AWA Review Vol. 19

[John Neuman]

Kent/Norman,

   I acquired a copy of AWA Review, Vol. 19 and read your interesting and informative study. It answered a lot of questions I had about E.H. Scott radios and also brought to mind a couple more which I have:

   1) Has the information you have gathered since writing the article altered the results in a significant way?

   2) Do you have an estimate or feel for the numbers of FM converters which were produced and a time frame for their production?

   Thanks,

John Neuman

    

[Norman S Braithwaite]

John:

Thanks for your inquiry.  Very recently I have learned that the slowdown in production in mid-1947 appears to coincide with production of the Musicale, a high fidelity system consisting of a phonograph, preamplifer, amplifier, and speaker in a cabinet.  The Musicale was a marketing failure due to the $700.00 asking price for a product that did not contain a tuner of any type.  Although I believe a modest number of the Musicale chassis sets were constructed, the survival rate of this unusual offering is dismal and chassis for the Musicale are rarely found today.  I know of no Musicale chassis sets in cabinets.  For that matter I don't even know what the Musicale cabinets look like but hope to soon when I receive the first Musicale brochure I have ever seen offered for sale.  I am seeking serial numbers located on Musicale preamplifers to estimate production of the Musicale.  I suspect that when I account for the production of the Musicale, the total production plot will not show a slowdown in production.

 

After the E.H. Scott Radio Laboratories were reorganized into Scott Radio Laboratories, the serial numbers were, for the most part, true (an exception exists for 800B receivers sold very late).  If the FM converters were made by Scott Radio Laboratories and have serial numbers, the total production can be reasonably estimated as up to 20% over than the highest serial number in a minimum sample of five.  I know I can get three Musicale serial numbers and I know that the highest serial number should represent a minimum production total but any estimate of actual production should rely on a larger sample of true serial numbers.  I do not have an FM converter so I do not know if they have serial numbers.  Nevertheless, I will post an inquiry for serial numbers on FM converters and on Musicale preamplfiers.

 

I believe that Kent has more information on prewar production and serial numbers as well.  He is planning on preparing another article.  I have identified a valid approach for estimating production totals of some of the very low production chassis variations presently grouped in the chassis families (ergo Scott Eighteen included within the Scott Sixteen serial number groups).  I am hoping that Kent will consider the approach or allow me to contribute estimates using the approach.

 

Norman

[Kent King]

Of course....I need to send you the latest data, as I have added one or two Eighteen's to the list. I would be quite interested in your thoughts on these...I'll send an email and we can discuss this further...

Norman S Braithwaite said:

John:

Thanks for your inquiry.  Very recently I have learned that the slowdown in production in mid-1947 appears to coincide with production of the Musicale, a high fidelity system consisting of a phonograph, preamplifer, amplifier, and speaker in a cabinet.  The Musicale was a marketing failure due to the $700.00 asking price for a product that did not contain a tuner of any type.  Although I believe a modest number of the Musicale chassis sets were constructed, the survival rate of this unusual offering is dismal and chassis for the Musicale are rarely found today.  I know of no Musicale chassis sets in cabinets.  For that matter I don't even know what the Musicale cabinets look like but hope to soon when I receive the first Musicale brochure I have ever seen offered for sale.  I am seeking serial numbers located on Musicale preamplifers to estimate production of the Musicale.  I suspect that when I account for the production of the Musicale, the total production plot will not show a slowdown in production.

 

After the E.H. Scott Radio Laboratories were reorganized into Scott Radio Laboratories, the serial numbers were, for the most part, true (an exception exists for 800B receivers sold very late).  If the FM converters were made by Scott Radio Laboratories and have serial numbers, the total production can be reasonably estimated as up to 20% over than the highest serial number in a minimum sample of five.  I know I can get three Musicale serial numbers and I know that the highest serial number should represent a minimum production total but any estimate of actual production should rely on a larger sample of true serial numbers.  I do not have an FM converter so I do not know if they have serial numbers.  Nevertheless, I will post an inquiry for serial numbers on FM converters and on Musicale preamplfiers.

