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Philco Model 60B Baby Grand Cathedral Radio (First) (1933)
Introduced in the summer of 1933, the cabinet
style of this Philco model 60 Baby Grand (60B)
was the first of several incarnations in a line
that would extend right through to the 1937
model season. It proved a very popular series
for the company. Overall, something in excess
of 323,000 model 60 Baby Grands were manu-
factured over the course of the first three sea-
sons alone. As a result, most of the basic styles
are relatively easy to find today. See my Model
60 Lineage page to learn how this model evolv-
ed through the 1937 model year, following which
it was discontinued.
The first-style 60B shown here had an intro-
ductory price East of the Rockies of $27.50. By
Christmas this had been increased to $29.50.
The 60B is a 5-tube ac-powered super-het
covering the standard broadcast band from
530 to 1500kc and short-wave from 1500 to
4000kc. The tube line-up is 6A7 (mixer/LO), 78
(IF), 75 (2nd detector/AVC/1st AF), 42 (AF
output) and 80 (rectifier).
I found this years ago in an antiques store for
$60. I thought the price was too good to pass
on, even though someone had sprayed it, inc-
luding the grille cloth (but thankfully not the esc-
utcheon), with an ugly brown paint. In the store,
I noticed that the radio had a curious rattle and
upon arriving home and removing the chassis, I
saw more acorns beneath it than I would ever
care to see in one location ever again! As a
result, I didn't feel like bothering with the chas-
sis so I substituted a clean model 60 code 121
chassis that I had found previously at a flea
market. I stripped and re-finished the cabinet
using the correct shades of lacquer and replac-
ed the grille cloth with a reproduction of the
original cloth.
Pricing shown in ads (right) is consistent across
Eastern regions during the respective timefram-
es. The ad below is from out west and shows a
slightly higher price. Note that the 60B illustrat-
ions in these ads erroneously depict a small
center knob (where visible); production models
used a rosette as seen in my photo, top right.
style of this Philco model 60 Baby Grand (60B)
was the first of several incarnations in a line
that would extend right through to the 1937
model season. It proved a very popular series
for the company. Overall, something in excess
of 323,000 model 60 Baby Grands were manu-
factured over the course of the first three sea-
sons alone. As a result, most of the basic styles
are relatively easy to find today. See my Model
60 Lineage page to learn how this model evolv-
ed through the 1937 model year, following which
it was discontinued.
The first-style 60B shown here had an intro-
ductory price East of the Rockies of $27.50. By
Christmas this had been increased to $29.50.
The 60B is a 5-tube ac-powered super-het
covering the standard broadcast band from
530 to 1500kc and short-wave from 1500 to
4000kc. The tube line-up is 6A7 (mixer/LO), 78
(IF), 75 (2nd detector/AVC/1st AF), 42 (AF
output) and 80 (rectifier).
I found this years ago in an antiques store for
$60. I thought the price was too good to pass
on, even though someone had sprayed it, inc-
luding the grille cloth (but thankfully not the esc-
utcheon), with an ugly brown paint. In the store,
I noticed that the radio had a curious rattle and
upon arriving home and removing the chassis, I
saw more acorns beneath it than I would ever
care to see in one location ever again! As a
result, I didn't feel like bothering with the chas-
sis so I substituted a clean model 60 code 121
chassis that I had found previously at a flea
market. I stripped and re-finished the cabinet
using the correct shades of lacquer and replac-
ed the grille cloth with a reproduction of the
original cloth.
Pricing shown in ads (right) is consistent across
Eastern regions during the respective timefram-
es. The ad below is from out west and shows a
slightly higher price. Note that the 60B illustrat-
ions in these ads erroneously depict a small
center knob (where visible); production models
used a rosette as seen in my photo, top right.
See my Model 60 Lineage page to see how this model evolved.
Only with PHILCO RADIO can you realize the joy of living.
Oct 1933, Ohio
Dec 18th 1933,
Somerset, PA
Somerset, PA
Dec 12th 1933, Waterloo, Iowa
Copyright TubeRadioLand.com
Dec 12th 1933, Missouri
Nov 7th 1933, Salt Lake