KB FB10FM - 'Toaster' radio

[Andy - G8MNM]

Hi folk,

I've just unpacked my latest acquisition - a KB FB10FM 'Toaster' radio.
Fortunately it was well packed and has survived the torment of the British postal system.
This only the second one I have seen on Ebay in several years so I was wondering how common they are? It's sister radio the MW/LW version seems quite common and seems to pop up quite often on Ebay.
Does anyone else have one of these?

Regards

Andy

[tiv48]

hi i repaired one years ago notes say i changed c21, c23,c24 and valve5 el84
ps circuits at http://www.radio-workshop.co.uk/manuals.shtml
pps the one i repaired had been painted post box red
rob t

[Steve_P]

KB Toaster.... Aaargh!!!

The circuit may not match the set. This is because they made at least 3 versions and goodness knows how many updates. They work but can get very hot. Change anything that gets hot or increases the heat. Look at the Model no. and types of valves and get the sheet with the same valves.

These are rare because the 'collectors' like them because they are small and 'different'.

There is also a VHF version, which you have. These are rarer still and the same applies.

Cheers,

Steve P.

[Andy - G8MNM]

Steve

Thanks for the info
I repaired an FB10 a few years ago and changed most of the valves as they were low, as well as the usual suspects. It worked quite well for what it was.
Have another plus the FM version on the 'to do' pile.

Regards

Andy

[Yorkie]

The FB10 first appeared in Sept 1950 at a price of £8.17s.1d (£8.85 in new money) + Purchase Tax of 33.3% making its selling price £11.80, which - acounting for inflation - equates to £300 today, so like all radios back then, it wasn't a cheap buy. (As an aside, Purchase Tax was introduced in 1940 and remained in force till 1973 when VAT was introduced). The valve line-up of the first version (up to Serial No 100,000) was: 6BE6, 6BA6, 6AT6, 6V6GT and 6X5GT. The valve lineup of the second version from serial No 100,001 was 6BE6, 6BJ6, 6AT6, 6BW6 and 6V4. The first version had a frame aerial - the second, a ferrite rod aerial. I've no idea whether the seriail number relates to the actual volume sold - ie, in excess of 100,000. In 1950 when the set was first released, there were 11.8 million broadcast licenses, so it may well have sold in such numbers. Part of its popularity was that it was small so easily transportable from room to room, and could be 'taken to bed' - unlike sets such as the DAC90A.

The FM version was just that - FM only, which I think was a bit of an error of judgement on KBs part, so was pretty much doomed when it was introduced in Sept 1955, at a price of £10.16s.8d + 33.3% PT, making the selling price in 'new money' £14.44, which equates to £290 today, taking inflation into account. Few people would have been able to afford an FM only radio to supplement an AM one, and many of the radios on offer at that time, when FM sets were starting to appear, had at least LW/MW, and some had SW. Maybe KB thought that Fm broadcasting would quickly supplant AM, just as today, many thought that by now, we'd all be using DAB radios and FM would have fizzled out? In fact AM only radios continued to be popular well into the 1970s, particularly portable and car radios.

Initially the FM version of the KB10 had four valves, and later, five valves. It isn't commonplace, but neither do they seem to be especially sought after. At Harpeneden last year, on a trader's stand there was an FM version and matching AM version. The dealer wanted to sell them as a pair as he knew the AM version would sell easily, but didn't want to be lumbered with the FM one. In the end, he secumbed to an offer for the AM on, and the FM one hung around till lunchtime. I've no idea what it sold for in the end.

Often KB10s appear in bright colours such s red or green, which invariably means that the bakelite has become badly crazed and unsightly due to heat from the valves if the set has had a hard life, so the set has been given a facelift by spraying it. No doubt on occasions, they'be been dropped and damaged or damaged in transit, so repaired and sprayed.

When the FB10 was 'launched' so was the Queen Mary after having been refitted from its warship days back into a civilian cruise liner. KB fitted the Queen Mary out with radios, so made a great play of this when advertising the FB10.

An attactive little set - no home should be without one!

Hope that's of interest.

David

[Andy - G8MNM]

David & Others,

Thanks for the comprehensive the info on the FB10 & FB10FM.
Recently a FB10FM sold on Ebay for over £100!
Mine cost me £43 plus postage about the same as for the AM version.
It is nice to have both versions to go together.

Regards

Andy