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Dutch Rabbit
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Post subject: The Fisher Model C800 Project Posted: Jul Wed 27, 2016 4:11 am |
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Joined: May Sun 13, 2012 8:12 pm Posts: 14848 Location: Central PA 16801
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hello all,
a "The Fisher" Model R-20 came home this weekend. i picked it up from a good friend of mine.
i could not pass it up b/c of the sound. it is absolutely fantastic.
although it has those little bastard Automatic Brand SMD prone IF transformers in it, i am going to restore the amp section and use the TV and AUX inputs, so that is not a problem if it develops SMD.
i want that thing for the amp and that wonderful speaker system.i can't believe how "vintage tube hifi" it sounds.
anyway, before i dive in, i would like the riders, sams, bettemans, or fisher schematic and all the typical info if anyone has it.
i can't do the djvu files from that one pita website.
also, is there any "heads-up" on this unit other than the usual ?
attached is the front of the tuner/amp that i found on the internet. this chassis is like mine but the pic is not of mine. i can't take pics now b/c it is still in the wife's jeep and i'm catching hell about getting it out of the hatch.
i'll post some pics tomorrow after i get the boot out of my hind-end and remove mr. fisher from the jeep.
thanks.
steve
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_________________ You have enemies ? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. -Churchill
Last edited by Dutch Rabbit on Mar Thu 22, 2018 3:46 am, edited 4 times in total.
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johnS.
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model R-20 Came Home, Schematic Needed Posted: Jul Wed 27, 2016 1:34 pm |
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Joined: Apr Tue 25, 2006 5:51 am Posts: 4443 Location: South Central, PA
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johnS.
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model R-20 Came Home, Schematic Needed Posted: Jul Wed 27, 2016 2:44 pm |
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Joined: Apr Tue 25, 2006 5:51 am Posts: 4443 Location: South Central, PA
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Dutch Rabbit
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model R-20 Came Home, Schematic Needed Posted: Jul Wed 27, 2016 3:55 pm |
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Joined: May Sun 13, 2012 8:12 pm Posts: 14848 Location: Central PA 16801
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thanks guys. that is exactly it.
appreciated...
steve
_________________ You have enemies ? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. -Churchill
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johnS.
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model R-20 Came Home, Schematic Needed Posted: Jul Wed 27, 2016 4:06 pm |
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Joined: Apr Tue 25, 2006 5:51 am Posts: 4443 Location: South Central, PA
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You're welcome Steve. Good luck! Hope to see pictures of it when you get the chance. Hope you don't need one of these for your rear end... http://www.carelinemedical.com/products ... hgodVCgCMA 
_________________ -John S. RIP:Curt Reed, Alan Douglas, "oldradiospook", & "Bigbandsman"
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Dutch Rabbit
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model R-20 Came Home, Schematic Needed Posted: Jul Wed 27, 2016 4:27 pm |
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Joined: May Sun 13, 2012 8:12 pm Posts: 14848 Location: Central PA 16801
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no, all is well here with the hind end, but thanks for the consideration.
i have been hauling stuff out of the shop like there is no tomorrow. although i have downsized my radio collection to about 35 or so which are neatly displayed in my radio room, i needed to dejunk the shop.
it's more neat than it was before and that's good. now i have a couple big spaces to decide for this fisher.
the fisher cabinet is just over the edge of being what i consider not being living room condition, meaning that i would NOT put it in my living room. it has more marks on it than acceptable, but it certainly is not terrible.
steve
_________________ You have enemies ? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. -Churchill
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Dutch Rabbit
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model C800 (Chassis R-20) Came Home Posted: Jul Wed 27, 2016 6:15 pm |
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Joined: May Sun 13, 2012 8:12 pm Posts: 14848 Location: Central PA 16801
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here it is. the outside sunny pics make the wood look to be in better condition than of which it is... steve
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SAM_6696.JPG [ 53.92 KiB | Viewed 7682 times ]
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SAM_6697.JPG [ 50.99 KiB | Viewed 7682 times ]
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SAM_6698.JPG [ 49.09 KiB | Viewed 7682 times ]
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_________________ You have enemies ? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. -Churchill
Last edited by Dutch Rabbit on Jul Wed 27, 2016 6:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Dutch Rabbit
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model C800 (Chassis R-20) Came Home Posted: Jul Wed 27, 2016 6:18 pm |
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Joined: May Sun 13, 2012 8:12 pm Posts: 14848 Location: Central PA 16801
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thanks for the docs above. when i was searching the net, all i was keying in was Fisher R 20 and came up very short.  i did not know it had a full model number of C800. when i key in Fisher C800, i get all kinds of hits, including the sites listed a few post above. thanks. steve
_________________ You have enemies ? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. -Churchill
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johnS.
