1961 Magnavox French Provincial Imperial

I shouldn't say its my pride and joy yet, but its very, very, close to it. The neighbor
friend I've been mentioning informed my parents that she was selling her house and
moving into an apartment. She has finally agreed to sell me her Magnavox!! I am
thrilled!! I waited for years for her to sell me that set, and she also promised me all
of her records. I am so anxious to get on it, that the RCA Victor I purchased today is
going to have to wait to be restored.

I will do a seperate post on the RCA Victor, because I just picked it up today and I'm
not sure on the model number yet. This Magnavox Stereo is going to be my "Top"
priority. I am going to leave it "as is" for a while because my neighbor took care of
it and I've recently heard it perform, and it does not "hum" at all. However, One day
I would like to get it professionaly restored.

This could be a very big job for someone. I'm also looking to have it proessionaly
restained. I'm not particularly fond of the ivory finish, and would very much like it
in a Cherry or Mahogany finish. But, that is down the road. I really can't wait to get
this stereo in my house and really enjoy it. Even though I'm not fond of the finish, it's
still okay, I can live with it for a while lol.

This stereo is going to be with me my whole life. I will "Never" sell it, not matter how
much money someone offers me for it. I won't even give it to one of my children or
Grand Children if they wanted. It is very, very delicate and I will not anybody else use
it or abuse it. I loved all of my other Stereo's, but this one will always have that
"special touch" with me. I know right now, that there are many people on the internet
after that set, and also the "Magnavox Concert Grand"

I'd imagine this set has a lot of tubes in it. I know it must have at least one HUGE Tube
Amp in it. I'm not sure if it has two. I guess I'll know when I take the back off. It's going
to be a job getting it unhooked from that spot she has it in her living room. She has
External Speakers hooked up to it. The ext speakers are in her kitchen. She and her
late husband had them built in when they built there house.

She told me that this stereo costed $800.00 back in 1960 and I can believe it. She said
that it was purchased from one of the best furniture stores in the area. She said they
had many console's in the store, but this one was the only one of it's kind on the floor.
She said she and her husband heard many of the other consoles play, but that he liked
this one the best. She said he had to have it lol. She said when they lived in the
apartment they couldn't play it loud, but once they moved in their house they would have
it blasting.

So here is the console I am talking about it. Don't nobody ask me if I'm interested in
selling it already, cuz the answer will be no lol. I've waited a good 15 years for this
machine and will take it with me wherever I shall go. If anyone can give me some
information on this set, and can tell me things about it I may not already know. I would
appreciate it. Here's the set.

1961 Magnavox "Imperial" French Provincial Stereo Console

Nice console, they were top models for sure.
But don't wait until you hear a "hum" before having it serviced, by then it might be too late to save the original transformers from damage due to "cooking".
Likely it's aged coupling caps are leaking deadly voltages to the power tube grids - a silent time bomb before the real trouble starts.
It is, after all, over 50 years old.
In the tuner there are also critical caps that can fry the interstage transformers... they also need attention.

I finally got it, and I am thirlled. I couldn't be happier with it. The sound is amazing.
I will get it refurbished cuz I don't wanna ruin this beautiful set. If someone is interested
in making money refurbishing this for me. Please let me know. Send me a private message on here.

Rose gave me all of the original instructions and paperwork. I don't know how much help this will be to me now, but I have everything that came with it. I can disassemble the record changer myself and have it packed up and shipped to wherever to be serviced. My dad is going to have to help me disassemble the tuner and the main amplifier. He is better at the things than I am, plus he said he would help.

I'm getting these parts restored becauae I know it needs it. I mean if the set was manufactured in 1960 that makes it 53 years old. I also want to keep all of the original parts. some people gut these old consoles and put modern equipment in it. Such as not even a record changer, but a cheapo turntable from radio shack Not only do I think this looks foolish, but thd modern stuff wont last as long. I am confident that all the original parts will work beautifully once restored. I'm also sure once it's restained it will look brand nee