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Welcome to Videokarma.
As far a servicing goes I'd recommend finding a sam's photofact service manual for whatever set you want to service. SS era sets require a bare minimum test equipment line up of a DMM, a capacitor ESR tester (decent ones can be had for under $15 on ebay), soldering iron, and sometimes a HV probe/meter. Other equipment you may find useful are an oscilloscope, and test pattern generator. Checking voltages and signals against the schematic/service data is one of the more important parts of troubleshooting. TV service books from the era you wish to work on are also helpful.
TVs especially color and non-first-gen solid state are very complex and hard to learn the basics of electronics on. I'd recommend finding a cheap All-American-5 tube radio and doing simple recap work on it, then if successful working on a tube monochrome TV (most 50's-60's models are cheap and common), then if that is successful getting a tube color/hybrid set, or a first generation color solid state (like a Zenith ChromaColor2 or a Motorola Works-In-a-Drawer. to work your way towards 80's SS TVs.
Many 80's sets simply need capacitors replaced and solder joints re-flowed, but the ones that don't will require knowledge to troubleshoot.
That said most folks here loose interest in sets newer than first gen solid state, and some don't even like sets newer than the early 50's.....So there is not as much talk of 80's sets...On the other hand you may be able to get more sets from those here that like them enough to save some from oblivion, yet don't like them enough to want to keep them long term. Some members here were service techs when your sets were new and can give you tips on repair.
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