View Full Version : new ctc 16 combo "the Versaille"


bgk283
06-26-2013, 02:33 PM
Hey, just picked this up off craigslist for $150, couldn't pass it up, I went with my CRT tester the other day and its a new RCA service tube from 1981 that tests new. After some preliminary adjustments,this is what ive got. Unbelievably, after I put a deposit down on this thing, some low life dirtbag tried to buy it out from under me by offering more money but there are still some people out there with integrity. If its a fellow collector, I think you know the two words.

sampson159
06-26-2013, 03:36 PM
that crt looks nice and bright.fleshtones are great!beautiful set and i am happy for you.how many combos do you have now?

consoleguy67
06-26-2013, 04:04 PM
Beautiful set, Bruce. Best of luck with it!

DaveWM
06-26-2013, 04:32 PM
You did it right, no promising the seller that you will be back bla bla blaa but rather give a deposit. I assume the seller let the other person that was interested know this, and if the fish tanker or whatever still offered to buy it would have been a real no no. Good on the seller, bad on the buyer for trying to nullify the deal after a deposit had been placed.

Pic looks great, good karma is shinning on you.

bgk283
06-26-2013, 06:05 PM
Youre right Dave, in my almost 50 years on earth ive seen the universe sort of correct itself with people that behave in certain ways ,as a result I have no ill will, besides the enjoyment that comes with playing with these things and getting to know some good people are what this is all about for me,I thnk I am full though, this started out innocently with fixing up my folks set, I have enough parts etc to keep what I have going for a long time, to Ron: this is 3 working combos now, a 16 smaller cabinet one that followed me home and the painstaking ctc4 Seville resto, thanks for all the good wishes.

radio63
06-26-2013, 06:44 PM
Looks like you got the original paperwork as well? Great find! Happy you got it and saved it from being destroyed!

Gilbert

hi_volt
06-27-2013, 07:47 AM
Great find! Love the combo sets. The only problem is space.....

rcaman
06-27-2013, 10:21 PM
hey i believe that set might just work. great score. steve

bgk283
06-28-2013, 09:54 AM
the tv section needs alittle work, with the exception of a few things being out of tolerance, and a horizontal centering pot being alittle iffy, with a convergence set up I should have a pretty good performer, These people mustve smoked like there was no tomorrow, I could've been like the Long Island medium, I could have asked, did your parents die of breathing difficulties? and tell them that wherever they are their 10 cats are also with them.

bgk283
06-28-2013, 04:27 PM
swapped out the 1v2 and 6Lq6 for a 6MJ6 cleaned some pots and the tuner and tube sockets in the chroma board and vertical, I then proceeded to do a quick convergence adjustment and I am pretty satisfied with the results for now until I find a spot in the house for it.

ChrisW6ATV
06-29-2013, 12:02 AM
Nice find! I have that same model here.

BigDavesTV
07-16-2013, 01:28 PM
Great score, a beautiful RCA combo, and really, really nice COLOR! :-) Thanks for posting pictures!

wkand
07-16-2013, 02:03 PM
When you say it was an RCA service tube, does that mean HiLite (All New) or Colorama (Rebuilt)?
OR, did RCA quit using those old designations by 1981?

Also what's the stereo and turntable like? Do they work? I know you've been focused (no pun intended ) on the TV portion of your set.

Really, really NICE!

stromberg6
07-16-2013, 05:31 PM
Happy for you!! Great pics! Glad another has been saved from destruction. :yes:

dieseljeep
07-16-2013, 05:56 PM
When you say it was an RCA service tube, does that mean HiLite (All New) or Colorama (Rebuilt)?
OR, did RCA quit using those old designations by 1981?

Also what's the stereo and turntable like? Do they work? I know you've been focused (no pun intended ) on the TV portion of your set.

Really, really NICE!
IIRC, RCA was buying rebuilt CRT's from independent rebuilders and labeling them RCA Service Co.
When the sets under contract were getting older, they were more of a risk to cover. I know they milked the CRT's until they weren't able to produce a passable picture and were hoping that owners would buy a newer set or wouldn't renew the contract. :nono:

bgk283
07-17-2013, 07:48 AM
When you say it was an RCA service tube, does that mean HiLite (All New) or Colorama (Rebuilt)?
OR, did RCA quit using those old designations by 1981?

Also what's the stereo and turntable like? Do they work? I know you've been focused (no pun intended ) on the TV portion of your set.

Really, really NICE!

I think, if im not mistaken, these CRTs were from other places with an RCA label slapped on them, its not a bad tube, but doesn't look as good as a Sylvania re-85, which,i think, look the best. As for the stereo, I put new caps in, looked promising at one point, had some sound,now back to low output on both channels. Some germanium transistors in there so it will be a bit of a project. Problem is I order parts as I need them so when something else goes wrong I am stuck til the new parts arrive.

bgk283
09-25-2013, 06:18 PM
Hi all, took alittle sabbatical from VK, just wanted to update this set I picked up a couple of months ago. The pictures I took today don't really do it justice, it came out real nice, replaced a vdr in the vertical, acouple power supply caps and after I re-installed it the horizontal centering pot started smoking, put a new one in, thanks Dave, and also replaced the on/off pot, alittle tricky on a combo because of a speaker switch. The end result was this. The stereo seems to have gotten alot of use in its lifetime, I replaced all of the electrolytics in it except for two 10mfd coupling caps that ended up being the problem, some kind of Murphys law, now I am going to build a den/library in my basement so I can justify another TV in the house. Cheers, thanks to the guys that were helpful and encouraging here, Bruce

DaveWM
09-25-2013, 07:48 PM
looking good :thmbsp:

stromberg6
09-25-2013, 08:22 PM
Really happy for your find! Pics look great, and the amp looks rather simple, and easy to work on, but with decent power output. :thmbsp:
All the best with it!!
Kevin