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model C800 (Chassis R-20) Came Home Posted: Jul Wed 27, 2016 7:15 pm |
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Joined: Apr Tue 25, 2006 5:51 am Posts: 4443 Location: South Central, PA
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It's nice to see the original turntable is still in it. Would be great for playing old 78's. Nice big 15 inch woofer in there, like what's in the Realistic Mach One and Two.
_________________ -John S. RIP:Curt Reed, Alan Douglas, "oldradiospook", & "Bigbandsman"
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Dutch Rabbit
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model C800 (Chassis R-20) Came Home Posted: Jul Wed 27, 2016 8:14 pm |
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Joined: May Sun 13, 2012 8:12 pm Posts: 14848 Location: Central PA 16801
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the speaker reminds me of the big jensen that is in those huge motorola hifi's of the era.
in fact, the baskets of the speakers look very jensen, which i would bet that they are.
steve
_________________ You have enemies ? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. -Churchill
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Dutch Rabbit
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model C800 (Chassis R-20) Came Home Posted: Jul Thu 28, 2016 6:01 am |
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Joined: May Sun 13, 2012 8:12 pm Posts: 14848 Location: Central PA 16801
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unfortunately and as I expected, it is loaded up with SMD.
I am going to kindly disconnect the AM and FM wires from the input rotary switch and install some RCA jacks on the back of the chassis. i will use those inputs on the selector for a tuner, computer, and perhaps a cd player.
I'm not going to bastardize it. all will be left there for reconnect if I ever decide to do the SMD in the IFT's.
I will restore the amplifier section.
now, the big question: where can I find the little "shielded audio wire" that is used in quality hifi amplifiers when connecting all the inputs to the big switch, vol control, and such under the hood ?
this has about 4 of these little shielded wires coming from the FM, AM, phono preamp sections to the switch.
I will take pics of the wire and post another thread tomorrow, perhaps.
steve
_________________ You have enemies ? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. -Churchill
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ggregg
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model C800 (Chassis R-20) Came Home Posted: Jul Thu 28, 2016 1:48 pm |
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Joined: Aug Sun 01, 2010 1:12 am Posts: 8434 Location: Minnesota
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Steve, I think once your are done, you will be surprised how nice that unit sounds. One of the finest 50's hifi's made. Excellent pickup. Now get to work! 
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azenithnut
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model R-20 Came Home, Schematic Needed Posted: Jul Thu 28, 2016 2:07 pm |
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Joined: Jan Mon 18, 2010 2:13 am Posts: 21661 Location: Dayton Ohio
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Dutch Rabbit wrote: it has those little bastard Automatic Brand SMD prone IF transformers in it Hmm, I've done a few of those LBABSMDPIFs Send those lil bastards my way and i'll fix em fer ya. Nice Fisher indeed!  -Steve
_________________ Radio Interests -Zenith -Sparton -Pre-War FM Consoles and floor models, the bigger, the better!
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Dutch Rabbit
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model C800 (Chassis R-20) Came Home Posted: Jul Thu 28, 2016 4:04 pm |
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Joined: May Sun 13, 2012 8:12 pm Posts: 14848 Location: Central PA 16801
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thanks guys.
it does sound fantastic.
steve
_________________ You have enemies ? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. -Churchill
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Dutch Rabbit
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model C800 (Chassis R-20) Came Home Posted: Jul Thu 28, 2016 5:03 pm |
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Joined: May Sun 13, 2012 8:12 pm Posts: 14848 Location: Central PA 16801
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i wish that it had 6L6 tubes instead of the 6BQ5's.
