• Country
• United States of America (USA)

• Manufacturer / Brand
• Sparks-Withington Co., (Sparton); Jackson, Michigan

• Year
• 1937–1939

• Category
• Broadcast Receiver - or past WW2 Tuner

• Radiomuseum.org ID
• 58712

Click on the schematic thumbnail to request the schematic as a free document.

• Number of Tubes
• 5

• Valves / Tubes
• 6A8G 6K7G 6Q7G 6F6G 5Y3G

• Main principle
• Superheterodyne (common); ZF/IF 456 kHz; 2 AF stage(s)

• Tuned circuits
• 6 AM circuit(s)

• Wave bands
• Broadcast and Short Wave (SW).

• Power type and voltage
• Alternating Current supply (AC) / 115 Volt

• Loudspeaker
• Electro Magnetic Dynamic LS (moving-coil with field excitation coil)

• Material
• Various materials

• from Radiomuseum.org
• Model: Sparton 558-C - Sparks-Withington Co., Sparton

• Shape
• Tablemodel, low profile (big size).

• Dimensions (WHD)
• 17.5 x 9.125 x 8.25 inch / 445 x 232 x 210 mm

• Notes

• The asymmetric Sparton model 558 Deluxe is sometimes called "Sled Peach Mirror Tube Radio" because of the peach tinted mirror glass sled (suffix C). But there are also blue ones (suffix B). The model 558 is a deluxe version of 557 (with 3 straight knobs) and was introduced a year later, in June 1937 for season 1937/38. Before the 557 there was already the extraordinary 566 Bluebird and the 566 with peach mirror. Much later some replicas were made, see here and here. But see also the console "Nocturne" 1186 in blue or in peach with 12 tubes and the two 409-GL "seven-sided-peach" and "seven sided blue".

  Description of the 558: Reception is broadcast 535 to 1730 kHz and SW 5850 to 18900 kHz. Fourth knob is for tone control, octal based tubes. The B has knobs with a chrome ring insert, the C knobs are of a matching dark copper tone without ring. Careful not to destroy the spray on the trim with black lacquer laced with naptha! Toned crystal glass with a ebony-lacquered wood-base cradle. Copper grille bars extend from the speaker grille on the right side to the front. The chassis is the same as model 518. There was also a similar model with two straight knobs plus one in the scale. It was made in different versions like 558-B (blue tinted), 558-C (copper "peach"), 558-BX and 558-CX. The design was made by the prominent (Kodak) industrial designer Walter Dorwin Teague. The models have a high collecting price. Decades later Crosley Retro Electronics in Louisville made a similar looking model "Collector's Edition Radio CR 38" and CR38-CD.

• External source of data
• Ernst Erb

• Source of data
• The Radio Collector's Directory and Price Guide 1921 - 1965

• Circuit diagram reference
• Rider's Perpetual, Volume 9 = 1938 and before

• Mentioned in
• Collector's Guide to Antique Radios 4. Edition (Rider's 9-2, 9-3)

• Literature/Schematics (1)
• Machine Age to Jet Age II (page 283.)

• Other Models

• Here you find 807 models, 365 with images and 754 with schematics for wireless sets etc. In French: TSF for Télégraphie sans fil.
  All listed radios etc. from Sparks-Withington Co., (Sparton); Jackson, Michigan