I'm assuming here that a pre-amp would make the most since here. In may have it wrong. If I do, then 

what went in this space?

Thanks!

David 

[David Wilson]

David,

Sorry, when I added the photo cut off part of my answer on this, It an AW 27 radio that the RC-1 is in.

Thanks 

[David C. Poland]

That a Ravinia Grande cabinet?  That just sold on eBay?

[David Wilson]

Yes

[Norman S Braithwaite]

David:

Your RC-1 is equipped with a crystal pickup.  It does not require a preamp.  I do not know what was set in the corner of that cabinet but I suspect it was simply a box that held spare tubes or something of that sort.

Norman

[David Wilson]

Hi Norman,

Thank you for getting back on this. There are 4 holes in that spot that held a wood block according to the original owner. I'm curious, does your AW 27 with the Ravinia Grande Cabinet have 4 holes in the same place that could held a wood block?

Thanks again!

David

[Norman S Braithwaite]

David:

My AW-27 Rivinia does not have holes in the floor at that location.  It does have a microphone preamplifier but that is attached to the bottom of the phono shelf.

Norman

[David C. Poland]

Any pot metal issues on the RC-1?  

A book you may find helpful if you can find a copy:

Automatic Record Changers and Recorders  by John Rider (same person as the 23 volumes of radio diagrams). My copy is copyright 1941, Covers the Garrards models from  RC-1  to RC-51. 

Anyone ever seen or have the owners manual specific to the AW-27?

[David Wilson]

Thanks Norman and David for your help here! Norman that is interesting that your radio had the microphone preamp. I know part of the provenance on this AW 27 is the original owner was a church. It could have very well had some kind of mic system set up on it for use at the church. My 1000 Z's orginal owner was the Pacific Lumber Company who used their Stratophere in a large break/lunch room and it had a PA mic setup to it. So, these radios were powerful enough, in their time, to be use as PA systems as well a play records and radio programing. I know from my research some of these highend radios were even use in movie theaters where they would play special broadcast events, like boxing matches and charge admission.  

David,

Thanks for the information on the RC-1, I have that Riders manual and will check it out. Hopefully pot metal will not be an issue on this one. I've seen pot metal issues on a few jukeboxes in the late 30s and early 40s. I have not picked the radio up yet and will keep you posted here on the radio's condition.  Garrard is a British company and this was their first record changer, manufactured in the early to mid 1930's, Great Britain was not a war at the time, it will be interesting to see if there are any pot metal challenges on this changer. Fortunately, I have a client that owns one of the biggest machine shops in the southwest and we should be able to come up with any of the pieces if we need too. Hopefull we won't. 

All the best!

David