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Old 28th Oct 2021, 3:19 pm   #21
paulsherwin
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

Yes, not particularly rare or expensive. They may all be fine in any case.
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Old 29th Oct 2021, 8:57 pm   #22
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

HI i have restored three Pilot little Maestro T66/3 radios they are very simple and easy to work on my ones sound and look very good. There are two versions a AC/ DC one and a AC one O/P valves are 35L6 or 6V6 They use a mains dropper or a 6.3 volt TX both have a live chassis
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Old 29th Oct 2021, 9:06 pm   #23
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

Quote:
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HI i have restored three Pilot little Maestro T66/3 radios they are very simple and easy to work on my ones sound and look very good. There are two versions a AC/ DC one and a AC one O/P valves are 35L6 or 6V6 They use a mains dropper or a 6.3 volt TX both have a live chassis
Yeah i downloaded the schematic and they look pretty straight forward, Not sure what version it is, Think it might be the one that uses a resistive mains cord. Not had a chance to return to the shop to see if its still for sale, If it is its coming home with me,


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Old 29th Oct 2021, 9:30 pm   #24
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

The backs will all ways say do not shorten the mains cord as standard but they do not have a line cord fitted on the UK one £30 is a good price if case is undamaged

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Old 29th Oct 2021, 9:34 pm   #25
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The backs will all ways say do not shorten the mains cord as standard but they do not have a line cord fitted on the UK one
There was no writing on the back panel and it had the remains of what looked like a hard wired mains cord
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Old 29th Oct 2021, 9:42 pm   #26
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

Case is in great nick, So good that I thought at first glance it was a repro.
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Old 29th Oct 2021, 9:53 pm   #27
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

The one you linked to in post 3 is the original 1939 model and was originally fitted with a resistive mains lead (although this may have been cut off or the set modified in some way such as a capacitor mains dropper).
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Old 29th Oct 2021, 9:58 pm   #28
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

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The one you linked to in post 3 is the original 1939 model and was originally fitted with a resistive mains lead (although this may have been cut off or the set modified in some way such as a capacitor mains dropper).
It looks the same as the one i posted a link too. I'm not familiar with these radios, Pretty sure its not been tampered with, The mains cord looks like it rotted away years ago. So chances are its all original.

I'll post pics/info if i manage to get my hands on it..
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Old 30th Oct 2021, 1:55 am   #29
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

Hi,
can I just throw in a warning about "hot-tail" mains dropper cable, not surprisingly it contains asbestos. Please be careful.
Cheers, Rob.
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Old 30th Oct 2021, 11:47 am   #30
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Hi,
can I just throw in a warning about "hot-tail" mains dropper cable, not surprisingly it contains asbestos. Please be careful.
Cheers, Rob.
Thanks for that
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Old 30th Oct 2021, 2:58 pm   #31
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

Also if it's all original the mains dropper will be inside a metal cover lined with ASBESTOS
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Old 30th Oct 2021, 3:15 pm   #32
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

Quote:
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Also if its all original the mains dropper will be inside a metal cover lined with ASBESTOS
I have never seen a dropper inside the cabinet of these Little Maestros as an original fitting.

There is a typical example in this thread.
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=151721

And another one here.
https://www.thevalvepage.com/radios/...o/lilmstro.htm

There was a version (1945 AC model) without a line dropper but that had a mains transformer for the filaments.

Are you sure your not thinking of the Major Maestro that did have a dropper resistor. but no asbestos lined box.

The most common model to have that arrangement was the Bush DAC90.

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Old 31st Oct 2021, 1:50 am   #33
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

Was just reading online about a guy who got one of these radios in for repair, Customer complaint was a deafening buzz, So the guy whipped the back panel off and almost fell out of his chair with laughter when he saw a house hold dimmer switch that somebody had used to lower the heater voltages and which was also the source of the loud buzz
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Old 31st Oct 2021, 8:51 am   #34
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

Back in the 80/90s there was a guy selling a module based on a Triac and a vactrol. I have a Little Maestro with one fitted (not by me).

It does seem to work OK I did start a thread on it which I will link if I can find it.

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Old 3rd Nov 2021, 6:17 pm   #35
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

Shes arrived The condition isn't as good as i thought at first glance., Although the front of the radio is in very good nick as is the dial scale & glass. Sides and the top are ok i suppose given it's age. Few things iv'e noticed so far is the band selector is frozen solid and the back panel has snapped and has been patched up with tape. I'd say it's a long long time since it's been used,

Is it an original 1939 model with a resistive mains lead ?

Never worked on a valve set, So when i get round to it i'll start a dedicated restoration thread as they'll be a ton of questions to ask.
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Old 3rd Nov 2021, 6:19 pm   #36
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Old 3rd Nov 2021, 6:41 pm   #37
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

Looks good to me; that should come up nicely.

Not sure what that is underneath the set. I would suspect that it is an original resistive cord set, and the curled up cable underneath is perhaps the original cord?
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Old 3rd Nov 2021, 6:46 pm   #38
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

The cable curled up underneath is the Aerial cable although never seen one quite as thick as this one its usually relatively thin.

Still might be original I suspect these often got replaced during the life of the set.

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Old 3rd Nov 2021, 6:59 pm   #39
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

Yeah i suspect the aerial wire has been changed as its kind of thick, But who knows. Iv'e snipped the mains lead off incase it was asbestos. The back panel screws were a mix of different kinds, I'd be inclined to believe from what iv'e seen so far that its mostly all original and hasn't been used in recent years.
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Old 3rd Nov 2021, 7:10 pm   #40
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Default Re: Pilot Little Maestro Value?

If the snipped mains cable is a 'line cord' dropper type, then you could do a lot worse than convert the radio to use a capacitive dropper. Nice non-polarised high-voltage capacitors are available surprisingly cheaply [motor start/run capacitors] - I've used some of these, made in Italy by Ducati, fitting the capacitor into an external plastic case along with modern fusing if space in the radio's chassis is restricted.
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