Finally got and restored a Murphy A30c
 

After restoring the table model and really pleased with how that set performs and looks I had my heart set on the Console version.
These don't seem to be rare but a lot of the ones that do turn up are often rough with ripped speaker fabric and knocked about cabinets.
Some might remember I put a wanted ad on this forum but with not success. (perhaps members don't want to part with their A30C's) I decided Ebay was probabily the best place and after a year or so a good one turned up, I was pleased to win it and the added benefit it wasn't too far away to collect it.
I had a nice chat with the man selling it, it was part of his late fathers collection and along with many other sets it had spent the last 30 years in a garage.
He proudly told me he had plugged it in and it actually worked!...Not a good idea as the mains lead was lethal.
The cabinet was good but the varnish let the look of the set down, it had gone light in colour and was obscuring the attractive Indian Laurel veneer.
So I stripped it all off and built up layers of new varnish, I used my "wet and dry between coats" method and achieved an very flat finish.
A really good asset to the radio is the remarkable condition of the original speaker fabric, it almost looks as new.
After replacing the mains lead and all the usual wax capacitors, I decided it power it up, it worked really well, even the smoothing capacitors in the Murphy block didn't need changing.
The speaker required a bit of adjustment as it was buzzing with anything that had a bit of bass.
The set has a really nice deep sound and I've been using it quite a bit over the past few weeks.
Only one problem with the set....ever tried to move one....it weighs a ton!

Re: Finally got and restored a Murphy A30c
 

That speaker assembly looks more like a sizeable motor! I presume it is a mains energised type?

Re: Finally got and restored a Murphy A30c
 

What a splendid restoration Clive well done ,and well done for waiting so long to get one , I restored a similar one with the mirror dial on the top I cannot remember the model number,I wish I had kept it ,still needs must . Mick.

Re: Finally got and restored a Murphy A30c
 

A very nice job, and the 'speaker cloth is almost a miracle. Murphy's cloth that year isn't the most durable, I've seen any number of otherwise very well preserved sets where it's long gone or beyond redemption.

You'll not think the A30C so bad when you secure an A30RG to complete the trio.

Re: Finally got and restored a Murphy A30c
 

I've got one of those Clive but I doubt it will ever look as good as yours:D
Another really excellent Murphy revival. As you say, surprisingly heavy, especially the speaker-much like the deceptively small sized Pye Fenman 2 Radiogram [the speaker again] or a stone fish statue I once thought would just slide easily along the floor. It didn't give way... but my back did!

Dave

Re: Finally got and restored a Murphy A30c
 

Very nice too.For the record unless this is the set,I never heard back from that A30C that was free for collection.

Re: Finally got and restored a Murphy A30c
 

I have the radiogram version, it sits in the corner awaiting attention to the turntable...but that's another story!
Something that's a little odd. The cheaper table version has pick-up sockets on the back but the console doesn't. I would have thought it would be the other way about.

Re: Finally got and restored a Murphy A30c
 

Good point Clive. The turntable could have gone on top perhaps? I notice that the console version is £13 but the RG is £24 + [Diagram Dungeon]. Perhaps they thought that the customer base wanting a superior free standing console radio was different to the record playing one???. Or maybe leaving out the sockets might persuade anyone able to raise £13 to go for a Radiogram:shrug:

Dave

Re: Finally got and restored a Murphy A30c
 

Very interesting, and I'd never noticed despite owning the table and console versions in the past. I suppose the case may have been made that the provision of sockets on the table model opened the possibility of playing records to anyone on a tighter budget or short of space, whereas the radiogram is quite as compact as any likely combination of A30C and record deck, and was probably more or less as affordable too.

Paul

Re: Finally got and restored a Murphy A30c
 

Very nice Clive, that cloth is in super condition. I thought my slightly younger A70 was heavy but looking at that...

Andrew

Re: Finally got and restored a Murphy A30c
 

Excellent job young man. You have obviously worked very hard on this. Well done.

Re: Finally got and restored a Murphy A30c
 

That cabinet has a rich woodgrain finish to it.