21FJP22 Availability
 

Hey Everyone! My name is Joe. I've been good friends with forum regulars like David Sica and John Tyminski for years, but I;m finally starting to get into the game. I'm here on this forum because I want to get myself a round tube color set and I'm going to need some advice moving forward. Firt off, I have an opportunity at a free RCA CTC-16 set. It looks really nice, but it has a bad cataract, and the current owner says that there's something wrong with "the long part of the tube." I'm going to assume the worst and guess that it's been necked. Is it worth picking up this set for free and then finding and buying a 21FJP22 to de-cataract and install in it? This would be the first color set I'd be working on. One of my friend's who is on this forum has insisted to me that if I want a round color set, I'm wasting my time unless I get a CTC-10 or earlier and anything newer is not worth my time, whereas another is telling me to go for it, since, if I screw something up, its no big loss.
If I can get the complete chassis for free, how much would I be likely to spend on a rebuild-able 21FJP22?

Thanks
Joe

Depends what you want to do with it, really. Personally I find the CTC-11 the easiest and most serviceable of the early color RCAs....they don't have crammed chassis and jumper issues like the 15 and up, and picture tubes are much more available.

A 16 isn't a bad set though, especially for free!! Since nobody's rebuilding FJPs right now, your best bet is to test that one and see if it just needs cataract surgery (common) or if you need a replacement tube. Good testing FJPs were selling at the ETF Museum for around $150 IIRC.

You can probably use a 21fbp22 with the front safety glass using double face tape to hold the safety glass to the face of the tube.

A 16 isn't a waste of time, they are good performers when tuned up right just like any of them. If it's free you really have nothing to lose, but it would help if we knew where you are located.

If you have the opportunity, open the HV cage and take a whiff for any sign of scorching. Those were notorious for eating flybacks. "The nose knows". Also check the degauss thermistor to see if its leads have become loose (almost universally the case).

The Gorgeous Garden Stare

I've got a couple of good 21FJP22s but pickup would need to be arranged.

You're real close to joe, did you wind up with some of his sets?

I got my GE Concierge Set from a Joe

He was 'technicolor' on here for a bit, but doesn't post anymore.