My first table top radio.

[Greg G.]

Got this for $15 at a garage sale.  The only thing I know about radios is not to plug them in unless you know it works.   Although that's probably already been done, I'm resisting the urge.  I have no idea how to check it out first.

Case is in very good shape except for some minor chips in the two upper front corners.

[LarryInMichigan]

Briny,

There is a good chance that the power supply filter capacitor (the big silver thing in the left corner in the picture) will need to be replaced.  If there are any paper capacitors, they should be replaced.  Many people who restore radios like to place a light bulb in series with the radio so that, if the radio draws too much current, the light bulb will light up.  They start with a low wattage bulb and increase the wattage.  The first thing to do though is to visually inspect the cord and chassis to see if anything looks burnt, broken, or otherwise suspicious.  Here is a link with a bit of information about this radio: http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/motorola_56r3_56_r_3_chhs_487_hs48.html.

Larry

[JimH]

Wow!  Nice radio.  It looks an awful lot like the Truetone model I've been searching for.  I wonder if the radio companies shared designs.  Check out this picture, even the knobs look the same.

[LarryInMichigan]

Truetone was a retailer brand name used by Western Auto stores.  The radios were manufactured by another company.  The 1930s Truetone I have was made by Detrola.  It could be that this one was made by Motorola.

Larry