This tombstone radio from General Electric’s 1938 model year is a superb example of Art-deco design. Standing a little less than two feet tall, it will provide a focal point for any room. This eight-tube, three-band (AM Broadcast, Amateur, Shortwave) radio with its original 8-inch speaker has tons of volume and brilliant fidelity. This radio has been completely restored and upgraded with Bluetooth input.
The F-81 model first appeared in in the fall of 1937 GE marketed this large radio as the new profile replacement for the earlier tombstone production radios. It continued to be offered through the spring and summer of 1938. This is a tombstone style radio and is sometimes referred to by collectors as the GE’s "Zephyr" model because of its rounded edges resemble the Burlington Zephyr locomotives. Its commanding appearance is enhanced through its embodiment of an over-sized gold faceplate with louvered panels and red dial pointers. There are three different tone settings, and it has a unique fine-tuning adjustment so you can get the exact setting of an individual radio station. Today this handsome radio is sought after by collectors but seldom found.
We acquired this radio in early 2019. It had been in several families since it was new and had never been restored. After all these years the cabinet and chassis were showing their age and the seller happily parted with it.
Cabinet – The refinish took some time but as you can see it was well worth it! First, we stripped the cabinet and repaired all dents and bruises. We then toned the side piping and footer in ebony and sealed the entire cabinet with a semi-gloss lacquer. We also added a period-correct reproduction grille cloth. This radio has the original control knobs. The result is this handsome looking radio that will last many, many years into the future.
Dial – The large gold louvered faceplate displaying all the station frequencies is quite an impressive sight - especially in a dim or dark room. The dial displays the broadcast scale and numerous “bands” for reference. All letters and number are legible and show virtually no signs of wear. The dial is illuminated by two dial lamps creating a soft yellow glow. The dial glass is clear and free from any chips, breaks or cracks. The surrounding brass escutcheon has been polished and will acquire a soft patina as it ages. This will add to its overall elegant antique look in the future.
Chassis - This is a top-of-the-line high grade eight-tube chassis and it is a fantastic player! Made by General Electric this model was the best offering of their tabletop assortment. However, after 88 years this radio’s chassis was showing signs of rust, so we polished it, added rust inhibitor and paint as needed. We went through the entire underside of the chassis replacing all the capacitors, checking, and replacing resistors and wires where needed. We aligned the radio, and it plays well across the dial and all bands. All tubes were checked and replaced where needed with NOS (new old stock). The dial cords and springs are all original and showed no signs of wear. We lubricated the main tuning gear and pulleys for smooth tuning operation. A new power cord and internal safety fuse was installed for electrical safety.
Speaker – Even though it performed well, we had the 8-inch speaker refitted with a new gasket and cleaned and aligned the high-performance voice coil. We also replaced audio the output transformer (which sits on the speaker frame) with an exact match NOS transformer. The result is clear audio across the entire audio frequency range. This radio produces exceptional bass tones for its size.
Bluetooth - Additionally, this radio has been fitted with our custom Bluetooth / MP3 adapter which allows you to switch between the radio or your smartphone or music device. Access your streaming audio service or the playlist on your smart device to provide classic tunes and bring the warm, bright, analogue sound to any music or recording you choose. The quality of the sound is excellent. You will have the best of “digital” and “analogue” combined.
Year of Manufacture: 1937/1938
Band Frequency Ranges:
AM Broadcast Band..............550 – 1600 kHz
Amateur-Police Band……………….1.5 – 6.0 MHz
Short-Wave Band………….......…….5.5 – 18 MHz
Dimensions: 21-3/4"H x 16-1/4"W x 11-3/4"D
Weight: 32 pounds
See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50Sx-Us2AZI
The F-81 model first appeared in in the fall of 1937 GE marketed this large radio as the new profile replacement for the earlier tombstone production radios. It continued to be offered through the spring and summer of 1938. This is a tombstone style radio and is sometimes referred to by collectors as the GE’s "Zephyr" model because of its rounded edges resemble the Burlington Zephyr locomotives. Its commanding appearance is enhanced through its embodiment of an over-sized gold faceplate with louvered panels and red dial pointers. There are three different tone settings, and it has a unique fine-tuning adjustment so you can get the exact setting of an individual radio station. Today this handsome radio is sought after by collectors but seldom found.
We acquired this radio in early 2019. It had been in several families since it was new and had never been restored. After all these years the cabinet and chassis were showing their age and the seller happily parted with it.
Cabinet – The refinish took some time but as you can see it was well worth it! First, we stripped the cabinet and repaired all dents and bruises. We then toned the side piping and footer in ebony and sealed the entire cabinet with a semi-gloss lacquer. We also added a period-correct reproduction grille cloth. This radio has the original control knobs. The result is this handsome looking radio that will last many, many years into the future.
Dial – The large gold louvered faceplate displaying all the station frequencies is quite an impressive sight - especially in a dim or dark room. The dial displays the broadcast scale and numerous “bands” for reference. All letters and number are legible and show virtually no signs of wear. The dial is illuminated by two dial lamps creating a soft yellow glow. The dial glass is clear and free from any chips, breaks or cracks. The surrounding brass escutcheon has been polished and will acquire a soft patina as it ages. This will add to its overall elegant antique look in the future.
Chassis - This is a top-of-the-line high grade eight-tube chassis and it is a fantastic player! Made by General Electric this model was the best offering of their tabletop assortment. However, after 88 years this radio’s chassis was showing signs of rust, so we polished it, added rust inhibitor and paint as needed. We went through the entire underside of the chassis replacing all the capacitors, checking, and replacing resistors and wires where needed. We aligned the radio, and it plays well across the dial and all bands. All tubes were checked and replaced where needed with NOS (new old stock). The dial cords and springs are all original and showed no signs of wear. We lubricated the main tuning gear and pulleys for smooth tuning operation. A new power cord and internal safety fuse was installed for electrical safety.
Speaker – Even though it performed well, we had the 8-inch speaker refitted with a new gasket and cleaned and aligned the high-performance voice coil. We also replaced audio the output transformer (which sits on the speaker frame) with an exact match NOS transformer. The result is clear audio across the entire audio frequency range. This radio produces exceptional bass tones for its size.
Bluetooth - Additionally, this radio has been fitted with our custom Bluetooth / MP3 adapter which allows you to switch between the radio or your smartphone or music device. Access your streaming audio service or the playlist on your smart device to provide classic tunes and bring the warm, bright, analogue sound to any music or recording you choose. The quality of the sound is excellent. You will have the best of “digital” and “analogue” combined.
Year of Manufacture: 1937/1938
Band Frequency Ranges:
AM Broadcast Band..............550 – 1600 kHz
Amateur-Police Band……………….1.5 – 6.0 MHz
Short-Wave Band………….......…….5.5 – 18 MHz
Dimensions: 21-3/4"H x 16-1/4"W x 11-3/4"D
Weight: 32 pounds
See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50Sx-Us2AZI