Found a CTC5 Aldrich (sorta)

[ohohyodafarted]

So, on my way home from the estate sale where I got the Moto 19CK1, I stopped in Mundeline north of Chicago and picked up 3 more sets. I was mostly interested in a CTC5 Aldrich the seller had. Paid $200 for the lot. The other 2 sets are crummy B&W that I have no interest in.

The cabinet is a 5 to 6 on the 10 scale. Top is pretty good but the panel under the pencil box has some of the faux finish pealing off.

I was mostly interest in the possibility of getting a good 21AXP22. So I removed the back and much to my surprise some hack had installed a 21CYP22 in place of the 21AX. Well this totally sucks! So I get the Beltron out and test the thing. The 21CY tests great! see photos below. So I figure what the heck, I don't like this set anyhow, I may as well plug it in and see what it does. And in any event I am so disapointed I don;t give a rats ass if the thing goes up in smoke. Much to my surprise it gets a raster We have H and V and HV too. WooHooo!.

Don't know what I am going to do with it. I already have a nice 21CY in my spare crt inventory and I don't need another one. Maybe I part it out and put the crt on epay or if someone whats the whole thing, I would be happy to sell it to recoup my cost of acquisition ($200) PM me if you have an interest in taking this off my hands.

[Jon F]

PM sent your way!

[ohohyodafarted]

The CT5 Aldrich is sold to a local collector.

[BigDavesTV]

Thanks for sharing the pictures, didn't mean to rush you :-) Nice Aldrich, the 21CYP turning out good, really made it a nice buy!

[miniman82]

So since it has a glass tube, did they use the conversion kit to install it or does it look home brew?

[jstout66]

I doubt it was a home brew.....
A shop in that era would have replaced a 21AX with a 21CY as it was thought the 21CY was a better tube, or maybe a 21AX wasn't available or cost prohibitive.
We were picky and didn't like to sub tubes, but it WAS common practice.
And really.... would the stupid "Wizard of Oz" shot that everyone seems to post look that different on a 21CY?

[andy]

...

[ohohyodafarted]

Originally Posted by miniman82

So since it has a glass tube, did they use the conversion kit to install it or does it look home brew?

Not sure Nick. It has a genuine 21CY metal shroud and some clips that hold the crt in place that do not look home brew, so I would guess it is a factory conversion kit. I don't know why a dealer would change the crt type back in the day. Plenty of 21AX new and rebuilt crt's were available back then. So there was no rational reason to upgrade to the all glass CY tube. In any event I already have a buyer for this bastardized set and it will be leaving my stable on Thursday.

I got a good 10BP4 and a GE 17BP4 that is like new out of the other sets in the lot with the CTC5. The 17BP4 tests 1000 on my B&K crt tester. It is a newer aluminized version with the straight gun. Both crt's are now in my crt hoard.

[Sandy G]

Ahh HATE Yew...-Yosemite Sam, Esq. (grin)

[Steve D.]

Originally Posted by miniman82

So since it has a glass tube, did they use the conversion kit to install it or does it look home brew?

Here's my CTC-5 Wingate w/a 21FBP22A installed w/an RCA factory conversion kit.

-Steve D.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Steve D.

Here's my CTC-5 Wingate w/a 21FBP22A installed w/an RCA factory conversion kit.

-Steve D.

I looks like the job was done by the RCA service co.
The small sticker, next to the Colorama label, shows that they changed it.

[Steve D.]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

I looks like the job was done by the RCA service co.
The small sticker, next to the Colorama label, shows that they changed it.

dieseljeep,

I believe you're right. Here's a close up of that sticker.

-Steve D.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by jstout66

I doubt it was a home brew.....
A shop in that era would have replaced a 21AX with a 21CY as it was thought the 21CY was a better tube, or maybe a 21AX wasn't available or cost prohibitive.
We were picky and didn't like to sub tubes, but it WAS common practice.
And really.... would the stupid "Wizard of Oz" shot that everyone seems to post look that different on a 21CY?

I remember seeing one of the price lists, where the 21AXP22, was like $220 VS the 21CYP22, priced at $150. I don't think the conversion kit was any more than $10 or $15, at the time.
Maybe, the original went to air, that early.
The technician probably told them, it was a better way to go.

[Telecruiser]

I suspect he real reason it was changed is the insulator used for the metal tube had a very bad habit of breaking down and would start arcing at some very inconvenient time. My parents had an early RCA color set with a metal tube. It was a regular occurrence that it would start arcing on Friday night, making the set useless for the weekend. On Monday, RCA Service was called and on Tuesday or Wednesday, the service tech would arrive. As a kid, I got on a first name basis with him. He came that often. He'd change the insulator and all would be OK for a couple of months, then the problem would return. Eventually, they changed the CRT for a new all glass version. After that, we had very few problems with the set.

[rca2000]

A question--would it be possible--to get shocked THROUGH the insulator shield on the AXP tube?

I ask this--because a guy I once knew--who messed a bit with tv sets (but never really got "all into" it) --once told me he got shocked on a metal color tube in an RCA set--by simply touching the plastic tube SHIELD. I did not really believe him at the time. Was he likely telling the truth? he is long dead--can't ask him now.