Stromberg-Carlson SP-913-MP console stereo

[electra225]

This was quite the rig in its day. It appears something is missing, perhaps a reel-to-reel tape deck? P-P 6BQ5 amplifier. Rather interesting design, particularly the changer. It looks to be 40 years older than the stereo. I've never seen one like it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/194625090089?h ... R_Cfj5a-YQ

[William]

It reminds me of the Pilot I had. Cabinet made by a furniture company, and then the electronics were added. My Pilot had speaker enclosures just sitting on the bottom too. That changer maybe correct, it really does not look like anything as been cobbled together. My guess would be a R to R too. I kind of like the simple look of the Early American cabinet.

Bill

[Firedome]

That is a factory S-C console with a Garrard RC-88 turntable, predecessor of the Type A Mk I. The ASR-433 amp and SR-445 tuner were S-C components usually sold as such but also installed in their consoles. TYou can see the output trans were good sized ones, these were excellent amps, I had 2 in the past. The speakers were installed that way in order to isolate them from the console chassis to avoid mechanical feedback. I believe this did have a (Ampex?) r to r as well.

I submitted for publication (and was paid for) an article on S-Cs history in 2008 but the magazine folded before it was actually published. Tom Bavis (in Rochester NY) and often at ARF providing some of the info gathered during the research.
I have a few pieces of factory S-C lit from this era, they made some very impressive TOL big monoblocks, Triax speakers, and TTs as well.

I too like this clean EA style and warm maple wood tone very much, and the compact size is handy, though the speakers are mounted so close together that the stereo image would be severely compromised.

[William]

So, Stromberg-Carlson made their own cabinets? Interesting, I would have thought they contracted with some hi-end furniture company. This Early American cabinet reminds me a little of Ethen Allen.

Bill

[electra225]

The cabinet on my S-C 1121 is made by S-C itself, remember?

[William]

I kind of forgot that thanks for the reminder, Greg.

Bill

[electra225]

The Stromberg cabinet is not very big, but it is HEAVY! Built like a brick outhouse. Very high quality build. The lacquer is geting checked, but that is to be expected after over 70 years.....

[Firedome]

I honestly don't know who made S-C's furniture, I suspect it was contracted out. Central and Western NY used to be the 2nd biggest furniture-making area in the US in the first half of the 20th century (after Grand Rapids MI, take a bow Michiganders): Ethan Allen, Crawford, Stickley, Kroehler, Kling and many others were based or made there, much of it was started by Swedish immigrants. So I'd be surprised if they didn't vend their cabinetry out. It does look a lot like Ethan Allen.

Sometime in the '40s or '50s Magnavox bought out Chautauqua Plywood Co.of Jamestown NY (Western NY) I assume to provide materials for their wood cases, beyond than I don't know. We ourselves have 4 pcs of EA maple furniture in our home made by Crawford, also of Jamestown, very well made, as well as high quality Ethan Allen maple furniture.made in NY and VT.

[electra225]

The Stromberg-Carlson cabinet for the 1121 chassis I have has a metal tag on it saying it was built by Stromberg-Carlson.