 

I believe that Kent has more information on prewar production and serial numbers as well.  He is planning on preparing another article.  I have identified a valid approach for estimating production totals of some of the very low production chassis variations presently grouped in the chassis families (ergo Scott Eighteen included within the Scott Sixteen serial number groups).  I am hoping that Kent will consider the approach or allow me to contribute estimates using the approach.

 

Norman

[Kent King]

John -

 

As we continue to collect serial numbers, the basic approach has remained solid. So I am sure we have the numbering at least understood...there have been a few little things come along that have surprised me, but mostly I have narrowed the gaps between sets in the early serial numbers and better defined the cutoffs in all the prefixes. The estimates for total production of sets has remained fairly constant.

 

The thing for me is that so many of the numbers being reported to me are already on my list. Only about 10% of the serial numbers I get are "new"...and an even smaller % of those actually add info to the analysis. So the knowledge gain is slow, but steady. Norman's thoughts on the less produced models like the 18 are where we are going now. The other factor is getting really good dates for sets/serial numbers. More dates would help us refine the rate of production, but we really do not have enough data yet to even guess at that.

 

Kent

[Ted Coombes]

Would the production date code from parts help provide a rough estimate of manufacture? Can you explain to me how to read these codes if they are helpful?

Kent King said:

John -

 

As we continue to collect serial numbers, the basic approach has remained solid. So I am sure we have the numbering at least understood...there have been a few little things come along that have surprised me, but mostly I have narrowed the gaps between sets in the early serial numbers and better defined the cutoffs in all the prefixes. The estimates for total production of sets has remained fairly constant.

 

The thing for me is that so many of the numbers being reported to me are already on my list. Only about 10% of the serial numbers I get are "new"...and an even smaller % of those actually add info to the analysis. So the knowledge gain is slow, but steady. Norman's thoughts on the less produced models like the 18 are where we are going now. The other factor is getting really good dates for sets/serial numbers. More dates would help us refine the rate of production, but we really do not have enough data yet to even guess at that.

 

Kent

[Norman S Braithwaite]

Ted:

Date codes were common after WWII but seldom if ever used before.  The date codes are usually a 3, 4, 6, or 7 digit number that are often combined with the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) manufacturer code number.  For three digit numbers, the first digit of the date code is the last digit of the year, 6 being 1946 and 5 being 1955.  The last two digits represent the serial week in which the component was manufactured.  The first three digits of a six digit number are the EIA manufacturer code and the remaining three digits are the date code as above.  After 1955, the date codes of most component manufacturers were four digits to avoid confusion associated with use of a single digit to represent the year (6 = 1946 or 1956?).  The first two digits of the date code represented the year, 56 being 1956, and the last two digits being the serial week of the year that the component was manufactured.

Estimating the date of manufacture of a chassis using date codes can be problematic.  Some components may have been manufactured well before being used and some components such as tubes may have been added when the item was purchased well after the chassis was manufactured.  A case in point is a Scott Musicale that I am researching. Fortunately it has many date coded components. Most of the date coded components indicate a manufacture date of mid 1947 but several of the tubes of common manufacture and different types which I believe to be original are date coded 1-22 and 1-39 (possibly indicating a later sales date) and a bass choke is date coded 640 nearly a year before the Musicale was introduced (also used in earlier Scott products).  Even though I know that this Musicale was manufactured during mid 1947, knowing the month and day of manufacture would be helpful in understanding overall production at the Scott Radio Laboratories.  Unfortunately, without an inspection date we can only know that the entire run of Musicale chassis was sometime around mid-1947.   After WWII, Scott Radio Laboratories stockpiled lots of chassis for later sale.

Prior to WWII, E.H. Scott Radio Laboratories did not stockpile chassis (each chassis was made upon receipt of an order) and during the late 1930s chassis often included an inspection date stamp on a component or two under the chassis.  The inspection date stamps are usually found on a bathtub or other potted capacitor and sometimes on the laminations of a drive motor.  These inspection dates are a good indicator of when the receiver was manufactured and sold.  Other good indicators include the date identified on warranty tags and on invoices.

