At last! An MB60 has joined the fleet. :-) - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

GJR 11L · 25th Mar 2006, 11:32 am

Title says it all really, this MB60 is the later one with separate fittings for ht and lt batteries. Handy that, as I had a suitable box of pp3s sitting there and a pair of my "Richer Sounds" Philips alkaline 'D' cells to hand.
Well, it goes! Rather well too, I would have to say. That extra i/f stage shows its presence in a back-to-back battle between Roberts R66 and the latest Bush.

I have a plan for making up a replica mains lead and will discuss that in another section when completed, but basically the plan involves some "Magic Polymorph", a wonderful thing that can be formed into pretty much any shape to recreate plastic fittings of various kinds.

Gosh, this thing's good! Even my lovely TR82 with its fresh caps and new oc44/45s is only as sensitive and no more so.

The central trim on the dial cover is a chrome one rather than brass, but that itself is a replacement and came off easily, allowing me to fit the correct part.

I have to change one handle end fitting, the seller included a spare so that's easily done, I will check the mains side of things and maybe replace a few Hunts, possibly I'll just fit a fig-8 socket on the chassis with a spacer beneath it and a slot cut (in the fig-8 socket, not the set - I wouldn't!) to accommodate the original battery isolating switch.

Easier than playing with putty and should be totally reversible in the future when the tooth fairy leaves an MB60 mains lead under the pillow some night.

This set should be done within a month or two, will post to "Success Stories" as and when, but there's probably little to do as the thing doesn't even have any cracks or scratches and the rexine's undamaged.

The set came, of course, from an internet auction site and concludes my search for an MB60. The cost? £44+£10p&p. Are mains leads for these really worth so much as to justify the ridiculous prices fetched by examples with leads? Probably, but only if you're a concours fiend or a set dresser for the makers of "Heartbeat". (No offence intended anyone)

Edit: (SWMBO has entered the room, read my words and reminded me that I did have an early MB60 a while ago, but that one succumbed to my temptation to clean it up and flog it on. Not a great decision as I only broke even! This one's staying though)

25th Mar 2006, 11:32 am	#1
GJR 11L Heptode Join Date: May 2004 Location: Ellington, Northumberland, UK. Posts: 815	At last! An MB60 has joined the fleet. :-) Title says it all really, this MB60 is the later one with separate fittings for ht and lt batteries. Handy that, as I had a suitable box of pp3s sitting there and a pair of my "Richer Sounds" Philips alkaline 'D' cells to hand. Well, it goes! Rather well too, I would have to say. That extra i/f stage shows its presence in a back-to-back battle between Roberts R66 and the latest Bush. I have a plan for making up a replica mains lead and will discuss that in another section when completed, but basically the plan involves some "Magic Polymorph", a wonderful thing that can be formed into pretty much any shape to recreate plastic fittings of various kinds. Gosh, this thing's good! Even my lovely TR82 with its fresh caps and new oc44/45s is only as sensitive and no more so. The central trim on the dial cover is a chrome one rather than brass, but that itself is a replacement and came off easily, allowing me to fit the correct part. I have to change one handle end fitting, the seller included a spare so that's easily done, I will check the mains side of things and maybe replace a few Hunts, possibly I'll just fit a fig-8 socket on the chassis with a spacer beneath it and a slot cut (in the fig-8 socket, not the set - I wouldn't!) to accommodate the original battery isolating switch. Easier than playing with putty and should be totally reversible in the future when the tooth fairy leaves an MB60 mains lead under the pillow some night. This set should be done within a month or two, will post to "Success Stories" as and when, but there's probably little to do as the thing doesn't even have any cracks or scratches and the rexine's undamaged. The set came, of course, from an internet auction site and concludes my search for an MB60. The cost? £44+£10p&p. Are mains leads for these really worth so much as to justify the ridiculous prices fetched by examples with leads? Probably, but only if you're a concours fiend or a set dresser for the makers of "Heartbeat". (No offence intended anyone) Edit: (SWMBO has entered the room, read my words and reminded me that I did have an early MB60 a while ago, but that one succumbed to my temptation to clean it up and flog it on. Not a great decision as I only broke even! This one's staying though) __________________ John. Last edited by GJR 11L; 25th Mar 2006 at 11:38 am. Reason: Woman-induced bout of total recall!