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Tucked away in Owen
Sound, Ontario, Old Fidelity Radio Restorations
represents the very best of what passion, precision, and
decades of expertise can produce. Founded and operated by
master restorer Jim Hutton, Old Fidelity has earned a
devoted following among vintage radio enthusiasts,
collectors, and audiophiles across North America who
recognize that truly exceptional restoration work is
extraordinarily rare.
What sets Old Fidelity apart is an
uncompromising commitment to authenticity and craftsmanship.
Each radio that passes through Jim's workshop receives a
comprehensive, top-to-bottom restoration — with 90 to 100
percent of all internal components replaced, tubes
inspected, and a full electronic alignment performed before
a single detail of the cabinet is addressed. The result is a
set that performs precisely as it did on the showroom floor
the day it was first sold, whether that was in 1931 or 1949.
Old Fidelity's portfolio spans some of
the most iconic names in vintage radio history -
Rogers Majestic,
DeForest,
RCA, and Canadian General
Electric among them - with restored examples ranging
from elegant tabletop receivers to stunning grandfather
clock consoles. For those who wish to enjoy their restored
radio daily, Jim also offers thoughtfully integrated
Bluetooth and FM broadcast modules, available in both
built-in and external configurations, allowing these
beautiful instruments to serve as fully functioning
entertainment centers without compromising their period
authenticity.
At its heart, Old Fidelity is driven not
by commerce but by a genuine love for preserving history.
Jim's mission is simple: to rescue radios that would
otherwise be lost forever and return them to the hands of
people who will cherish them for generations to come. That
philosophy - prioritizing craftsmanship and stewardship over
profit - is precisely what has made Old Fidelity one of the
most respected names in vintage radio restoration.
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1931 DeForest
Crosley Grandfather Clock Radio |
1934 General
Electric Radio |
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Current
Restorations Available to Purchase |
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With very few AM broadcast stations on
the air today, most of my restorations include integrated FM
and Bluetooth modules so these vintage radios can be enjoyed
on a daily basis. When a module is in use, only the radio's
audio section is active — the front-end, AM detection, and
demodulation stages are bypassed. I offer two approaches to
integrating this capability, each with its own advantages.
They are the Built-in Module
Style and the External
Module Style.
Built-in Module Style:
This style provides the most authentic replication of the
vintage radio experience. When the radio is switched on
using its original power knob, it automatically resumes the
last FM broadcast station it was tuned to. The radio's
original Tone and Volume controls work exactly as they
always did. In every practical sense, the radio behaves as
it was designed to — just receiving FM instead of AM.
To change stations, use the frequency control on the back of
the radio. This is the only functional departure from the
original design, as the AM tuning dial on the front is no
longer active. Since the radio's front-end is not used in
this configuration, it is typically not restored.
As shown on the right this built-in module has a volume
control for FM and Bluetooth. However these only need to be
set the first time the raido is used. After that all volume
is controlled using the radio's original volume knob.
To stream music from a phone or tablet, flip the switch on
the back of the radio to Bluetooth and select the
radio's unique Bluetooth label — usually based on the
manufacturer and model, such as "CGEK64" or "RCA128."
There are currently two
restorations available in this style.
External Module Style:
This style supports four
operational modes: AM Broadcast, FM Broadcast, Bluetooth
streaming, and USB Playlist. Its key advantage is that all
stages of the radio are fully restored, allowing it to be
used exactly as originally designed — tuning live AM
broadcasts — while also offering modern connectivity.
 When
the radio is first switched on, it operates in AM Broadcast
mode and all original controls function as designed. To
switch to FM, Bluetooth, or USB playback, the radio is
routed through the external module using a remote control,
and from that point the module handles source selection and
volume.
To change FM stations, use the frequency dial on the
external module. To stream from a phone or tablet, select
Bluetooth on the module and choose the radio's
Bluetooth label (e.g., "CGEK64" or "RCA128"). To play a
playlist, insert a USB key and select USB from the
module's control panel.
There are
currently four restorations available in this style.
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Purchase Any of the Above Restorations email me at:
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About the Restorer
View My Tube Database
Click Here to See the Bluetooth Module in Action
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