Norman

Ted Coombes said:

Would the production date code from parts help provide a rough estimate of manufacture? Can you explain to me how to read these codes if they are helpful?

Kent King said:

John -

 

As we continue to collect serial numbers, the basic approach has remained solid. So I am sure we have the numbering at least understood...there have been a few little things come along that have surprised me, but mostly I have narrowed the gaps between sets in the early serial numbers and better defined the cutoffs in all the prefixes. The estimates for total production of sets has remained fairly constant.

 

The thing for me is that so many of the numbers being reported to me are already on my list. Only about 10% of the serial numbers I get are "new"...and an even smaller % of those actually add info to the analysis. So the knowledge gain is slow, but steady. Norman's thoughts on the less produced models like the 18 are where we are going now. The other factor is getting really good dates for sets/serial numbers. More dates would help us refine the rate of production, but we really do not have enough data yet to even guess at that.

 

Kent

[Ted Coombes]

Thanks for the terrific education. I guess I can't provide much info on my Scotts because they are all pre-WWII, but when I open up the Phantoms and Laureates I'll take a look for those inspection dates...

Norman S Braithwaite said:

Ted:

Date codes were common after WWII but seldom if ever used before.  The date codes are usually a 3, 4, 6, or 7 digit number that are often combined with the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) manufacturer code number.  For three digit numbers, the first digit of the date code is the last digit of the year, 6 being 1946 and 5 being 1955.  The last two digits represent the serial week in which the component was manufactured.  The first three digits of a six digit number are the EIA manufacturer code and the remaining three digits are the date code as above.  After 1955, the date codes of most component manufacturers were four digits to avoid confusion associated with use of a single digit to represent the year (6 = 1946 or 1956?).  The first two digits of the date code represented the year, 56 being 1956, and the last two digits being the serial week of the year that the component was manufactured.

Estimating the date of manufacture of a chassis using date codes can be problematic.  Some components may have been manufactured well before being used and some components such as tubes may have been added when the item was purchased well after the chassis was manufactured.  A case in point is a Scott Musicale that I am researching. Fortunately it has many date coded components. Most of the date coded components indicate a manufacture date of mid 1947 but several of the tubes of common manufacture and different types which I believe to be original are date coded 1-22 and 1-39 (possibly indicating a later sales date) and a bass choke is date coded 640 nearly a year before the Musicale was introduced (also used in earlier Scott products).  Even though I know that this Musicale was manufactured during mid 1947, knowing the month and day of manufacture would be helpful in understanding overall production at the Scott Radio Laboratories.  Unfortunately, without an inspection date we can only know that the entire run of Musicale chassis was sometime around mid-1947.   After WWII, Scott Radio Laboratories stockpiled lots of chassis for later sale.

Prior to WWII, E.H. Scott Radio Laboratories did not stockpile chassis (each chassis was made upon receipt of an order) and during the late 1930s chassis often included an inspection date stamp on a component or two under the chassis.  The inspection date stamps are usually found on a bathtub or other potted capacitor and sometimes on the laminations of a drive motor.  These inspection dates are a good indicator of when the receiver was manufactured and sold.  Other good indicators include the date identified on warranty tags and on invoices.

Norman

Ted Coombes said:

Would the production date code from parts help provide a rough estimate of manufacture? Can you explain to me how to read these codes if they are helpful?

Kent King said:

John -

 

As we continue to collect serial numbers, the basic approach has remained solid. So I am sure we have the numbering at least understood...there have been a few little things come along that have surprised me, but mostly I have narrowed the gaps between sets in the early serial numbers and better defined the cutoffs in all the prefixes. The estimates for total production of sets has remained fairly constant.

 

The thing for me is that so many of the numbers being reported to me are already on my list. Only about 10% of the serial numbers I get are "new"...and an even smaller % of those actually add info to the analysis. So the knowledge gain is slow, but steady. Norman's thoughts on the less produced models like the 18 are where we are going now. The other factor is getting really good dates for sets/serial numbers. More dates would help us refine the rate of production, but we really do not have enough data yet to even guess at that.

 

Kent