The Zenith Model 7S529, built for the 1940 and 1941 model years, is a striking tabletop radio that captures the style and craftsmanship of pre-war American electronics. With its bold wooden cabinet, distinctive black dial, and warm tone, this radio reflects Zenith’s reputation as one of the premier radio manufacturers of the era.
This particular example has been carefully restored with attention to safety, reliability, and authenticity:
- A polarized power cord was installed for modern electrical safety.
- An inline fuse protects the electronics against unexpected surges.
- An inrush current limiter helps extend tube life by softening power-on stress.
- The antenna was missing and a replacement fitted, a replacement was found on eBay for another Zenith model and fitted to the radio. It will give AM and Shortwave bands reception.
- The front tone controls were rewired, replacing deteriorated rubber-coated wiring.
- Replacement reproduction knobs were installed.
These Radios are a real challenge because they have a lot of rubber coated wire that needs to be replaced. This radio also had a bad connection in an IF transformer. I had to remove the IF transformer and re-solder the connections. The windings have very small wire that is about the size of a human hair.
This Zenith 7S529 stands as a fully functional example of early 1940s radio design. With both its historic charm and updated safety features, it’s a fine showcase of Zenith’s engineering and the enduring appeal of vacuum tube radios.
The cabinet and speaker grill were in great shape and did not require any restoration.
Contact me if you have a radio you want restored.
