[Ron Ramirez]

Back in the early 1980s, I bought a nonworking Sherwood S-8900A stereo receiver. This FM-only receiver was rated at 60 watts per channel, not bad for a 1974 receiver.

I took it home and discovered a blown fuse, bad rectifier diodes, and a questionable power supply electrolytic.

Replacing diodes, fuse and one of the big 7000 uF power supply electrolytics...I had a working receiver!

I used it for about fifteen years or so until it started blowing fuses again. Then I did something I now regret...I threw it away and bought a new Pioneer receiver. Pioneers of the 1990s were not as good as their 1970s-1980s siblings, but what did I know at the time.

In retrospect...I should have replaced both of the 7000 uF electrolytics, not just one. It was roughly ten years old, or nearly so, when I acquired it and I troubleshooted at the component level to fix just what was wrong.

Anyway...

Fast forward to 2016. Now on a stereo kick, I had been looking for another Sherwood to replace that S-8900A but until recently had not had much luck finding one.

Finally, an S-7900A popped up on the auction site. This was great for me, as I had wished that the S-8900A I had years ago had been an S-7900A so I could have AM as well as FM.

Unfortunately, USPS did what it does best to vintage electronics...

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/S7900A_001.jpg]

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/S7900A_002.jpg]

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/S7900A_003.jpg]

Not only did I have a damaged cabinet, but the mono-stereo mode switch and the function selector switch were both broken - they rotated like potentiometers with no "clicks".

The seller was very nice and agreed to give me a partial refund.

So...

I decided to try and repair the damage. If it didn't work out, I had already spotted an S-8900A, and I thought I might end up using this 7900A for parts.