Old Muntz TV for sale Locally to me, Should I pick it up? - Videokarma.org TV - Video

vortalexfan · #1 08-01-2019, 09:59 AM

Hello Everyone yesterday I was looking through Facebook Market Place and I saw what appears to be an old Meck TV for sale on there for sale on there for $5 and I was wondering if I should go and get it or not at that price, because I know the old Meck TVs are fairly rare TVs in any condition and this one appeared to be all there and in really good shape (no peeling veneer or water damage and the picture tube looked good yet).

Pictures of the unit in question is posted below.

What do you guys think? Should I pop for it at $5?

Electronic M · #2 08-01-2019, 10:29 AM

At 5 you can get your money back parting it out if you need...If the CRT is good that is a cnote to someone in need.

Mounts (edit my phone's autocorrect apparently thinks the name Muntz must be replaced with the word mounts or mints

) sets are simple to recap and make basically work, but if you expect really good scan geometry/linearly or perfect performance you will either never achieve it or drive your self nuts trying to find the right combination of tubes it likes and changing all the resistors and other similar things...

Muntzes are like 2-4 tube AM radios... they receive the signal under the right conditions but don't out perform other sets of their time (often even when the other sets are getting close to needing repair).

dieseljeep · #3 08-01-2019, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

Hello Everyone yesterday I was looking through Facebook Market Place and I saw what appears to be an old Muntz TV for sale on there for sale on there for $5 and I was wondering if I should go and get it or not at that price, because I know the old Muntz TVs are fairly rare TVs in any condition and this one appeared to be all there and in really good shape (no peeling veneer or water damage and the picture tube looked good yet).

Pictures of the unit in question is posted below.

What do you guys think? Should I pop for it at $5?

That's not a Muntz, it's a Meck. Made in Plymouth,Indiana, possibly rarer!

vortalexfan · #4 08-01-2019, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

That's not a Muntz, it's a Meck. Made in Plymouth,Indiana, possibly rarer!

Even Better, because I have relatives that live near there and my dad is from Culver, Indiana which is just up the road from Plymouth, Indiana.

Tube TV · #5 08-01-2019, 11:16 AM

At 5 bucks I'd already have it in the back of my car!

Get it, before some fishtanker does.

I would also be picking up whatevers beside it.......

Electronic M · #6 08-01-2019, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tube TV

At 5 bucks I'd already have it in the back of my car!

Get it, before some fishtanker does.

I would also be picking up whatevers beside it.......

I think the set next to it is probably a small screen electromagnetic deflection Motorola (based on the chassis glimpse) those are nice too if pricing is fair.

Sandy G · #7 08-01-2019, 01:15 PM

What Tom-and Tube TV said...

vortalexfan · #8 08-01-2019, 02:29 PM

I'll be going over there tomorrow to check it out, and I'll definitely check out the other TV next to it and see if they want to get rid of that as well and maybe do a bundle deal.

vortalexfan · #9 08-01-2019, 03:11 PM

By the way they do have the knob for the TV that is missing in the picture.

vortalexfan · #10 08-02-2019, 06:27 PM

Well I got the TV today, it said Philharmonic on the front of it, and its missing the Power switch/Volume control knob and the fine tuning knob for the tuner, and the back cover and the channel display panel for the tuning knob.

Other than that its complete.

It has a 12P4 Picture tube which looks like its in really good shape yet.

I actually got a bonus piece thrown in for free, an old Westinghouse Columnette Tombstone Radio that the cabinet is shot on it but the chassis and speaker is still in excellent shape yet with all of its original tubes in it yet, and its original cloth cord still intact yet. I'll add pictures when I get a chance.

decojoe67 · #11 08-04-2019, 07:14 AM

Philharmonics are rarely seen too. It's not the most unique looking early TV, but the odd-brand name and roundie screen make it certainly worth getting, preserving, and having it performing again. The low price make it a no-brainer. Good luck with it!

Kevin Kuehn · #12 08-04-2019, 09:43 AM

Whomever made it they sure adhered to a minimal circuit approach. Or maybe the tubes are all scrunched up towards the front of the chassis? In any event it's an interesting find. Looking forward to more detailed pictures.

vortalexfan · #13 08-04-2019, 10:07 AM

I took a closer look at the TV set yesterday and just like DieselJeep said it is a Meck TV.
I'm guessing the Philharmonic Designation on the front of the TV was the model name of the TV.
All of the tubes that were present in the TV still were all badged Meck and actually this TV has way more tubes in it than it looks like it has, they are just mostly in the front of the cabinet and inside the High Voltage Cage.

This TV actually has an interesting Story behind it, the person I bought it from found the TV in a really old farm house that the roof had collapsed on it 20 years ago and the TV some how managed to survive all that time in really good shape (the cabinet didn't rot or anything and the chassis and the tubes aren't horribly rusted away or anything).

I think that what saved this TV from degrading too badly was that the cabinet on this TV was actually Solid Wood and not just veneered plywood like what they did with the old radios from that period.

Tube TV · #14 08-04-2019, 10:18 AM

Glad to hear you got it! This gives us all a bit of hope that there are still a few neat sets out there a a fair price.
Look forward to seeing some more pictures of it.

decojoe67 · #15 08-04-2019, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

I took a closer look at the TV set yesterday and just like DieselJeep said it is a Meck TV.
I'm guessing the Philharmonic Designation on the front of the TV was the model name of the TV.
All of the tubes that were present in the TV still were all badged Meck and actually this TV has way more tubes in it than it looks like it has, they are just mostly in the front of the cabinet and inside the High Voltage Cage.

This TV actually has an interesting Story behind it, the person I bought it from found the TV in a really old farm house that the roof had collapsed on it 20 years ago and the TV some how managed to survive all that time in really good shape (the cabinet didn't rot or anything and the chassis and the tubes aren't horribly rusted away or anything).

I think that what saved this TV from degrading too badly was that the cabinet on this TV was actually Solid Wood and not just veneered plywood like what they did with the old radios from that period.

Whether Meck, Muntz, or Philharmonic, they were all budget TV's. These secondary companies sales edge was making them seem like bargain through bare-bones electronics. The funny thing is these sets often perform just fine. Today, as a collectible, these more unusual sets appeal to collectors more than the popular named sets. I have a friend who owns a 7" combo console Philharmonic. It looks pre-war. It'll be one of the last TV sets he parts with!