This stunning 1936 Arvin 627 Rhythm Master console radio is an excellent example of American craftsmanship from a bygone era. This is one of Arvin’s most famous and collectible models. It is a six-tube, three-band radio sporting a very colorful dial. It has a big 10-inch speaker. The cabinet, with its skyscraper look, exemplifies classic Art Deco design. The cabinets’ walnut is beautifully refinished with an impeccable satin lacquer finish and toned lacquer trim. This radio has had a complete electronic restoration and has been retrofitted with a Bluetooth / MP3 input. The radio picks up many stations with an external antenna and the wood cabinet gives everything you want to play a deep, rich sound.
History – The Arvin name (a brand of Noblitt-Sparks Industries) was well known for quality products. The 627 is an AC operated six-tube AM Broadcast and two shortwave band receiver. The beautiful multicolored 6-inch dial has lights that follow the tuning pointer.
Today, this attractive radio is sought after by collectors but seldom found in this condition. We acquired this one in early 2014 from a collector who had partially restored it. The cabinet was in good shape but had the original finish. The chassis was working but needed a full restoration and upgrade.
Cabinet – The cabinet got a complete restoration. We stripped the original finish and toned the top edge, piping pin stripes and footer, and added grain filler. The entire cabinet was sealed with a flat satin lacquer. This made the solid wood trim and book-matched walnut veneer pop. We added period correct grille cloth and replaced the original control knobs with modern reproductions. The result is this handsome looking radio that will last many, many years into the future.
Dial – The dial was in perfect condition. Still, the tuning mechanism was disassembled, cleaned, lubricated, aligned and reassembled. The cabinet dial glass was free and clear of any chips, breaks or cracks. The surrounding brass escutcheon was cleaned only enough to keep the original patina well into the future.
Chassis –We went through the entire underside of the chassis replacing all the capacitors, checking, and replacing resistors and wires where needed. It now plays very well across the dial and all bands. All tubes were checked and replaced where needed with NOS (new old stock) tubes. We cleaned and lubricated the main tuning capacitor gears and two-tear (fine and rough) tuning mechanism for smooth operation. A new power cord was installed for electrical safety. New silicone rubber chassis mounts were added for better vibration isolation. We added an auxiliary input and a switch on the back and aligned the radio for the Bluetooth input. This radio requires an external antenna and ground connection.
Speaker – Even though it performed well, we cleaned the all–original 10-inch speaker cleaned and reinforced. The result is clear audio across the entire audio frequency range. This radio produces exceptional bass tones for its size and the great sound will fill the room. See link to demo on YouTube below.
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: 1936/1937
Band Frequency Ranges:
AM Broadcast Band..............535 – 1700 KHz
Shortwave Band 1……………….1700 – 5500 KHz
Shortwave Band 2………...……….5.5 – 18.5 MHz
See demo video here. If you cannot view, then copy and paste the link to browser: youtu.be/3s9IDm2DumQ
Dimensions: 29”W x 38”H x 13”D
Weight: 40 pounds
History – The Arvin name (a brand of Noblitt-Sparks Industries) was well known for quality products. The 627 is an AC operated six-tube AM Broadcast and two shortwave band receiver. The beautiful multicolored 6-inch dial has lights that follow the tuning pointer.
Today, this attractive radio is sought after by collectors but seldom found in this condition. We acquired this one in early 2014 from a collector who had partially restored it. The cabinet was in good shape but had the original finish. The chassis was working but needed a full restoration and upgrade.
Cabinet – The cabinet got a complete restoration. We stripped the original finish and toned the top edge, piping pin stripes and footer, and added grain filler. The entire cabinet was sealed with a flat satin lacquer. This made the solid wood trim and book-matched walnut veneer pop. We added period correct grille cloth and replaced the original control knobs with modern reproductions. The result is this handsome looking radio that will last many, many years into the future.
Dial – The dial was in perfect condition. Still, the tuning mechanism was disassembled, cleaned, lubricated, aligned and reassembled. The cabinet dial glass was free and clear of any chips, breaks or cracks. The surrounding brass escutcheon was cleaned only enough to keep the original patina well into the future.
Chassis –We went through the entire underside of the chassis replacing all the capacitors, checking, and replacing resistors and wires where needed. It now plays very well across the dial and all bands. All tubes were checked and replaced where needed with NOS (new old stock) tubes. We cleaned and lubricated the main tuning capacitor gears and two-tear (fine and rough) tuning mechanism for smooth operation. A new power cord was installed for electrical safety. New silicone rubber chassis mounts were added for better vibration isolation. We added an auxiliary input and a switch on the back and aligned the radio for the Bluetooth input. This radio requires an external antenna and ground connection.
Speaker – Even though it performed well, we cleaned the all–original 10-inch speaker cleaned and reinforced. The result is clear audio across the entire audio frequency range. This radio produces exceptional bass tones for its size and the great sound will fill the room. See link to demo on YouTube below.
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: 1936/1937
Band Frequency Ranges:
AM Broadcast Band..............535 – 1700 KHz
Shortwave Band 1……………….1700 – 5500 KHz
Shortwave Band 2………...……….5.5 – 18.5 MHz
See demo video here. If you cannot view, then copy and paste the link to browser: youtu.be/3s9IDm2DumQ
Dimensions: 29”W x 38”H x 13”D
Weight: 40 pounds