Driving a long ways for a spare chassis.Am I stupid?

[JCFitz]

Well I jumped all over my boss to get his dirt out and he did but it's still gotta wait until next Sunday as I went to Bethlehem,PA to pick a blonde Zenith Porthole combo today.

[AUdubon5425]

I once bought a Renault sight unseen for $500, flew to Boston and drove it back to New Orleans. That's crazier than anything mentioned so far.

[rld-tv01]

I have driven to Mass from VA to pick up a BW set. I also picked up another TV along the way in New London Connecticut on that trip. I have driven to St Michaels MD to pick up an RCA 630. I drive to the ETF convention in Columbus Ohio every year and always bring some TVs home.

[JCFitz]

Originally Posted by rld-tv01

I have driven to Mass from VA to pick up a BW set. I also picked up another TV along the way in New London Connecticut on that trip. I have driven to St Michaels MD to pick up an RCA 630. I drive to the ETF convention in Columbus Ohio every year and always bring some TVs home.

You were close to me and bgadow when you visited St Michaels. Actually I'm about 65 miles away.Bryan is a little closer.

[Sandy G]

Well, yeah, you ARE crazy, but so what ? We ALL are, in one way or another, so do what makes you happy, & rejoice in the fact that you can indulge yrself...This is the kind of thing that you'll remember/cherish the rest of your life...

[kx250rider]

That's the early one with the two 3DG4 B+ rectifier tubes, isn't it? I've only ever SEEN TWO of those, and I have been collecting TVs since 1978. Get it!!!

Charles

[JCFitz]

Originally Posted by kx250rider

That's the early one with the two 3DG4 B+ rectifier tubes, isn't it? I've only ever SEEN TWO of those, and I have been collecting TVs since 1978. Get it!!!

Charles

That would be the chassis.It's only the chassis as the cabinet is gone. Great for spare parts as a I have a presently working one except for some bumblebee caps that need replacing. One that needs replacing right now as you can't play it more than a half hour before the vertical goes into an uncontrollable roll.

I was extremely lucky on my working one. Cabinet is kinda beat up a little but the chassis is like new and has very little use judging by the 1961 dated strong original crt and almost all original Zenith tubes(all tested good) except for the damper tube which is an RCA tube.It had no evidence whatsoever of under chassis work also.

[holmesuser01]

The 3DG4 comments made me think. I bought a load of tubes from an old TV shop around 1980. I got several 3DG4's, but never saw a set that used them. I probably still have them in a box in the basement, as everything from the shop wound up there.

Back on topic: I drove from Asheville NC to Nashville TN to pick up a Crosley 402 (I think) chassis, that just happened to have a rebuilt CRT on it, that the seller never mentioned in our emails. I could not have been happier! The CRT is vastly better than mine is.

[kx250rider]

Originally Posted by holmesuser01

The 3DG4 comments made me think. I bought a load of tubes from an old TV shop around 1980. I got several 3DG4's, but never saw a set that used them. I probably still have them in a box in the basement, as everything from the shop wound up there.

I have very VERY few of them, and they're a little costly to get since they were also used in some of the high-collectable audio gear. It's a high-current capable tube. I won't sell any, and I know they go for $$$$$$ on e-___y. Anyone who has or hopes to get a 29JC20, should try to have a few on hand.

Charles

[dieseljeep]

Zenith used that rectifier tube in several models of black & white sets in the early 60's.

[andy]

...

[marty59]

Originally Posted by andy

Based on recent ebay listings, it looks like they're not going for much any more:

http://cgi.ebay.com/3DG4-NOS-4-vacuu...item4cf6c38181

Antique Electronic Supply has them listed for a dollar each! (as of today).

[kx250rider]

Originally Posted by marty59

Antique Electronic Supply has them listed for a dollar each! (as of today).

Indeed! It looks like they must have come out of the woodwork, or it was a fad that has passed over, among the hi-fi people in the 90s or early 2000s. Tubes get hot & cold on eBay. I remember when 6SN7s were 10 cents, and saw some brands go to $200 each (Telefunken), and now they're down again because everybody saw those prices and fished them out of storage.

Charles

[Findm-Keepm]

Originally Posted by kx250rider

Indeed! Tubes get hot & cold on eBay. I remember when 6SN7s were 10 cents, and saw some brands go to $200 each (Telefunken), and now they're down again because everybody saw those prices and fished them out of storage.

Charles

Same with vintage transistors. I sold a pair of new CK722's to a guy in S. Korea for just under 200 dollars in 1999, and now they can be had for under 20 bucks each. The only ones going for the bux now are the old Western Electric stuff, again to the foreign buyers.

With tubes, it's always a crap shoot. I used to list some "desireable types" on ebay about 10 years ago, and got mixed results. Mullard tubes, I got top dollar, but the Amperex, couldn't sell. Listed the same Amperex with the TV-7D/U test results, and got top dollar. A week later, I couldn't sell anything, but the same tubes by other sellers were hot - they had their (often bogus) "Hickok" test results. I got out quick - too much hype, little gain, and by that time I had already made enough for a Key West vacation.

Originally Posted by bgadow

I don't go over the bridge just for fun, though, due to the $$$.

I don't blame you - not much non-commercial stuff to do down here, lest you wanna go see or hear some artsy-fartsy stuff. The occassional concert, but DC/Baltimore seems closer for you.

Cheers,

[bgadow]

I sure don't see anything wrong with that drive...heck, I've driven that far many, many times just for something to do-no TV stuff involved! Every couple years we will drive down as far as Cape Charles, just to see if it's still there, I guess! I don't go over the bridge just for fun, though, due to the $$$.

I'm glad rld drove to St.Michaels for that 630-he told me about the seller and we have become friends. I ended up getting my own 630 from him, along with lots of other goodies, usually via horse trading for audio stuff I find.