The Fine Things are Always Hand Made

Olympia Custom Built with GE turntable.

I'm working on getting all of you pictures of my Olympia Custom Built

with GE turntable to enjoy. The serial No. is E 104 . I believe with what

what I'v read from all of you it was built in 1932. It has been in my family

all my life. More to follow soon. Thanks to you all for helping me understand what I have!

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Permalink Reply by Y2K Bruce on March 7, 2012 at 5:53pm

I just spent most of today putting my AW23 Olympia cabinet and all the "guts" back together after a complete electrical restoration.

Mine has the optional tweeters that point out the sides and this is the 1st time I can say I can hear the tweeters actually making sounds like a normal speaker. I closed the front doors and the side tweeters sound like regular speakers.

Its a really hot player too and even has an extra control knob on the back that seems to be a tone control. This one is an early 5 knob set with the unique fast/slow tuning knob assembly.

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Permalink Reply by David C. Poland on March 7, 2012 at 10:16pm

Hi Martin. ... With that low serial number, you have a 12 tube Scott Deluxe, probable with the Wunderlick tube for AVC. I have had two of these, and both were (are) really good sensitive radios, but a pain to tune on short wave, even if you do have the Short Wave Station Finder to translate wavelength to the 1 to 100 dial markings. The tone control on the rear corner acts as a treble control. I wonder if your GE phono was a replacement.

The Olympia cabinet dates back to the 12 tube Delux with AVC in early 1933. Supplied with or without an electric phono, which I believe is a single play machine (maybe like the ERLA with my 1931-2 Scott 2-Dial in my Orleans cabinet.) The Olympia was still offered into the AW-23 era into mid-1935 price lists, but my Christmas 1935 price list no longer lists the Olympia

Bruce, ... the 1935 cabinet catalog says the Olympia cabinet was also offered with the "Auto 10 changer" which was a Capehart model Recently, I added to this site a photo on my Capehart changer from my 1934 Wellington cabinet. My Capehart 10 changer plays 10 or 12 inch records, and has both 78 RPM and also 33 RPM (not the 1950's micro groove records) which I understand was a home recording and talking book speed at that time. Your 2 speed dial knob was an option.

I am perplexed by your extra control knob on the back. The only control on the back of the AW-23 that I was aware of was on the broadcast-shortwave antenna coupler switch hung on the middle IF amp tube shield, for the double doublet Scott Super Antenna.

-dave poland

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Permalink Reply by Martin D. Oswalt on March 8, 2012 at 12:29am

Well Gentalmen, We will decide as I get you the pictures of mine. I don't think the turntable is a retrofit. I do not have the tweeters in mine. I have the " V-twins". I haven't started on mine yet, but I think we have a discovery. Fun to know there is sombody out here that knows somthing after all these years! M.

David C. Poland said:

Hi Martin. ... With that low serial number, you have a 12 tube Scott Deluxe, probable with the Wunderlick tube for AVC. I have had two of these, and both were (are) really good sensitive radios, but a pain to tune on short wave, even if you do have the Short Wave Station Finder to translate wavelength to the 1 to 100 dial markings. The tone control on the rear corner acts as a treble control. I wonder if your GE phono was a replacement.

The Olympia cabinet dates back to the 12 tube Delux with AVC in early 1933. Supplied with or without an electric phono, which I believe is a single play machine (maybe like the ERLA with my 1931-2 Scott 2-Dial in my Orleans cabinet.) The Olympia was still offered into the AW-23 era into mid-1935 price lists, but my Christmas 1935 price list no longer lists the Olympia

Bruce, ... the 1935 cabinet catalog says the Olympia cabinet was also offered with the "Auto 10 changer" which was a Capehart model Recently, I added to this site a photo on my Capehart changer from my 1934 Wellington cabinet. My Capehart 10 changer plays 10 or 12 inch records, and has both 78 RPM and also 33 RPM (not the 1950's micro groove records) which I understand was a home recording and talking book speed at that time. Your 2 speed dial knob was an option.

I am perplexed by your extra control knob on the back. The only control on the back of the AW-23 that I was aware of was on the broadcast-shortwave antenna coupler switch hung on the middle IF amp tube shield, for the double doublet Scott Super Antenna.

-dave poland

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Permalink Reply by Martin D. Oswalt on March 8, 2012 at 12:36am

I am going to try to check things out mor tomorrow. I know I still have the felt bottom needle cup under the table lid. I will let you know what els I find. Much fun. Thank you for being here. All of you!
Martin D. Oswalt said:

Well Gentalmen, We will decide as I get you the pictures of mine. I don't think the turntable is a retrofit. I do not have the tweeters in mine. I have the " V-twins". I haven't started on mine yet, but I think we have a discovery. Fun to know there is sombody out here that knows somthing after all these years! M.

David C. Poland said:

Hi Martin. ... With that low serial number, you have a 12 tube Scott Deluxe, probable with the Wunderlick tube for AVC. I have had two of these, and both were (are) really good sensitive radios, but a pain to tune on short wave, even if you do have the Short Wave Station Finder to translate wavelength to the 1 to 100 dial markings. The tone control on the rear corner acts as a treble control. I wonder if your GE phono was a replacement.

The Olympia cabinet dates back to the 12 tube Delux with AVC in early 1933. Supplied with or without an electric phono, which I believe is a single play machine (maybe like the ERLA with my 1931-2 Scott 2-Dial in my Orleans cabinet.) The Olympia was still offered into the AW-23 era into mid-1935 price lists, but my Christmas 1935 price list no longer lists the Olympia

Bruce, ... the 1935 cabinet catalog says the Olympia cabinet was also offered with the "Auto 10 changer" which was a Capehart model Recently, I added to this site a photo on my Capehart changer from my 1934 Wellington cabinet. My Capehart 10 changer plays 10 or 12 inch records, and has both 78 RPM and also 33 RPM (not the 1950's micro groove records) which I understand was a home recording and talking book speed at that time. Your 2 speed dial knob was an option.

I am perplexed by your extra control knob on the back. The only control on the back of the AW-23 that I was aware of was on the broadcast-shortwave antenna coupler switch hung on the middle IF amp tube shield, for the double doublet Scott Super Antenna.

-dave poland

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Permalink Reply by Y2K Bruce on March 8, 2012 at 8:14am

The control on the back turns out to be a tone control with distinct steps similar to the bass control on the front. The front bass control seems to not do anything but the rear control does change the tone by large amounts. Go figure.

Inside the bottom plate were hand written repair notes from the 40's. Looks like there were 3 different comments made there.

David C. Poland said:

Bruce,

I am perplexed by your extra control knob on the back. The only control on the back of the AW-23 that I was aware of was on the broadcast-shortwave antenna coupler switch hung on the middle IF amp tube shield, for the double doublet Scott Super Antenna.

-dave poland