Philharmonic knobs

[David C. Poland]

Ken commented a couple days ago on knobs he is seeking for his Philharmonic. He referenced a recently posted photo showing the round brown bakelite. This photo also showed the cast metal lever knobs for the band switch and volume control.


A review of various photos in Scott News and Scott price lists, as well as photos here and elsewhere, shows the variety of knob style alternatives Scott supplied for those 2 controls over the years. There is the brown lever bakelite with set screw. And the round "pinched" shape brown bakelite preferably with a set screw, also seen on the Sixteen. And the cast metal one. See photo of my specimens. I regularly see the round and pinched style (preferably with set screws) at swap meets in the stock of knob vendors, but not the cast metal type.

Chronologically (from Scott literature Photos I have) for the Philharmonic band and volume controls:
first the pinched, then metal, back to pinched and towards the FM/AM era, the bakelite lever, but sometimes the pinched.

The other control shafts had the round bakelite style. For the low speed tuning knob, there was sometimes a shallow round and sometimes the standard round brown bakelite knob.

Both Norm and I have encountered a octagon shaped knob set on a later BOL Philharmonic. That may indicate that Scott bought knobs in moderate quantities and perhaps had to settle for another style.

Page 13 of my Pointer Philharmonic Owners Manual shows wood knobs like the AW-23 and Fifteen, but the manual cover photo shows the bakelite round and pinched style as does the cover of the April 1937 Scott News announcing the new Philharmonic (Vol 2 number 10). However, I am unaware of any Philharmonic example equipped with the earlier style wood knobs.

The 1937-8 Sixteen (and Eighteen) seems to be the only other model using the round and pinched bakelite style.

Incidentally, I have not found a promotional photo of a Philharmonic with the wood 'S" knobs that Scott supplied supplied with the contemporary Phantom, Super XII, Masterpiece and Laureate.

[Ken Carr]

Great summary, David! I believe my Philharmonic is from about 1941 and thus a later version. That seems to track with what you are saying about bakelite being the primary choice later on. I have no idea which bat wing controls I had since both are missing. It appears that any style would be appropriate. I also have the later rectifier tubes (5U4G) which indicate that mine is not an early radio.

[David C. Poland]

Ken,
I have several 1940 issues if the Scott News with Philharmonic receiver photos. Some show pair of bakelite bat wing and others show the pair of bakelite pinched. So buy which ever you find first. Placed on the upper shafts flanking the tuning knobs. The rest of the knobs are the round bakelite.

The control escutcheons are round brass color rather than the keyhole shape of the pointer dial and earlier BOL models.

Scott was using 5U4 rectifiers by early 1940 as per Scott News Volume 12 number 1. Scott 1940-41 literature photos have the 8 (rather than 6) control shafts plus tuning knobs. You may find a date stamp inside the receiver.

[Kent King]

I have one complete set of the wood Philharmonic knobs. There are even two "bat handle" shaped wood knobs for the wave change and volume. I acquired these separate from any set, so I can't say what model they came with, although I'm sure it would have to be an early pointer style set.