Bush VHF64

[FERNSEH]

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

But these are much more nicely put together than the German sets IMHO.

I'd second that.

DFWB.

[yestertech]

Me too !
I have a '94 here patiently awaiting a refurb. ( some chance ! )
I prefer the '94 as it has the lighter coloured cabinet with the cream trim.
This one is near mint condition and should polish up a treat.
It's even got both the knob brights ))

Mark - any chance of your set's serial numbers and then I can add to my list of known survivors
The production run of both the '64 and '94 seems to have been quite low, from the numbers I already have.


Andy

[Nickthedentist]

I've got a couple more stashed away, Andy (you know how it is!). A rough one (220/01762) and another smart one whose serial number I don't have to hand at present, but which I can retrieve shortly.

How many do you think were produced?

Nick.

[Pilot Mariner]

Andy - My serial numbers are:-

220/00811
220/01344
220/02125

220/01344 is unusual as it has 4 small feet instead of the usual wood strips at the base.

Mark

[yestertech]

Thanks Both !
Ive plugged these numbers into my spreadsheet which now reveals there are at least 24 known survivors : ( by all means add to this if you can folks )
220 00036
220 00400
220 00508
220 00559
220 00693
220 00811
220 00929
220 01243
220 01344
220 01593
220 01697
220 01762
220 01945
220 02125
220 02646
220 03213
220 03914
220 04192
220 04200
220 04243
220 04361
220 04464
220 05711
220 05947

From lowest to highest yields minimum production run of 5912.
I'm guessing possibly no more than 6000 as I've yet to come across a leading '6' and the lowest at 00036 suggests they started at 00001 ( as BUSH did with DAC90A )

Using my usual 'survival' stats of 1 in every 100 sets , we get a fairly healthy 40.6%

Production numbers on the VHF 94 are even lower, as I've yet to come across a serial higher than 019XX !
Hence relatively more of these have survived

Andy

[Pilot Mariner]

Andy - For your records and to account for another one, I have a scrap VHF64 chassis in the garage.
This has S/N 220/01917.
Maybe you need to start a list of known non-survivors?

Mark

[Boater Sam]

I have 1 surviving VHF64, I'll post the serial # when I get back home.
They are fine sets but the tone controls are a little crude in their use, they are bass and top cut controls and could be better.
The FM boxes all seem to have the heater leads for the ECC85 reversed from the service sheet, seems to make no difference when they are "corrected"
22 Hunts to change, keeps us busy!

[yestertech]

Originally Posted by Boater Sam

22 Hunts to change, keeps us busy!

You're not kidding - and now I can no longer see the darned things unaided a right royal pain in the proverbial.
Nothing quite beats that first power up and the trip up and down the dial once the refurb is done though !
I have useless FM signal strength indoors here, but before my external aerial blew down, it was amazing the difference it made attaching it to one of these. Fully closed ( and bright !) magic eye on all stations and no hiss.
The down side was once the set was moved into the large surroundings of the lounge, I could then hear the 50 Hz hum !

[IanG3XYV]

The serial number on my very nice VHF64, basically working but awaiting a full check is 381/00616

I'm not sure what that means in relation to the 220 series mentioned.

Ian

[FERNSEH]

Originally Posted by Boater Sam

They are fine sets but the tone controls are a little crude in their use, they are bass and top cut controls and could be better.

This set needs a proper Baxandall tone control system.

DFWB.

[petertheorgan]

I have mine which belonged to an old friend of mine which he brought new
220 / 00377
another one I was given and I have restored and its at the wireless museum
220 / 00458
and the third one I restored for a friends girlfriend
220 / 02622

Mine is sitting between my hacker mayflower and my Ekco A274 and all 3 sound superb.

[music-centre]

Originally Posted by IanG3XYV

The serial number on my very nice VHF64, basically working but awaiting a full check is 381/00616
I'm not sure what that means in relation to the 220 series mentioned.

I think the VHF94 chassis may begin with 381/ I have got one here with serial number 381/00233
Steve.

[Nickthedentist]

OK Andy, my three are:

220/1697,
220/1762,
220/2262.

I also know of another in captivity, which belongs to an elderly retired schoolmaster who was given it as a young man by his parents when it was brand new. He ran it into a Mordaunt Arundel speaker with Kelly ribbon tweeter. It sits in the corner of his study, unused but still admired. I will try to get his S/N when I next see him.

I have to say that for a supposedly rare set, a lot turn up on eBay and sell for well under £50 which is surprising really. OTOH they are BIG and hence difficult to smuggle in past the wife etc.!

Nick.

[Leon Crampin]

It would be really interesting to know when Bush fitted the later output transformer with the hum cancelling winding. The trouble is, it's not easy to tell without taking the back off - although you could just listen for the background hum on gram.

Leon.

[Nickthedentist]

Good point.

Andy, could you accept the extra info for your database? If so, my ...2262 has the new-style OP transformer, not sure about the others.

N.

[IanG3XYV]

Re my post #30, I strongly suspect my "VHF64" is actually a bit of a mongrel with a VHF94 chassis (and serial number) and VHF64 externals. I read in the archives that the 64 and 94 chassis are identical with some cosmetic differences in the colour scheme. I'm perfectly happy with this and looking forward to changing the dubious capacitors and aligning it properly. I have a good set of test equipment to aid.

Ian

[stevehertz]

Well you say that, but others have noted how several significant circuit design modifications were introduced during the manufacturing lifetime of (certainly) the 64 to address issues and problems, and maybe the 94 too, or at least the latter will include all of the 64 mods. So they can't be identical. I'm not trying to split hairs, really, but there will be clear differences in circuitry.

[Kevin Hoyland]

Hello Andy.

I have 2 Bush VHF64. S/N Are.
220/01663
220/01632

Regards Kev.

[stevehertz]

Andy are you wanting 94 serial numbers too?

[yestertech]

Thanks everyone for all your input
I'm more than happy to add extra details to my database to reflect things Like the smoothing
Modifications on the VHF 64
I've often wondered how bush allocated the serial prefix labels to these two chassis types as they were made , as they were effectively identical until the knobs were put on ready for the associated cabinet.
It's not impossible that the odd '381' chassis could have made its way into a '64 cabinet and vice versa during manufacture.
There's one out there somewhere on which I did this swap about 10 years ago for a collector friend who had about a dozen of them over time.this was not recorded, alas.
I'll gladly take the VHF 94 serial numbers if offered ( or any other makes/ models ) thanks

Andy