in all the magnavox, zenith, and some RCA hifi's of the era, nearly every 6BQ5 is weak and they always look so charred and cooked.
i can't believe the internal discoloratoon along with the burnt, and deep fried look that the 6BQ5 tube usually has.
steve
_________________ You have enemies ? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. -Churchill
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BikenSwim
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model C800 (Chassis R-20) Came Home Posted: Jul Thu 28, 2016 5:23 pm |
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Joined: Oct Wed 14, 2009 6:36 am Posts: 6061 Location: New York USA
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Dutch Rabbit wrote: i wish that it had 6L6 tubes instead of the 6BQ5's.
in all the magnavox, zenith, and some RCA hifi's of the era, nearly every 6BQ5 is weak and they always look so charred and cooked.
i can't believe the internal discoloratoon along with the burnt, and deep fried look that the 6BQ5 tube usually has.
steve Steve, The noted Eric Barbour has a method to rewire a 6BQ5 set to use SV83 tubes (Russian 6n15n (6p15pi). http://www.boiaudioworks.com/TubeData/S ... in_29.html
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Dutch Rabbit
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model C800 (Chassis R-20) Came Home Posted: Jul Thu 28, 2016 6:15 pm |
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Joined: May Sun 13, 2012 8:12 pm Posts: 14848 Location: Central PA 16801
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thanks.
I have plenty of 6BQ5 tubes but instead of matching them and all that, I am considering the new production tung-sols that are a bit bigger and are well recommended for fisher hifi stuff.
I read that on the internet so, ho hummm.
however, they are around $13 a piece and the other brands are cheaper, all the way down to 8 bucks a piece.
before I go to the classifieds, does anyone know where I can get some of this thin shielded wire ?
I did not search yet on mouser or digikey. I guess what I'm asking is for someone who will say: "I needed this wire, I bought it here, and it was exactly what you want."
what would I call it ? small shielded audio wire ?
it is maybe 1/8 inch thick.
thanks.
steve
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SAM_6702.JPG [ 125.69 KiB | Viewed 7561 times ]
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_________________ You have enemies ? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. -Churchill
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rocketeer
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model C800 (Chassis R-20) Came Home Posted: Jul Thu 28, 2016 8:29 pm |
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Joined: Mar Tue 30, 2010 2:24 am Posts: 8924 Location: Lehighton, PA.
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The C800 is the Contemporary. I have the C810 Contemporary II (R30S) that I restored 2 or 3 years ago. If you want to save the components, especially the output tubes, I would suggest a bucking transformer. I built one in an old wood cigar box and hung it on the back of the cabinet, out of sight. The reduction in heat coming off the chassis is significant with zero impact on performance. If you intend to use a modern turntable you will need a pre-amp. I use an ART DJPre II. It works great. If you need replacements for the festoon bulbs there's a vendor on Ebay who will make them to fit.  Larry
_________________ kb3wbb
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Dutch Rabbit
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model C800 (Chassis R-20) Came Home Posted: Jul Thu 28, 2016 9:25 pm |
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Joined: May Sun 13, 2012 8:12 pm Posts: 14848 Location: Central PA 16801
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hi larry, your fisher is a bit different than mine. is it a stereo unit ? i have to take some pics of those POOR little 6bq5 tubes. believe it or not, they have "just into the green zone' emissions, but are very slow to get there. is that an indication that they are a bit tired ? there is no getter left b/c it is black. i'll post back with some pics later.  anyone have any help on the wire, what to call it, and where i can get some little shielded stuff like this ? steve
_________________ You have enemies ? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. -Churchill
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BikenSwim
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Post subject: Re: The Fisher Model C800 (Chassis R-20) Came Home Posted: Jul Thu 28, 2016 9:54 pm |
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Joined: Oct Wed 14, 2009 6:36 am Posts: 6061 Location: New York USA
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The schematic shows a mono magnetic phono preamp, with a selector on the rear to set the loading (input impedance). You don't have to add a preamp. Modern cartridges use 47,000 per channel, but just turn the rear selector and choose whatever sounds best. If the front has a choice, RIAA is modern records, the other choices were for pre-1955 records.
Last edited by BikenSwim on Jul Fri 29, 2016 5:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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