Sources of Vintage Schematics and Service Info

Sams Photofacts and Transistor Service Manuals (TSMs)

Sams Photofacts are the defacto resource for service information. The bad news is that Sams Photofacts for transistor radios have been out of print for years. The good news is, you can still purchase them online. Better still, Sams published collections of Photofacts in books called Transistor Service Manuals, or TSMs. 

Each Sams TSM is a collection of repair information for about thirty or forty different transistor radios. Each listing includes:

• Schematics with correct operating voltages, and current drain specifications 
• Parts lists
• Photos, (interior and exterior), with parts callouts and test points
• Disassembly instructions
• Dial stringing diagrams
• Alignment procedures

Sams TSM Index

I have prepared a searchable index for the first 50 TSM volumes, covering most of the desirable radios from the 50s and 60s. You can find two versions of the index on this website. One is arranged by TSM Volume Number, the other by Make and Model. These are big web pages, and they take a while to download, so be patient. Feel free to copy them for your own, non-commercial use, but please do not sell the indexes, or include them in books or other publications without my permission.

I have the first 100 TSMs, and a few beyond that, along with some "non-Sams" service data, so email me if you can't find information about a particular radio in the first 50 TSMs, or if you need more details, (contents of a specific TSM, past # 50, etc.)

Not all radios found their way to Photofacts, and I have a growing collection of manufacturers' service documentation, so ask me if you need something that is out-of-print. Perhaps I can  copy it for you at  a reasonable fee. 

TSMs for Sale

I always have some TSM volumes for sale, but the list is ever-changing. 
So visit my eBay store, or email me for more up-to-date details.

Here are some other service documentation resources: