|
The
Zenith 12A58 is sometimes referred to as the baby stratosphere because
much of the design in the cabinetry and dial are similar what is found
on the Stratosphere. Also the 12A58, (with it's sister radio the
12A57), the 16A61, 16A63, and the Stratosphere were the only models
Zenith manufactured which incorporated lighted glass dials. The
first dial that the 12A58 featured was a multi layered colored dial
which consisted of the top layer showing the Zenith logo along with the
micro tuning in White, followed by four layers, each representing a
different band. The A and B bands were in Green and the C and D bands
were in Red. Only one band was ever lit up at any given time while
the other bands stayed dark. A short time later a second version
of this dial came out with all of the bands being printed onto a single
layer of glass. The A band was in solid light Blue, the B band was
in solid Green, the C band was in solid Yellow and the D band was in a
solid dark Red. The Zenith logo along with the micro tuning was
still in White. A third version dial later came out which was
exactly like the second version dial except that all of the numbers, and
text were in white and only the thin strips that marked the frequencies
in increments were in their respective band colors.
Performance is average because Zenith invested more money
in the appearance of the radio then they did the electronics.
They cut corners on the front end of it's electronics which made this
radio less of a performer, reception wise, then Zenith's 10 tube model,
the 900 series, of 1935. I acquired this set in 1991, in a trade
with an E. H. Scott AW 15 in a Wistminster cabinet, from a prominent
collector from Minnesota.
|
|
