Jim Clark's E H Scott Radio Collector's guide.

[David C. Poland]

FYI - Jim has a few copies of his guide listed on ebay. Some are already sold, but some remain at the moment.


130994094100 eBay item number:

This is a valuable and accurate publication. Shows 1 page per model with image, brief description and date introduced. Covers 1920's battery kit sets, then 1930's chrome years, war models to the 800B. Photo reference for almost all cabinets ever offered, and a section on accessories. All in black & white (no color photos). Photos are from Scott literature. Nearly 100 pages of information. Dated 1995 and considered the first well documented effort on Scott Radio and has stood the test of time..

Well worth having and as a spotters guide. It is NOT a price guide.

[Day Radebaugh]

Looks well worth having; I'm getting one.

[David C. Poland]

Get the new one -  2nd edition. completed in 2016.  Jim Clark, Kent King and I co-authored this updated and expanded edition.  Available from Jim Clark.   See adv on this Scott site.

[Day Radebaugh]

Got it, David, and it's on the way.  My cabinet maker is getting underway on the cabinet for my 800B, which I am enjoying immensely. 

I'm kind of looking ahead toward acquisition of another Scott.  Any suggestions?  I'm particularly interested in a unit that would sound and look good, whether in or out of a cabinet, but also that wouldn't be so rare that I couldn't get parts.

[David C. Poland]

Depends on what you want.  All the prewar Scotts of the 1930's look good being chrome plated.  Chrome condition matters, especially if you decide to display it in the open or have the open style NAPIER Consolette. 

What to consider next?  I have at least one of about every 1930's model Scott. I like them all. The early 1930's were very good performers. The later 1930's models have more advanced and powerful amps, in particular, the AW-23 of 1935-7. and featured laden Philharmonic 1937-41. But the Phantom is good and my 14 tube Scott Masterpiece of 1940-41 sounds surprisingly good. 

Most of the 1930's models were shipped new with a small wood panel holding the escutcheons and dial bezel. Many but not all of these wood panels were discarded if a cabinet was ordered.  When the cabinet arrived separately from the cabinet factory, usually Rockford-Peerless Furniture Co, then the escutcheons and dial bezel were transferred to the Scott cabinet. Those shipping panel do show up, and sometimes were stored in the bottom of the cabinet.  Unfortunately, over the years, many cabinets were damaged and discarded along with the escutcheons and dial bezel. So,  the escutcheons and dial bezel can be hard to find today, but do turn up on eBay.

In short, when you find one that appeals to you, and it is complete with the correct speaker and the cosmetics are good, maybe consider acquire it regardless of the model. 

We spent a lot of time enhancing the Scott Guide 2nd Edition to include photos of the amp and speaker correct for every model receiver. 

[Day Radebaugh]

Completeness of cosmetics seems to be a key.  Chrome looks fabulous on these units, but don't know anyone in these parts that does chrome for anything, including cars.

What sources should I check for units for sale, other than eBay?

Thanks for the advice.

[David C. Poland]

Scotts do show up but are not plentiful. Consider - Philco and Zenith production was 100's per day of many models. Scott in the 1930's was evidently making somewhat over 2000 per year average of only one model until the late 1930's when Scott added a another model or two of lower tube count models. A modest portion was sold overseas. Of US buyers, harsher conditions for many that went to locations with humidity or coastal  ocean salt water vicinity cities.  Others were eventually relegated to damp basements. Poor conditions can severely corrode chrome plate and the cabinets. But even so, there are still  many examples out there in decent to pristine condition that turn up. 

Scotts for sale may appear in an estate auction, eBay, on this Scott site, Antique Radio Forum in the Classified section, Craig's List, radio club swap meets and with a collector you may meet. Most of mine were from these sources.  Scotts are often a cherished part by some radio collector's collection and be the last radios to dispose of at advanced age and a number of us are getting up there in age. 

Scott radios values have two primary components - the radio and, separately, the cabinet. Cosmetic condition and completeness matters. Scott cabinets are all furniture quality, but a number of the high end cabinets are scarce and command as much or more than the radio in them.

Also - there are more Scott radios than Scott cabinets for them. So don't automatically reject a nice complete radio lacking a Scott cabinet. There are alternatives.  Displayed on a shelf with an enclosure for the speaker (the speaker needs a 3 sq ft baffle board or an enclosure to sound right). Scott shipped radios with a small finished wood panel holding the dial bezel and control escutcheons which panel was suitable for retrofitting in a fine older radio cabinet, and you could do the same. There are some really nice late 1920's and early 1930's radio cabinets with un-restorable radios due to pot metal problems.  A number of early 1950's TV wood console cabinets are big enough and sturdy enough for reconstruction to hold a Scott. 

[Dave]

This is an outstanding outfit, not sure of aluminum but they do die-cast. 

http://www.badgermetalfinishing.net/

Day Radebaugh said:

Completeness of cosmetics seems to be a key.  Chrome looks fabulous on these units, but don't know anyone in these parts that does chrome for anything, including cars.

What sources should I check for units for sale, other than eBay?

Thanks for the advice.

[Day Radebaugh]

Thanks for the reference, Dave.  I restore antique trucks as well, and am pleased to hear about them.

Dave said:

This is an outstanding outfit, not sure of aluminum but they do die-cast. 

http://www.badgermetalfinishing.net/

Day Radebaugh said:

Completeness of cosmetics seems to be a key.  Chrome looks fabulous on these units, but don't know anyone in these parts that does chrome for anything, including cars.

What sources should I check for units for sale, other than eBay?

Thanks for the advice.

[Dave]

Yeah, they do a “little work” for something called Harley Davidson. Just a small thing, but thought you’d be impressed. Since you’re looking for a Scott, I’ll trade you an AW 23 for a 57 Study half ton ( with good chrome !)

Day Radebaugh said:

Thanks for the reference, Dave.  I restore antique trucks as well, and am pleased to hear about them.

Dave said:

This is an outstanding outfit, not sure of aluminum but they do die-cast. 

http://www.badgermetalfinishing.net/

Day Radebaugh said:

Completeness of cosmetics seems to be a key.  Chrome looks fabulous on these units, but don't know anyone in these parts that does chrome for anything, including cars.

What sources should I check for units for sale, other than eBay?

Thanks for the advice.

[Day Radebaugh]

We knocked together a prototype of my 800B cabinet.  Here it is, on the left of my reading chair, where I can reach over easily and tune it.  The tuner is over the amplifier chassis, and behind the speaker.

A few tweaks required on dimensions before we make the finished version, but it meets my needs for a) side table; b) means to show off the 800B.  As you can see, tuner chassis doesn't quite make it in, but we'll fix that.

[David C. Poland]

Nice attractive design.

That amp puts out some heat with the 5U4'a and 6L6's. Be sure you have adequate height for ventilation of the amp.

Looks bit tight in this prospective. Perhaps that blond front wood panel below the receiver face should be a loose weave speaker cloth for some cross ventilation, maybe same cloth you use on the side?

The tunable coil antenna on top can be pretty effective - I have 2 of them.

[Day Radebaugh]

I have 3" above the tubes in the amp; would that be sufficient?

Also, I have a couple of tears that have to be fixed in the woofer.  I hear that coffee filter paper and glue works.  Any suggestions?

Thanks