I have recently purchased a GE E 155 console radio in very nice condition it is missing a knob on the lower level of knobs one of three. I would like to find out more information about my radio. What year it was made in, what its worth and so on. If anyone could be of any guidence on this subject it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Kurt

15 tubes, 5 bands, 1936 model. Should be a nice set.

The market for consoles is essentially limited to local pickup because of the impracticality of shipping. And, most people have limited room in their homes for more than one or two such beasts. So value is difficult to estimate.

Slusser's 6th edition lists value as $375-425 for a complete set. Stein lists it at $500. I suspect that those numbers are optimistic.
Doug

What do you mean by complete set? it is one unit. it does have five channels and that all works well. just missing the knob on AF so i need to find one of those. you think it is 1936? how do you know? thank you for all the help on discerning values for it. that is a big help!! are those values are based on good condition?

:What do you mean by complete set? it is one unit. it does have five channels and that all works well. just missing the knob on AF so i need to find one of those. you think it is 1936? how do you know? thank you for all the help on discerning values for it. that is a big help!! are those values are based on good condition?
:

What is meant by " complete set " is that it's all there. I think you can find a reproduction knob for it. Or even the original one. There is publications showing years made by model number. Value is by condition, and original. However " value " is only what it's worth to someone who wants it. Here is a picture of one looking in very good condition.

http://radioatticarchives.com/radio.htm?radio=7462

Both Slusser's and Stein's books list it as a 1936 model. It may have been manufactured in late 1935. Radio model years were introduced early, much like cars.
Doug

:you think it is 1936? how do you know?
:

Doug,
I just read your page on radio values. I got a kick out of it. I think you are right there is not much value in old radios. I was excited though when i baught this one just because i like old things. it is in nice shape and my grandpa is a retired electrical engineer who tinkers with radios for fun so he will get it playing soon he told me not to just plug it in because it would smoke it because it has been sitting for so long. i paid 8 dollars for it so i think i should come out all right meybe even ahead. who knows it beautiful either way. thanks for all your help. glad i could talk to an expert like your self.
Kurt

Here is some more info for you:

http://www.nostalgiaair.org/PagesByModel/774/M0007774.pdf has the schematic and some other info.

Also, he is right about not just plugging it in. It is best to change the capacitors first and make sure that no transformers or anything else have shorted.

:Doug,
:I just read your page on radio values. I got a kick out of it. I think you are right there is not much value in old radios. I was excited though when i baught this one just because i like old things. it is in nice shape and my grandpa is a retired electrical engineer who tinkers with radios for fun so he will get it playing soon he told me not to just plug it in because it would smoke it because it has been sitting for so long. i paid 8 dollars for it so i think i should come out all right meybe even ahead. who knows it beautiful either way. thanks for all your help. glad i could talk to an expert like your self.
:Kurt
:

:15 tubes, 5 bands, 1936 model. Should be a nice set.
:
:The market for consoles is essentially limited to local pickup because of the impracticality of shipping. And, most people have limited room in their homes for more than one or two such beasts. So value is difficult to estimate.
:
:Slusser's 6th edition lists value as $375-425 for a complete set. Stein lists it at $500. I suspect that those numbers are optimistic.
:Doug
:

::15 tubes, 5 bands, 1936 model. Should be a nice set.
::
::The market for consoles is essentially limited to local pickup because of the impracticality of shipping. And, most people have limited room in their homes for more than one or two such beasts. So value is difficult to estimate.
::
::Slusser's 6th edition lists value as $375-425 for a complete set. Stein lists it at $500. I suspect that those numbers are optimistic.
::Doug
::
:

I have a GE E106 with Colorama tuning. Best console I have for sound, selectivity and sensitivity of stations including SW.

The Colorama dial (to a fully tuned station) can be seen at:
http://radioatticarchives.com/radio.htm?radio=7301

There is also a pix of an E155 on that website. Try Dave Frush for knobs:
www.parts2many@aol.com

If the tuner drifts from station, the "red" lamps glow and the "green" fades away.

Check your radio out (especially the candohm resistor for shorted/open) before powering up. Change filter caps as suggested.

Terry F

Last night i brought the radio over to my grandpas and we hooked it up to power but we put a light socket in line so we could controle the power flow with light bulbs. we started with 40w then 60w then 75 and so on using a two bulb socket so we could reach every step of the way by teaming two 75w to make 150 and so forth. by the time we reached 250w the radio was playing music. it sounded great!! very clear its amazing the speaker sounded so good after so many years. grandpa has tool that can slowly raise the voltage but that was in tennessee so we made do with what we had and thankfully it worked.
Thanks for all the help i will check out all the links!! Grandpa said that actual dial part of the radio that shows the stations used to be clear and that it shouldnt be yellowed is that true? it is kinda cream in color now.

Glad to hear your success. I think it is a great radio as you now know.

Check postings on this forum on how to make the dial clear as they do yellow with age. I used Novus products on mine but had to use all three due to scratches.

Terry F

Thanks Terry,
I will look up the Novus and try it out. I found some really cool ads from 1936 showing my radio. Grandpa must have told me three or more times last night that this is a radio to keep not to sell. it is amazing how good of shape it is in for being so old. the ad said that they sold for 750 new. i guess they dont apprieciate much :-) ohh well still fun to play with. does that guy with the knobs have a web site or just email?

Hey Terry,
I looked up novus on line does that clear the foggyness out of the dial? wont it rub the numbers off? the outer plastic is still nice and clear i was wondering about the actual round tube that has the numbers on it. should that be clear?

Kurt,

Be careful on the inner dial. Don't use Novus for that only the outer cover.

You might try a small section of the inner dial (on the side) with a damp Q tip and see if it cuts the discloration. The actual dial printing is VERY fragile.

Dave Frush only has an e-mail address, no website. Let him know what you need. He will probably want a picture of the knob and perhaps some dimensions of the shaft it fits on.

If your COLORAMA lights are in good shape then bully. If not there are two alternaives for the red/green/red/green etc set up: either get clear new bulbs and paint them with glass paint available at craft stores like Michael's, Ben Franklin, etc. or; go to any pinball parts/accessory website and get the silicone lamp covers. These just slip right on. Less hassle but more expensive.

Good luck.
Terry F

Yeah Kurt,if you bought this radio for 8 bucks,you surely did all right.I picked up a nice GE J-105 this summer for $10 and thought I had done a stroke of business.The J-105 is a 10 tube console made in 1941.Excellent sounding radio,has a 14" speaker as well as a 6" unit,but it is obvious sound quality was all they were after.It is not a real sensitive or selective receiver.Looking over the schematic for your radio,it should be quite a performer,those dual I.F. amps should be a big plus.
As far as value goes,if your working on this with your Grandfather,that alone makes it priceless.I never knew my Grandfathers,they were dead before I was born.Good luck with your radio.