Oldest orig-owner set still in use; brought to shop
 

Somewhere here in the past 6 months or so, we discussed "What's the oldest TV that was recently brought in for repair at a shop?"

Well, this isn't super-old, but it sure hasn't happend much since about 1980: An old lady in Beverly Hills brought in a 12" Zenith tube set to my friend's shop in West LA this week! She pulled up out front in a mint-condition early 60s Buick, and was wearing a classy '70s pants suit like my mother wore when she was a school teacher in the early 70s. She came in and asked for someone to come out and carry in her set. It turns out to be a late 60s Zenith 12" B&W portable tube set! And it's her ONLY TV!!!!! She lives on North Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills, where the cheapest house is at least $4,000,000.00. This is part of a tradition with Harvey's TV. All these OLD ladies keep on repairing their old sets, because they just don't want a new set. They're used to having the same TV, and they don't want to learn how to use a remote. They don't care how much it costs... Just give the bill to the house secretary and a check is mailed. This happens more than you would think. There's a lady with a Wards (made by Sharp or Sanyo) early 70s 17" color set who has it worked on at least every 3 months. She spends about $200 each time, and wouldn't care if it was $1000 each time. "Just fix it please!!!!"

Anyway, if all TV repair shops had customers like this lady, we'd all still be in business :)

Charles

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m.../Zen12bw_1.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m.../Zen12bw_2.jpg

Charles, how'ya doing? :D Say, I'm still up. Here's my number 858-583-0088. I'm at the phone, I left couple of messages for you earlier today. I'm in LA/Irvine tomorrow thru the end of the week. I want to get the 5-pack of tubes I bought from Hassy and your "saved from the land fill" CRT. :banana: Gimmie a call....Tom

I'd have liked to have seen that Buick. :yes:

Actually, some elderly people with failing eyesight prefer the softer appearance of a b&w picture. The whole TV screen is kinda "halo" light...and the elderly mind does the rest... :smoke:


Now, Charles...focus on the 5 pack of 7F7 tubes. Hassy cashed my check a week ago... :huge:

eMail sent...

Charles

Wow. She probably could buy 2 late model Flung Dung 12" sets brand new for the repair bill. But she has a better set.

I think my dream job would be to have an old-time fix it shop; but there is nothing left to fix these days so it remains a dream.

I have a neighbor, a sweet 85 year old lady with a late 90s Zenith 19" color. The picture is awful, the worst I've seen of any "black box" set. Worse than the lousy GE C2 hybrid I have. She keeps calling me because it looses its settings when the power goes out & the autoprogram tends to miss some of her favorite channels. I tried the other day to convince her to bring in the pre-RCA GE from her den but she says she likes this picture, which is fuzzy, dark, and the tint cannot be brought anywhere near right. I should mention that she bought this set from a local dealer, who is still hanging in there, and if I wasn't here she would be calling him for these periodic adjustments.

I have a set very similar to that one in my workshop. It has a weak but useable CRT and I watch it around once per week.

Yeah, Charles, what's gonna happen when the CRT in that old trooper finally gives up the ghost? Rotsa ruck findin' a new one..Or will the poor old lady check out first ?Neither eventuality is a happy prospect...

My grandparents both hung onto their tube consoles to darn near 1990.

I've heard of CTC-16s STILL out there in service buit never seen one. I HAVE seen old tube Panasonics (Instant on! :thmbsp: ) in secondary service. I got my 60's vintage Zenith portable from a garage sale - it was still on it's stand in a bedroom and looked like it got at least semi regular use.