We're talking Holy Grail here... - Page 2 - Videokarma.org TV - Video

Phil Nelson · #16 11-02-2009, 12:54 PM

It is relisted with a BIN of $10K.

Phil

Sandy G · #17 11-02-2009, 02:02 PM

I'd happily sell my R-389 for that, or my 1935 RCA AR-60 either one...The AR-60, there are like a dozen known examples of it. It was $495 in '35, when a new Ford V-8 could be had for $650... The R-389 is almost that rare, maybe 700 made 1954-55, there are couple hundred, maybe, left... Or the R-391, an Autotune version of an R-390. 1200 made early '50s, maybe 50% survival rate...SX-88s ain't the ONLY "THAT rare" sets... Even my EK-07, there were only 1000 or so made 1958-73 for the West German Army, there are likely only 3-4 dozen on this side of the pond...

Rusty34 · #18 12-31-2012, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil Nelson

http://antiqueradio.org/dumpster.htm

I got mine over a dozen years ago. Fine receiver, but honestly not the mystical, magical treasure that some folks make out. I can't imagine paying today's cult prices for one.

I also have an SX-28 and SX-42, which cost almost nothing compared to this guy's reserve. If you blindfolded these bidders and sat them down in front of all three radios for a Pepsi Challenge, I wonder what the results would be.

I have mixed feelings about this dude's scorched-earth re-manufacturing style of restoration, but perhaps that's another topic.

Phil Nelson

Not so fast with the "perhaps another topic" brush-off Phil and no offense intended but,
what qualifies you to criticize someone else's restoration work when your own attempt at restoring an SX-88 involves replacing the easy to get to capacitors and passing on the hard ones? Your own words state that you hoped the capacitors which involved too much work to get to were still OK and IMO the miniature yellow Chinese polys would look more at home in a much smaller chassis. While your SX-88 is certainly good, still it does not compare with the one you are criticizing and you are supposing you are ready for a Pepsi Challenge with 50 year old capacitors in one IF stage, two RF stages and the mixer?

The receiver you are criticizing did sell for $10K. The eBay auction resulted in an off-site transaction afterwards where the seller adjusted his selling price to $10K plus shipping cost minus what the final value and PayPal fees would have been. Buyer mailed a cashiers check and the equipment was shipped successfully to Seattle. Two weeks later buyer sent a thank you message and was very pleased with his purchase.

Is there a note of professional jealousy in your remarks above? Perhaps even a little envy over the $10K selling price? Or is it because this was the fourth SX-88 to sell at that level so far? Or is it the Internet pictures showing the quality of workmanship which requires 100s of hours to achieve.

Below is a link to receiver test results for The Hallicrafters SX-88. Note that these results only apply when the receiver is fully restored electrically and properly aligned.

http://www.w1vd.com/HallicraftersSX-88.html

Einar72 · #19 01-01-2013, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty34

Not so fast with the "perhaps another topic" brush-off Phil and no offense intended but,
what qualifies you to criticize someone else's restoration work when your own attempt at restoring an SX-88 involves replacing the easy to get to capacitors and passing on the hard ones? Your own words state that you hoped the capacitors which involved too much work to get to were still OK and IMO the miniature yellow Chinese polys would look more at home in a much smaller chassis. While your SX-88 is certainly good, still it does not compare with the one you are criticizing and you are supposing you are ready for a Pepsi Challenge with 50 year old capacitors in one IF stage, two RF stages and the mixer?

The receiver you are criticizing did sell for $10K. The eBay auction resulted in an off-site transaction afterwards where the seller adjusted his selling price to $10K plus shipping cost minus what the final value and PayPal fees would have been. Buyer mailed a cashiers check and the equipment was shipped successfully to Seattle. Two weeks later buyer sent a thank you message and was very pleased with his purchase.

Is there a note of professional jealousy in your remarks above? Perhaps even a little envy over the $10K selling price? Or is it because this was the fourth SX-88 to sell at that level so far? Or is it the Internet pictures showing the quality of workmanship which requires 100s of hours to achieve.

Below is a link to receiver test results for The Hallicrafters SX-88. Note that these results only apply when the receiver is fully restored electrically and properly aligned.

http://www.w1vd.com/HallicraftersSX-88.html

Wow. How does a three-year-old thread get so many bees under just one bonnet? No offense, OM, but I thinkst thou dost protest a bit much. Unfortunately, I didn't see the eBay listing for the device, so I can't comment on the workmanship in question, but I get the feeling something hit pretty close to home here.

10 Large is a lot of dough for most people who participate in this forum, so a bit of sarcasm is to be expected. Not all of us can cough that up on a whim. It's nice that someone out this way had that amount available, be it wages from Boeing, MS, BT, Powerball, Sonic the Hedgefund or National Bank of Daddy. Truly a Sport of Kings at that price.

Alright, now for the sore spot. Much of the resto work on these threads show skill, ingenuity and pride. Phil's restorations in particular are something to behold. All his restos are meticulously documented on the website as well. If you're willing to post pix, I'll offer an honest opinion, tech-to-tech. I began soldering in '63, and in 2013 will still be putting flying 0402 parts down in a hurry to support a developer in a rush for results. QFN anyone?

Lastly, I chide everyone here about buying foreign no-name parts, but many on here are on a budget, or haven't the burning desire to keep their restos true to bill-of-materials. I just keep that little stars and stripes thingie in my heart as I tell vendors to keep their offshore stuff where the sun don't shine as often as practical.

bob91343 · #20 01-02-2013, 12:59 AM

I won't put down anyone who restores radios for nostalgia reasons. But I don't think an SX-88 is a great receiver. If you want to listen to short wave, there are much better ways to go. Yet there certainly is charm in playing with an old radio.

You can take any modern transceiver and it will outshine the SX-88 in every way except the joy of older stuff. My Kenwood transceivers have better sensitivity, selectivity, stability, calibration, and whatever else you want to measure. But the lovely dials and pilot lamps and big panels of the old stuff is worth a lot for sure. Well, maybe the audio power output and AM listening quality isn't as good but that's usually minor.

I see the handwriting on the wall, that even AM radio will go digital and the old radios won't work on the BC band any more. That won't happen for a while, but sooner or later I do believe it will. And foreign broadcast seems to be much less than it was. I don't hear HCJB any more but maybe I am not listening right.

Rusty34 · #21 01-02-2013, 05:23 AM

Rusty34 · #22 01-05-2013, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob91343

I won't put down anyone who restores radios for nostalgia reasons. But I don't think an SX-88 is a great receiver....

Have you had the chance to operate one which has been completely restored lately to know if that is true or not? Only a very few have, besides all the original owners.

WISCOJIM · #23 01-07-2013, 10:51 AM

Joe Walsh (from The Eagles) bought one of these on eBay for $10,000 all the way back in 2003. I wonder what condition his was in?