Scott Masterpiece - Missing Dial Pointer

[Don Jackson]

I found this 14 tube Masterpiece not far from home last fall, it was a bit sad looking but it cleaned up much better than I expected. After recapping it and lots of polishing it works great and is a nice addition to my collection. It was all there, except the dial pointer was missing so made do with a generic replacement.  Knowing that not that many of these were made, I doubt if I will ever find an original dial pointer but thought I would ask anyways, there may be the remains of one of these sets out there that still has a pointer. If anyone knows where I might find one, let me know. Otherwise, it was a fun project and I am very pleased with how it turned out.

[David C. Poland]

Yeah, some chassis photos omitted the eye. But some cabinet photos for those models show the eye and escutcheon(s) as do the owner manuals drawings.  Those models came standard with the eye tube and the mounting bracket for above the dial. The Scott News, Vol II no 3 of March 1939 has a full page model description for the Super 12 with 2 columns of features including a cathode ray tuning indicator .And the diagrams all show one eye tube. The FM sets had two:  one for AM tuning and one for FM tuning.

I have seen a couple examples missing the eye because the cabinet dimensions could not accommodate the eye above the dial, And a couple such cabinets with very unusual eye locations. (Laureate Grande &  Westwood, as I recall). Do not know if these were factory, or merely retro fit efforts some years later.

The Philharmonic always had two eye tubes. The AM only sets had a 2nd one to show volume expander action. The FM Philharmonic eliminated the volume expander and the 2nd eye was for FM tuning.

The 1941 Scott Laureate was an AM/SW/FM and had one eye for both AM and FM tuning,  a benefit of a later ground up AM/FM design.

[Don Jackson]

David

Interesting that the renderings in the original promotional articles did not even show a tuning eye on the Masterpiece or Super XII. In the collector guide, the various Phantom models and Sixteen with a wood front show the tuning eye sitting above the top of the panel. The variation 4 of the Phantom has a taller front with the escutcheon perched on the top, with almost half of it above the wood! How many of these sets were actually sold with a wood front is a question, there must have been some buyers that did not want a cabinet but liked the look of the wood front. 

I have some scraps of 1/4" plywood so will start by making a mock up panel and see how it looks. There is another thread with much discussion about the Mayfair Credenza cabinet, you posted some photos of the mounting brackets in your set there. Those are the mystery brackets that I had seen in a picture before.

[David C. Poland]

I had access to panels from several Scott models. After cutting the plywood to desired dimensions, I veneered the plywood and applied the finish. Then  I used a router with a pattern bit to cut the openings for the dial, eye and tuning shaft. For control shaft holes, a 3/8 " bit as I recall. 

Kent can supply the correct crystal and bezel dimensions for comparison if you like. Your substitute looks nice. First install the dial crystal in the panel. Fit the panel to the set, centering the dial opening over the radio's dial. When all is well, and the panel is in position on the radio, then install the control escutcheons to center on the shafts, so the escutcheons (when you find some) center on the knobs. Your eye escutcheon sure polished up nicely, 

FYI, Scott built each radio upon receiving an order. Scott shipped the radio direct to the customer while the cabinet was shipped at about the same time from the cabinet factory, pre cut for the radio model. The owner (or a local service rep) had the job of installing the radio, speaker(s) and attaching all the escutcheons.

Those vertical brackets you mentioned are for installing the receiver 'face up" in a radio/phono cabinet. That installation also requires a couple short metal pieces that attach to the threaded holes at the lower rear side corners of the receiver. I have photos if anyone want to see a inside view of a Scott Masterpiece in the Mayfair credenza.

[Don Jackson]

David

Yes, I am planning to make a front panel. I have a tuning eye escutcheon, so at least have one hard to find part. I have a dial crystal that should work, it is 5 5/8" on the inside and 6 1/4" on the outside, and will require a 5 7/8" hole. It seems close to the right size, and the brass has a decent patina so I don't think it will look too bad. If I ever find the correct bezel it might even work with the 5 7/8" hole, at worst the panel could be used as a template. My radio did not have the studs you mentioned, but have seen them in pictures. I think I saw a photo of a Super XII that had vertical brackets attached to these points which looked like panel supports. I may be able to use these points to secure the top of the panel. I still have a couple of the thread extenders that my machinist friend made for me, they will work well to attach the bottom of the panel using the outer 2 controls. I think is worth trying to make this, I might eventually find an escutcheon set and dial crystal. If I find a proper pointer I would prefer to have it protected and this would do the job.

Mike, I have used those blades and they work great. You did an amazing job on that front panel! I doubt if I could have done all those cuts without botching something. By contrast, the panel I propose to make only needs one round hole and the edges will be covered so will be pretty hard to mess up.

[mike hadley]

I can throughly reccomend bosh jigsaw blades, t308 or t101 for smaller radius cuts, hardly any tearout.

I made the fron panel for my philharmonic from 9mm ply and one of these blades

[David C. Poland]

If you decide to make a wood front panel, use 3/8 " ply, preferably with furniture grade plywood. (Woodcraft store).  This thickness is correct for the control shaft lengths. I made the Masterpiece panel to fit the FADA cabinet, with book matched Walnut veneer.  The 2 front holes at the extreme front edge corners of your receiver are for studs to position the chassis against a cabinet front. With patience, you may find a dial crystal and a set of round control escutcheons. A Phantom control escutcheon set would do also. Super 12 used the same dial crystal.

DSCF3969.JPG

[David C. Poland]

Yep, I had to deal with that output transformer problem some years ago and had to figure what to do. As far as I know, it is still working in Circleville OH in a Scott Masterpiece I restored for the inherited family radio. He had the rough Mayfair radio/phono credenza and we did a cabinet trade as part of the deal. He got a fancy 1930 FADA low boy. DSCF3813.JPG.  I did a lot of work on the Mayfair DSCF3968.JPG

With regard to sound quality, a pair of 6V6 output tubes was fairly popular in 1950 hi fi amps and guitar amps of that era. Indeed, a couple years ago, my mechanical engineer grandson with continuing interest in music performance and arranging bought a new production Fender retro guitar amp with ... wait for it ... 6V6  output tubes. (They are foreign manufacture,  but, Hey!   if he should want vintage US 6V6 GT tubes, I have a good used pair. )

[Don Jackson]

David

Thanks for tip on the output transformer. I see you had a detailed discussion about this on another thread and posted pictures of the transformer you modified. If I find a speaker with a dead transformer I will do the same.

[David C. Poland]

My Scott Masterpiece came in the somewhat rare Mayfair, a smaller sized radio/phono credenza. A CD player into the phono input produced impressive, full sound, especially with the opening track of La La Land movie soundtrack.

[David C. Poland]

Nice looking adapter. Pre war speakers were not standardized to 4,8 or 16 ohm voice coils.

If you find a speaker with a bad output transformer, the 15 watt 125E you installed in your adapter is a good choice. Use the 16 ohm lugs, but you will need to add about 20 turns of wire  to the # 6 lug around the core to further reduce the ratio of secondary to primary to make a 7th lug. Observe the direction of turns lest you reduce the output impedance towards 8 ohm instead of increasing towards 38 ohms for the 38 ohm voice coil.  

Fun huh?