Vintage1940 Zenith 12-S-445 Shutterdial Restored Radio Bluetooth

Zenith’s “robot dial”, which received a make-over from its inaugural 1938 model year. One of the most powerful and rare Zenith tabletop radios, a 12-S-445 Shutterdial embodied two innovations new for 1940. With this 12 tube chassis configuration you can hear sounds only previously available in a large floor consol radio. The first was the Radiorgan, comprising 6 pull-tabs to the right of the dial used for controlling tone, with 64 combinations possible (the remaining two tabs to the right of the dial are for on and off). The second new feature was Transcontcontinental Tip-Touch Automatic Tuning, allowing instant selection of one of eight preset stations when the band-lever is in the ‘automatic’ position. Tip-Touch tuning is done electrically by switching in and out tuned circuits dedicated to each preset. Zenith made much of the fact that any standard broadcast station could be selected as a preset, local or distant. This was an advantage over the mechanical systems offered by some other manufacturers, which relied on Automatic-Frequency-Control (AFC) and consequently needed a relatively strong station to be preset in order to work reliably.

A serious restoration with sensitivity to originality in the finish, all knobs, fabrics, and connectivity. We have completely refinished the cabinet and have restored the electronics for optimal enjoyment and also added a 1/8 inch adapter which will allow you to use this with your iPhone, smartphone, iPod, or record player. Access your old vinyl, or log on to  Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, or the playlist on your computer to provide the tunes and use the Bluetooth connection to bring the warm, bright, analog sound of a tube amplifier to any music or recordings you choose.