Curtis Mathes Chassis # 18 Model# 3618A
Walnut case - solid walnut, large speakers above following layout: On/Off, Bass, Treble, wide dial, Loudness, AM/FM/FMAFC, Tuning.
I am thinking of putting this on eBay - but having trouble finding anything about it online - i.e. when it was made. I have the original manual+schematic and It works and sounds fantastic - was owned by my grandmother who used it (I think) only when guests were over - she didn't listen to much radio or tv. Searching eBay it seems most radios like this go cheap - in which case I will keep it - the case is beautiful and it still works great.
Any ideas, suggestions? Date? Would you sell or keep?
Thanks, Todd

I like Curtis-Mathis. What tubes are shown on the tube layout chart, if one. Most are cheap, ebay and elsewhere.

:Curtis Mathes Chassis # 18 Model# 3618A
:Walnut case - solid walnut, large speakers above following layout: On/Off, Bass, Treble, wide dial, Loudness, AM/FM/FMAFC, Tuning.
:I am thinking of putting this on eBay - but having trouble finding anything about it online - i.e. when it was made. I have the original manual+schematic and It works and sounds fantastic - was owned by my grandmother who used it (I think) only when guests were over - she didn't listen to much radio or tv. Searching eBay it seems most radios like this go cheap - in which case I will keep it - the case is beautiful and it still works great.
:Any ideas, suggestions? Date? Would you sell or keep?
:Thanks, Todd

Tubes:
6aQ8, 6BZ6, 6AU6, 6AL5, 6EU7, 6BQ5, 6BE6, 6BA6, 6CA4.
I didn't really notice before - not only a full schematic, but full parts list - could almost rebuild the radio except chokes and coils are not given values.
Thanks,
Todd

:I like Curtis-Mathis. What tubes are shown on the tube layout chart, if one. Most are cheap, ebay and elsewhere.
:
::Curtis Mathes Chassis # 18 Model# 3618A
::Walnut case - solid walnut, large speakers above following layout: On/Off, Bass, Treble, wide dial, Loudness, AM/FM/FMAFC, Tuning.
::I am thinking of putting this on eBay - but having trouble finding anything about it online - i.e. when it was made. I have the original manual+schematic and It works and sounds fantastic - was owned by my grandmother who used it (I think) only when guests were over - she didn't listen to much radio or tv. Searching eBay it seems most radios like this go cheap - in which case I will keep it - the case is beautiful and it still works great.
::Any ideas, suggestions? Date? Would you sell or keep?
::Thanks, Todd

Todd I located a SAMS for Chassis 18. It only covers model 2918. Model 2918 looks to be what you described and the tubes match. Model 2918 is from 1960/61. I couldn't locate a callout for model 3618A. One more thing, some of the tubes are expensive. Go Look at the following for a SAMS pic of Model 2918. Looks like yours?

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-12/912127/SAMS533-4CurtisMathes.jpg

:Tubes:
:6aQ8, 6BZ6, 6AU6, 6AL5, 6EU7, 6BQ5, 6BE6, 6BA6, 6CA4.
:I didn't really notice before - not only a full schematic, but full parts list - could almost rebuild the radio except chokes and coils are not given values.
:Thanks,
:Todd
:
::I like Curtis-Mathis. What tubes are shown on the tube layout chart, if one. Most are cheap, ebay and elsewhere.
::
:::Curtis Mathes Chassis # 18 Model# 3618A
:::Walnut case - solid walnut, large speakers above following layout: On/Off, Bass, Treble, wide dial, Loudness, AM/FM/FMAFC, Tuning.
:::I am thinking of putting this on eBay - but having trouble finding anything about it online - i.e. when it was made. I have the original manual+schematic and It works and sounds fantastic - was owned by my grandmother who used it (I think) only when guests were over - she didn't listen to much radio or tv. Searching eBay it seems most radios like this go cheap - in which case I will keep it - the case is beautiful and it still works great.
:::Any ideas, suggestions? Date? Would you sell or keep?
:::Thanks, Todd

Thanks Bill -
Made my day. Virtually identical radio - though it looks much better in walnut than black and white. Guess it really is not that old a radio.

What would you do? I'm sure you know a lot more about these things than me. Keep it and hope it gets more valuable and/or makes a nice radio for some future descendent - or sell it?
Thanks,
Todd

