The Vintage Radio Repair Shop

Formerly Dab Hand Radio.. Same people, new name! We DO NOT repair DAB Radios!

ABOUT GALLERY TERMS & CONDITIONS CONTACT ME THE WAITING LIST!

ALL WORK HAS A 12 MONTH GUARANTEE!!

The Vintage Radio Repair Shop 2024

Counter reset21/01/25

The Vintage Radio Repair Shop

Based in Stockport, Cheshire N.West England

Email: info@vintage-radio-repair-shop.co.uk or use the CONTACT FORM below.

TELEPHONE 0788 945 6524 (TEXT or Leave a message)

For Vintage Valve Radios from 1930 to 1950’s ONLY! Sorry... NO TV, transistors, car radio or radiograms or record players!

OPTION 5 BLUETOOTH

OPTION 6 ALEXA/Google NEST/Smart Speaker

Take a look at the pictures below!

Examples of my work... There’s more in The Gallery!

Before....

After....

From £175 For this Option the work will focus on safety and minor repairs, a basic standard service. Making the radio fit for everyday use...

Old valve radios can be a fire risk. Ideally the radio should be working but in obvious need of some attention. Most old radios arrive in this condition so please don’t be put off by the fear of an escalating cost!

This Option will clean the radio, replace out worn components, mainly capacitors and resistors, test the valves, make sure the dial lights work, fit a new fused mains lead and align and test. If new valves are required or a major repair needed, like replacing the transformer, I will advise the customer before proceeding. This Option is the most popular for those customers who have an old family radio in need of rejuvenation or have acquired a radio at an auction or car boot sale. This Option gets the radio fully working and fit for safe everyday use and includes a re-polish of the case when appropriate . Contact me for details.

From £285 DAB/FM/Bluetooth Conversions.

This turns your old and irreparable valve radio ‘cabinet’ into a working, functional addition to your home yet still retains its original nostalgic patina. The cabinet, be it wood or Bakelite, is restored to its former glory but with its original patina preserved. The bonus is that it sounds fabulous and will receive digital broadcast stations . The radio still looks 90% the same as it did on the day it was made. I utilise many of the original parts and circuitry. The dial lights up, the knobs have function… And the ‘valve’ sound is preserved with added hifi quality. The only departure from the original look is the position of the digital display which can be hidden behind the dial glass or placed on the rear panel. Comes with a remote control.

Check out The Gallery for some examples!

From £375 This is the most popular conversion I do.

It is expensive but it future proofs your radio and gives it another 50+ years of life! You receive literally 1000’s of radio broadcasts worldwide. In addition you can access iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify and many other music platforms. In some areas the (as here in Stockport!) DAB/FM broadcast signals re not as strong as they ought to be so this conversion solves any reception problem. The sound is crystal clear. Your old vintage radio becomes a modern digital music centre but remains looking ‘vintage’! As with the DAB conversion, a small digital display is required which can be hidden behind the dial glass or placed on the radio’s back panel. The radio will still look 90% original but the resulting sound retains its original tone and volume. Comes with a remote control.

Check out The Gallery for some examples!

From £185 Recently introduced as an Option, I can now offer Alexa and Google Nest conversions.

This, like the Bluetooth conversion under Option 5, means that the radio does not need a digital display so the case/cabinet can stay untouched and original. I personally like this new Option as you can actually talk to your vintage radio, you can even give it a name, which is quite a novel thing to do. You can ask it the time, the weather or (like I do!) play the ‘What’s the Question Of the Day ‘ trivia quiz. Best of all you can ask it to play music and the vast array of radio stations all over the world. I utilise as many of the original components as I can, especially the loudspeaker, so the radio keeps its original tone and volume. As with the Bluetooth Option, the radio’s knobs can be functional and the dial lights up. This Option gives a very modern 21st century twist to your vintage radio. Obviously the requirement is a wifi home environment for the Alexa/Nest to pair up with but this, again, is now almost universal.

From £185 This is very popular and cost effective customer choice offering excellent value for money and much cheaper than Options 3 and 4.

Apart from price it has a few real advantages in that a digital display is not required as operation and pairing is by sound alone. This means I can keep the outside of the radio totally original and not have to squeeze in and disguise the digital display. The only disadvantage is that it obviously requires a Bluetooth audio source such as your smart phone, tablet or computer but as these are now ubiquitous in our daily lives, it shouldn’t pose an issue. You can even use your phone as a remote control too! The original radio looks exactly the same, the knobs work and the dial lights up. Piping in BBC Sounds and playing Hancock’s Half Hour or The Goon Show through your old radio’s loudspeaker, plus having an additional speaker inside the cabinet for added stereo sound, is a joy to behold. For a small additional cost (£40) I can also offer the ‘deluxe’ version with added balance, bass and treble controls operated from the radio’s original knobs. Ask/message me for details.

OPTION 4 INTERNET Radio (inc DAB+/FM/Bluetooth)

OPTION 3 DAB/FM/Bluetooth Conversions

From £275 This Option ultimately includes everything from Option 1 but will starts with the radio in a non working condition.

Radios brought to me for this Option usually fit into the group which have been damaged by age, water penetration, have rust, brittle and dangerous wiring. They will need the case to be repaired, often stripped back to bare wood, require veneer replacement or have broken or cracked Bakelite. This is always a sympathetic restoration which re-captures the originality and patina of the radio. Even if the case is stripped, the finished result will still hold its original patina, it doesn’t look ’brand new’ as this just wouldn’t be right!

For some radios an ‘original’ restoration isn’t possible.

Options 3, 4 , 5 and 6 may be a way forward.....

OPTION 2 Full Restoration/Major Repair

OPTION 1 Safety Check, Service, Minor Repairs.

WHERE THIS ALL BEGAN....This is our old family Radio Repair Shop in Alum Rock in Birmingham . I learnt from my dad and granddad! Shaw’s TV and Radio Repair Shop

Valve Radio Repairs, Safety Checks, Full Restorations, Conversions to Internet/DAB+ FM and Bluetooth

NB WAITING LIST IN OPERATION!!

There may be a considerable waiting time before I can fix your radio but please contact me as minor repairs can be squeezed in quickly! BUSH DAC90A and similar NO WAITING LIST!!!

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The UK’s Leading Vintage Radio Conversion Specialist! Click HERE!

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Observe the work being carried out ”LIVE” on The Bench! If it freezes just ‘refresh’ page! Audio not always on but if it is, it’s usually TV sound or music! Apologies for any choice language!

TO BOOK MY SERVICES AND GET ON THE WAITING LIST requires a £30 DEPOSIT

PAY YOUR DEPOSIT HERE!

NB Taking Orders now for projects/jobs SUMMER 2026 !!!

NB ‘DABHANDRADIO’ is my old trading name! You will be directed to the right place!

I think most people like to know from the start a rough idea of how much repairs and restorations can cost. Its not cheap, it can be painstaking and intricate work, but I do try to keep costs as low as I can. The Vintage Radio Repair Workshop is a hobby business which I do due to my love of old radio sets, family tradition, and because its fun.

I’m sure you can appreciate that some Projects take many hours so even at my current prices, I’m often working far below the minimum hourly wage! This is why I’ve developed the Options system which I think prices jobs at a reasonable rates to cover most costs, overheads, tax and hours spent. It also gives you ‘the ball park figure’ so you can decide accordingly...

NB If you do not require the case/cabinet of the radio to be restored and only need the electrical issues sorted, message me as prices can be reduced!