Who's killing a Zenith roundie in Detroit?

[edison64]

This is the exact reason why I stopped checking Craigslist. To many flakes. Fruits and nuts. I once posted I had free firewood ....for free idiots kept calling and wanted me to deliver and stack it... then there was the Guy who had a tube caddy packed full of good TV tubes.$75.00,said he was willing to negotiate on price, 2 he's later I get there he is not there,I ask his wife and she said he would take $60 ... but he now was keeping the tubes (must have found out about values of sweep tubes) anyway that was the final time I ever plan to check Craigslist

[ggregg]

I currently have 11 vintage TV's. Out of those 11, 7 have been purchased (very reasonably, dirt cheap even) off of Craigslist. Craigslist has it's issues but I've purchased all three vehicles I currently own, both my motorcycles, and over a dozen antique radios off of Craigslist at prices I would never be able to find somewhere else. I've sold at least a dozen motorcycles, 4 cars, and many other things on Craigslist. It's basically replaced newspaper classified ads. The easiest way to deal with idiots is to say no or ignore them. If you don't use it, you are missing some good stuff. I have only made 2 purchases off ebay in the last year and don't plan on using it any more often than that. There are all kinds of games on ebay too, just different ones.

[Carmine]

Originally Posted by edison64

This is the exact reason why I stopped checking Craigslist. To many flakes. Fruits and nuts. I once posted I had free firewood ....for free idiots kept calling and wanted me to deliver and stack it... then there was the Guy who had a tube caddy packed full of good TV tubes.$75.00,said he was willing to negotiate on price, 2 he's later I get there he is not there,I ask his wife and she said he would take $60 ... but he now was keeping the tubes (must have found out about values of sweep tubes) anyway that was the final time I ever plan to check Craigslist

I get your point...

But, I won't let the flakes ruin Craigslist for me... I did score a few really nice sets this year, and in both cases ended up sitting around chatting with the sellers for quite a while. In fact, I was going to save this for the story of the particular set (which I haven't yet mentioned on here) but I plan to stop by this guy's house in the spring with a box of cannoli as a "thank you" for the super-mint, working Zenith SC600 console he gave me for FREE.



He was the nicest old-timer you could imagine, so I snapped a pic of him with the TV that finally replaced his 40-year old working Zenith... His nephew wanted to toss it on the curb, but he insisted it be given to someone that would appreciate it... Ain't that a kick?

Not all craigslist adventures need end poorly!

[Carmine]

...and I will say that ultimately, the owner of private property can do with it as they please. I've parted out sets before too (I'm sure we all have) but not without trying to put them into the hands of other collectors.

That doesn't mean I can't complain about some "trendy" type destroying a set I'm sure we'd all like to own. I'm not suggesting jail time for this futz, or wishing cancer on him... I'm just bi*ching about clueless people doing fishtank jobs. My guess is that after enough people look at his bad-carpentry tiki-bar and say "did you make that out of an old TV?" He'll end up tossing the cabinet on the curb in embarrassment, like so many others we've seen.

[rca2000]

Originally Posted by edison64

This is the exact reason why I stopped checking Craigslist. To many flakes. Fruits and nuts. I once posted I had free firewood ....for free idiots kept calling and wanted me to deliver and stack it... then there was the Guy who had a tube caddy packed full of good TV tubes.$75.00,said he was willing to negotiate on price, 2 he's later I get there he is not there,I ask his wife and she said he would take $60 ... but he now was keeping the tubes (must have found out about values of sweep tubes) anyway that was the final time I ever plan to check Craigslist

About a year or so ago.....I would have agreed with you about CL. At the time, I had lost out on several things from CL--including a CTC-81 DA Rca tv, a CTC-10 and a Philco 7" set--ALL ended up"disappearing, or being "sold out from under me". I began to feel that "CL IS a POS, and a waste of my time, even though I HAD acquired a couple of nice GE tube stereos with P-P 7355 amps from there, before that--plus the JOB I still have. BUT, those "losses", especially that Direct Addy RCA--kinda soured me on CL.

Still though...I "kept looking for things on CL... and by last fall--some things had CHANGED for me in that regard!!

In September...I FINALLY, after looking for over 20 years--was able to get one of those NICE 1973 RCA console stereos, The BIG one, with the last "good amp and speakers" they made--and it was NOT hundreds of miles away--only about 40---and cost VERY little--in fact I could have gotten it for free--but gave $25 for it, since it is in VERY nice shape--and I felt bad for the older people who I got it from--and they seemed VERY pleased with that. Then in early December--I found the GARAGE I now store all of my stuff in--it is MUCH nicer and MUCH larger that those 4 storage units I had and MUCH more convenient--since all is in one place--and it was LESS expensive too!! That stereo and all else now reside there--and I have a LOT of room left for "more goodies".

And a few weeks ago--I acquired a NICE looking CTC-40 combo and a NICE Philco BOL R/P console, from CL too--for less than $100 for both.

And just yesterday--I FINALLY, after about 30 years of searching--got a NICE RCA stereo console with the VERY rare RS-246 amp, only made for ONE year-1970, and since I was at the ETF anyway yesterday--I did NOT have to drive much out of the way to get it. It"almost got away" from a couple of "mishaps" regarding miscommunication with the owner, including one when I was only FIVE miles from the house....and REALLY thought I would end up going home"empty handed"--but things got resolved---and it is in the van---waiting to go to the garage. Like the big VRT-84 from last Sept...the cabinet of the VMT-68 is just TOO NICE for me to strip---and it WILL stay intact--and protected--in the garage. As a bonus--the "hang tag" was there, and a 1970 RCA stereo brochure--which I would have gladly paid probably $ 10 or so for ALONE--but it was in the record well of the console--and so was the owners manual!!


Not too mention...in sept.. I ALSO found a JOB for my best friend on CL..one that has worked out for her BEAUTIFULLY--and which she LOVES!!

So--I DO like CL. Sometimes you DO get "stung" but sometimes--it works out VERY nicely. I would have to say it is a modern form of the "tradin' post" paper that i--and probably many others--used to get things from in years past. .

Not too mention--"mishaps" can happen ANYWHERE--regarding us getting things. One happened to me yesterday at the ETF. I bought an early '50's Sylvania halolight set from a guy there, and was getting ready to put it in my van--when another guy let me know HE had bought it a few hours before ME!! Now--I did NOT "act mean or say" too bad--it is mine now" or such--as has been said to ME a number of times in those situations--but I made sure things got resolved, got back my $30 from the seller--and let the other guy take the set---which DID rightfully belong to HIM in the first place. I DID want that set--but he NEEDED it--to restore another one, and it was his rightfully anyway.

So--in the end--"sometimes we "catch the fish" and sometimes"they get away". Like others say--it is NOT worth hurting a friendship or such--to get a vintage tv, stereo or radio or such for. Like this last RCA stereo--they often DO-- just"pop up"--when we LEAST expect them to--in this case--a few days ago.

[sampson159]

rca2000-glad to hear that you are not bitter or angry over some of the cl deals.i have hit and missed on cl myself.there have been some really good ccIIs i wanted but never got a response.a roundie every now and then i miss.sometimes the hunt is more exciting than the kill.cl is a useful tool to me.ebay is allright,but the vk forum is my favorite place to buy and sell.