Hi, I have an very old upright tube Question - Videokarma.org TV - Video

jerryjg · #1 03-16-2006, 01:17 AM

I dont have the model#, but its a very old floor upright model (early 40's i would guess.)tube radio/Shortwave with cabinet in good cosmetic not working condition.It has all tubes. Probably just needs a tube or two and the can-cap replaced. QUESTION> Is it ok to take the guts out and keep the nice Field coil to use somehere else and take the cabinet to the thrift store? That way I could possibly sell the chassis, cause these radios are not worth that much on e-bay- too expensive to ship. Do i owe it to posterity to keep this thing intact? I am not a tech, so it wouldnt be worth my money to fix her up, and there she sits ,taking up space.

RetroHacker · #2 03-16-2006, 05:45 AM

You should definitely keep the set intact if at all possible. You're right that many of these old radios aren't "worth" much. But this hobby isn't about money - and ripping the chassis out of an intact radio console isn't going to get you any more money. Without the cabinet, the chassis becomes of relatively little use, unless you find someone else that has a cabinet and needs a chassis - which might just happen due to the number of people out there that think they need to seperate the cabinet and the chassis. All too often I run across an empty cabinet somewhere and curse whoever removed the chassis. "It doesn't work" isn't a good reason to part out a set. Most of these sets, in original condition, aren't going to work. Plain and simple. They've been sitting, unused, for 40 years or more. Components need to be replaced, and even if the set does work, chances are the same components need to be replaced anyway - so functionality is of little matter to someone that works on radios. Fixing it is half the fun anyway.

If you really don't want it, offer it up on the board here, or sell it on eBay. Yeah, you wouldn't get much, if any money for it, but you'd be preserving a piece of radio history by getting it to someone that can fix it, or would at least appreciate it for what it is. There isn't much money in the radio hobby - exept for those rare few really valuable models (mostly little bakelite or catalin sets). Consoles aren't worth a lot for the reason that you noticed - they take up space. People like me that collect consoles do it purely for the fun of it. I've even had antique dealers give me console radios because they couldn't sell them. I guess it's just a matter of appreciating the radios themselves, and enjoying working on them. And being a little crazy never hurt either.

-Ian

jerryjg · #3 03-16-2006, 08:25 AM

Righto, thats why i asked the question. Im sold! Still, I would think tha vif I tested the tubes I could sell those old tubes that were good right?Then eventually find someone who wants the cabinet/chassis.By the way, i would make a donation of 10.00 to AK if anyone if anyone could send me an old box that is sturdy, that they have shipped an floor console radio in before.Feel good Ean, youve saved an old radio from being dismantled for parts and I feel good too.

radio63 · #4 03-16-2006, 06:57 PM

You have to keep in mind not today, but the future. It is important to preserve the old sets for future years, long after we're all gone. We are only the custodians of these old radios, TVs, etc. Once we're gone it is someone else's turn to be the caretaker. Yeah, you might get a few bucks if you take the tubes out and sell them, or if you part the set out. But if it is intact and you don't want to deal with it, sell it intact or give it to someone who will want it. The most important thing is to preserve the old sets.

outlawmws · #5 03-16-2006, 09:10 PM

toxcrusadr · #6 03-24-2006, 11:40 PM

Can't tell you much about the value without knowing the model, BUT the tubes are probably not worth more than a buck apiece on Ebay. There are millions of them out there, at least from 1940ish. An empty cabinet? Worth something only to another collector who has a chassis. No, it's not worth it.

There are crazoids who save dozens of them just to keep them for posterity. They are not so crazy. Radios that were worthless in 1975 are now worth hundreds.

Look for the paper label pasted inside the cabinet and give us a brand and model, or a pic!