:Todd I located a SAMS for Chassis 18. It only covers model 2918. Model 2918 looks to be what you described and the tubes match. Model 2918 is from 1960/61. I couldn't locate a callout for model 3618A. One more thing, some of the tubes are expensive. Go Look at the following for a SAMS pic of Model 2918. Looks like yours?
:
:http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-12/912127/SAMS533-4CurtisMathes.jpg
:
:
::Tubes:
::6aQ8, 6BZ6, 6AU6, 6AL5, 6EU7, 6BQ5, 6BE6, 6BA6, 6CA4.
::I didn't really notice before - not only a full schematic, but full parts list - could almost rebuild the radio except chokes and coils are not given values.
::Thanks,
::Todd
::
:::I like Curtis-Mathis. What tubes are shown on the tube layout chart, if one. Most are cheap, ebay and elsewhere.
:::
::::Curtis Mathes Chassis # 18 Model# 3618A
::::Walnut case - solid walnut, large speakers above following layout: On/Off, Bass, Treble, wide dial, Loudness, AM/FM/FMAFC, Tuning.
::::I am thinking of putting this on eBay - but having trouble finding anything about it online - i.e. when it was made. I have the original manual+schematic and It works and sounds fantastic - was owned by my grandmother who used it (I think) only when guests were over - she didn't listen to much radio or tv. Searching eBay it seems most radios like this go cheap - in which case I will keep it - the case is beautiful and it still works great.
::::Any ideas, suggestions? Date? Would you sell or keep?
::::Thanks, Todd

That's a call you will have to make. I don't think radios are an investment; you can invest a lot in a radio. I don't plan on leaving anything around for my kids or others. In fact I'm "cashing in" anything of no interest to my family. Now I'm not expecting to cash in anytime but a good source says we all are just a step away from eternity. Your radio would not be of any interest to my family so that should tell you what I would do.

Over the years I've gotten extreme pleasure from radios and still do...and other things too. And I believe the web has made all hobbies much more enjoyable. Just think of all the help one can get with just a few clicks. My take on ebay. It is setting prices for kazillion of items like it or not. You can't go to a flea market or whatever unless someone reminds you of what something is going for on ebay. It has also caused "dealers" to bring their prices into alignment, up and down. If you do decide to sell don't sell it on ebay or any site at the same time with others the same model or very close.

But there's one consideration I would make with this radio. I would not sell it if I didn't expect to get at least what the tubes are worth used, provided they test good.

:Thanks Bill -
:Made my day. Virtually identical radio - though it looks much better in walnut than black and white. Guess it really is not that old a radio.
:
:What would you do? I'm sure you know a lot more about these things than me. Keep it and hope it gets more valuable and/or makes a nice radio for some future descendent - or sell it?
:Thanks,
:Todd
:
::Todd I located a SAMS for Chassis 18. It only covers model 2918. Model 2918 looks to be what you described and the tubes match. Model 2918 is from 1960/61. I couldn't locate a callout for model 3618A. One more thing, some of the tubes are expensive. Go Look at the following for a SAMS pic of Model 2918. Looks like yours?
::
::http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-12/912127/SAMS533-4CurtisMathes.jpg
::
::
:::Tubes:
:::6aQ8, 6BZ6, 6AU6, 6AL5, 6EU7, 6BQ5, 6BE6, 6BA6, 6CA4.
:::I didn't really notice before - not only a full schematic, but full parts list - could almost rebuild the radio except chokes and coils are not given values.
:::Thanks,
:::Todd
:::
::::I like Curtis-Mathis. What tubes are shown on the tube layout chart, if one. Most are cheap, ebay and elsewhere.
::::
:::::Curtis Mathes Chassis # 18 Model# 3618A
:::::Walnut case - solid walnut, large speakers above following layout: On/Off, Bass, Treble, wide dial, Loudness, AM/FM/FMAFC, Tuning.
:::::I am thinking of putting this on eBay - but having trouble finding anything about it online - i.e. when it was made. I have the original manual+schematic and It works and sounds fantastic - was owned by my grandmother who used it (I think) only when guests were over - she didn't listen to much radio or tv. Searching eBay it seems most radios like this go cheap - in which case I will keep it - the case is beautiful and it still works great.
:::::Any ideas, suggestions? Date? Would you sell or keep?
:::::Thanks, Todd

I don't know the model, but late 1950 I owned a 6 feet long complete stereo system including tape to tape recorder player,Radio, record player, 6 speaker system with 12" whoofers, extremely good sound. let me know if this matches what you have.
John

:Tubes:
:6aQ8, 6BZ6, 6AU6, 6AL5, 6EU7, 6BQ5, 6BE6, 6BA6, 6CA4.
:I didn't really notice before - not only a full schematic, but full parts list - could almost rebuild the radio except chokes and coils are not given values.
:Thanks,
:Todd
:
::I like Curtis-Mathis. What tubes are shown on the tube layout chart, if one. Most are cheap, ebay and elsewhere.
::
:::Curtis Mathes Chassis # 18 Model# 3618A
:::Walnut case - solid walnut, large speakers above following layout: On/Off, Bass, Treble, wide dial, Loudness, AM/FM/FMAFC, Tuning.
:::I am thinking of putting this on eBay - but having trouble finding anything about it online - i.e. when it was made. I have the original manual+schematic and It works and sounds fantastic - was owned by my grandmother who used it (I think) only when guests were over - she didn't listen to much radio or tv. Searching eBay it seems most radios like this go cheap - in which case I will keep it - the case is beautiful and it still works great.
:::Any ideas, suggestions? Date? Would you sell or keep?
:::Thanks, Todd