The Fine Things are Always Hand Made
Mystery McMurdo Masterpiece chassis-Need some experts on this
I have what I thought was a Masterpiece VI set.The front bezel says that also. HOWEVER, after seeing Ron Ramirez's MP VI recently I realized I have something strange.
Instead of 21 tubes, mine has 20. Instead of the 8 large cans on each side, mine has 6 on one side and 8 on the other.
My set has a female plug on the back of the chassis instead of a hard wired cable to the amp.
It's NOT a Masterpiece V as the tube layout is different on the chassis and uses glass tubes not metal.
My serial number is one a metal tag inside and is H-84028, a number not even close to Ron's set.
Plus there are alot of long bare wires inside the right part of the chassis.
McMurdo did plan to introduce an MP VII and even ran some ads for it but what is this set I have ? British made perhaps ?
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Permalink Reply by Y2K Bruce on
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Permalink Reply by Norman S Braithwaite on
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That is unusual. Can you draw up the schematic for us? Just kidding. The circuit layout is very clean and reminiscent of the earlier McMurdo Silver models.
Norman
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Permalink Reply by David C. Poland on
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Bruce - Nice to meet you August at the Willowbrook meet.
Did you count the eye tube?
I count 15 on the tuner (assuming none without the chrome tube shield other than the magic eye). You don't picture the amp, but a 6 tube amp/power supply (having 4 6L6's and two 5Z3's as per my info) would make a 21 tube count.
I don't have a MP-VI. None the less, I understood the MP-VI was a 20 tube model from one source. Radio News Oct 1937 says 21 tubes. And with a custom set builder, evolutionary changes during a model run (as with E H Scott) can be expected to surface. Perhaps you have a late example or an early prototype. Or something cobbled together by the 1937 post bankruptcy successors to McMurdo Silver's inventory and parts.
Have fun.
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Hi Dave-It was nice to meet you also and put a face to the name.
The amp only has 4 tubes: 2 rectifiers and 2 6L6 outputs so 16 on the main chassis including the eye tube and 4 on the amp = 20. (Same number as the MP V has)
I have 4 MP V's here and another spare MP VI parts set (with 21 tubes) and the V's all have a physically different layout of the tubes but the big cans are the same as my mystery set with 8 on one side and 6 on the other side.
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Permalink Reply by Gerald Steffens on
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You actually have a recessed male plug on the rear. I have an MP VI with the same cable connection. However, this MP VI is connected to an MP V amp/power supply and speaker. All work appears as factory work. This unit is however a 17 tube tuner chassis with the standard coil shields.
While I can't yet prove it, I believe this unit and possibly yours to be a Davega unit. When Davega bought the complete inventory they sold 15-17 and Masterpiece VI radios for several years. As parts ran low they threw together just about anything that would work. I have observed a few Davega 15-17 radios and each was somewhat different but each appeard in the common Davega console.
I have a 15-17, believed to be a Davega unit that has three extra tubes (a volume expander) complete with two extra controls and proper, matching escutcheons.
I have complete literature on the British 15-17. If the British MP VI is similar to the 15-17, it will have a completely different tube line-up.
Gotta go for the moment, possibly more later.
Gerry
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OOPs-Gerry is right, the plug is a recessed male plug on the main chassis.My bad.
I am curious Gerry what the common cabinet is you referred to that was used by Davega Radio.
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It is a Davega cabinet reminiscent of the Oxford but a little different. I have a picture around here somewhere.
At first glance it can be mistaken for an Oxford.
Gerry
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Bruce,
Can you determine what tube type is missing from standard? That might give a clue as to what function has been eliminated.
Actually, a list of the tubes present might be a better way to go. We can then compare to a normal set and see if there are any other deviations.
Gerry
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I have that same console with a 15/17 chassis that says Davega City on the owners plate. Inside the cabinet is a paper tag identifying the cabinet as a Westinghouse.
I have long suspected the conversion was done by Davega to use up surplus cabinets. I have original ads by them but no console is shown nor mentioned in the ads. I was told by the guy I got this from that at least one more of these existed. Perhaps he was referring to your set.
Gerald Steffens said:It is a Davega cabinet reminiscent of the Oxford but a little different. I have a picture around here somewhere.
At first glance it can be mistaken for an Oxford.
Gerry
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Y2K Bruce said:I have that same console with a 15/17 chassis that says Davega City on the owners plate. Inside the cabinet is a paper tag identifying the cabinet as a Westinghouse.
I have long suspected the conversion was done by Davega to use up surplus cabinets. I have original ads by them but no console is shown nor mentioned in the ads. I was told by the guy I got this from that at least one more of these existed. Perhaps he was referring to your set.
Gerald Steffens said:It is a Davega cabinet reminiscent of the Oxford but a little different. I have a picture around here somewhere.
At first glance it can be mistaken for an Oxford.
Gerry
I also know of two others.
Gerry
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