[Tubejunke]

Perhaps we should start a thread that helps to define exactly what sets are "historically significant" so that we are careful not to damage them by making them do what they were made to do in the first place. Here's my $.02; it doesn't matter if you wind up with a "pre-war" or a "post war"; a "roundie" or a lowly 21" common 50s rectangular. Frankly, I think the latter is nearly as significant as the fore-mentioned. Indeed, to most people TV is thought to have not existed before the "war", but we know different and the fact that there are examples out there that prove that the technology and manufacturing was there does make those few sets a more defined signifigance.

I have been messing with vintage electronics for about 30 years and I have never seen a "pre-war" set. So really significance is a decision and a perception of the individual who finds a set and bears the desire and skill set necessary to make it do what it was designed to do. If it doesn't do that, then it is a bunch of wood and metal that has no use. I'm not saying that all sets must work to be worth having. If you are like me, then you always have something sitting around waiting for service. I have a collection, but I am not a collector. I don't care for the attitudes that come with being a "collector." Just the whole mine is more valuable or "significant" than yours for a list of reasons just takes the fun out of it I think.

To stay more on topic though, I say it's both restoration AND preservation, and normally in that order. The degree of each is up to the individual. I personally love the smaller components that we have today and have found that in many cases I can hard wire in each piece right under that chassis where nobody is ever going to see them. I have never re-stuffed a cap, but I might like to try it on a few of my really old radios. I find radio to be a better candidate for a completely original in every way fix. A TV to me is about the viewing (and listening) experience, and if you can achieve a reasonable duplication of its original design purpose then you are done. After that it is time to enjoy watching it and polishing it up. I think it is fun to pop the back off and blow the dust out from time to time; maybe clean some tube sockets and glass.

Wow, with all this being said I just realized that my post war 2002 Magnavox playing tonight and every night without fail is pretty darned significant! Not a lot of history though.........