Rca trk-12

[bgadow]

Wow, 2011 and finds like this are still turning up! This is a real dream find.

I think the best value might be in selling it pretty much as-is, maybe just a gentle cleaning, and a test of the crt. It wouldn't take much of a crt tester for what you need to find out. I don't know personally if these used the same pinout as the postwar sets, but somebody here does. In all cases I know of, the filament pins were located on either side of the keyway. I sure didn't know these were 2.5v-that would have been my expensive mistake!

I've often thought that if I stumbled upon a CT-100, I would go straight to ebay with it. But if I found a TRK-12? I think I would have to hold onto it, if I could at all afford it. Now, if you don't have a big interest in old TV...sell, sell, sell! I wouldn't monkey with it much. This is the kind of set which, when being recapped, should be very carefully restuffed. Most of us on Videokarma will never have a remote chance of owning one of these, and will never see one outside of a museum.

[relaximus]

Well, to be perfectly honest, I really have no interest in hanging onto it if I'm able to get it. It's really just too far outside the orb of my interests. And no, that doesn't mean that I'm offering it for sale here. I assume the rules here are the same as at AudioKarma. Besides, it's not even mine yet. But, due to the generous offering of information given by the VideoKarma membership, it is now my full-time job to get that piece into my possession. Who knows, if I can get it, I might just be able to fulfill my dream of owning a Fisher President console!

Dave

[Steve McVoy]

The value of these sets has stayed pretty much the same for 10 years. Because they are relatively common (for a prewar set) I don't expect they will go up as much as the really rare sets. I would put the set on Ebay with a reserve.

[tubesrule]

Originally Posted by relaximus

Thanks Darryl! Just how tight are those connections likely to be? I would imagine that there's going to be a fair bit of oxidation happening there. Is Deoxit of any value here to try and loosen the connections?

Dave

The socket should pull off easily. Just make sure to hold the crt base as you pull the socket so you don't stress the leads if the base is loose. As Chuck mentioned the biggest issue is with the HV lead. These tend to be very tight on their own, and can be corroded making things worse. If the button is stuck to the HV socket, you run the risk of breaking the lead off in the crt, or at the worst, cracking the glass in that area and ruining the tube. I have had these anywhere from very loose to extremely tight. It shouldn't scare you off, just be as careful as possible when removing that lead.

Originally Posted by relaximus

You wouldn't happen to have the pin configuration for this thing would ya?

Dave

The 12AP4 uses an early 6 pin base with no key, just two large pins and four small ones. The filament is on pins 1 and 6 which are the large pins.

Darryl

[relaximus]

Originally Posted by Sandy G

Wow.....Like findin' a Duesenberg in a locked, dry shed....I'm in awe...

Well, other than getting a Fisher President, a '66 (or so) Lincoln convertible would be kinda cool to have.

Dave

[relaximus]

Originally Posted by tubesrule

... The 12AP4 uses an early 6 pin base with no key, just two large pins and four small ones. The filament is on pins 1 and 6 which are the large pins.

Thanks again Darryl! That's what I needed to know.

Dave

[Phil Nelson]

Originally Posted by bgadow

I think the best value might be in selling it pretty much as-is, maybe just a gentle cleaning, and a test of the crt.

I would list it on eBay very much as-is. You will get more if the CRT has been tested and confirmed good. That's all I would do, apart from brushing off the dust.

Your market is a very small number of extremely finicky people, possibly including a museum or two. More than likely, they would prefer to do everything themselves -- including cleaning -- to ensure it's done their way.

Whatever you do, don't put Pledge or any other product containing silicone on the cabinet. Silicone oil contamination can create awful problems if someone later decides to refinish the cabinet.

Phil Nelson

[kx250rider]

If you do put it on eBay, I might suggest two tips: If you don't have a fairly long seller history, you might want to have a friend list it for you, who does have a long history and preferably with big-ticket items. Also, you might want to make a reference to this discussion thread in the listing, so that non-AK members who haven't read this thread, will see several comments by some very well-respected TV historians. There have been quite a few fakes on eBay, and that can be a big factor in people not bidding; especially if they're overseas. There are several TV collectors overseas with whom I've traded large sets, and they have a network of shippers here in the USA, and it's not a big deal to accept a winning bid from those collectors. At least one of them is on AK.

Charles

[relaximus]

Well, I've been an ebay member since Feb. 2000 with feedback score of 364, 100% positive, with 45 being as a seller. I've never sold anything for over $1000, but have several sales in the $300-$600 range with nothing but glowing praise in my feedback.

Originally Posted by kx250rider

... There are several TV collectors overseas with whom I've traded large sets, and they have a network of shippers here in the USA, and it's not a big deal to accept a winning bid from those collectors. At least one of them is on AK.

And what's involved in preparing one of these for shipment overseas or do their shippers take care of it?

Dave

[relaximus]

Just how does one test a CRT? Is this something I could do myself or is it best to haul it (the CRT) to a repair shop for testing? A quick Google search turned up nothing in the way of vintage TV restoration shops in CT.

Dave

[miniman82]

Testing a CRT requires a special CRT tester, you'd need to find someone near by that has one.

[Steve McVoy]

Testing the tube in that set requires more than just a standard tester. You will need someone who knows what they are doing, with clip leads to connect the tube to the tester. I can see if there is a collector near you who could test it for you if you like.

[relaximus]

Originally Posted by Steve McVoy

... I can see if there is a collector near you who could test it for you if you like.

Thank you again Steve. If this ever comes to fruition, I will take you up on that kind offer.

Dave

[ChrisW6ATV]

Originally Posted by relaximus

And what's involved in preparing one of these for shipment overseas or do their shippers take care of it?

Dave

Whether it is shipped overseas or within the USA, the shipper would handle all of the details as directed by the buyer. You would only have to agree in your Ebay listing to cooperate with the buyer's shipping arrangements (as in, you will answer your door when they arrive, and let them into your garage ), after payment is received, of course. I have done this and had no problems.

Your personal Ebay experience as described is fine for this item.

[relaximus]

Originally Posted by ChuckA

Anybody else notice the missing decals on the TV control side board? Also it looks like the board is mahogany rather than the tight grained walnut normally used, possibly replaced when tuner mod happened.
With all the dust can't tell if the radio side board has labels.

Well, as I haven't been able to catch up with the lady that's been living there, I got in touch with the owners of the house (she was renting, as the owners were xfered to France). The owners tell me that she is supposed to be out by the end of the month and if the TV is still there in July, it's mine for the taking. I took a stroll down this evening to check on it and it's still there. I can say that the decals on the Radio side are still there, yet very dark as though they were stained over. I was able to make-out the the word "Victrola" around one of the radio's selector knobs. The tuning indicator (needle) for the radio still moves in response to the knob! The panel on the TV side is indeed quite thin. Perhaps 1/8". The TV tuner reminds me a bit of a KLH 21 radio tuner in that the tuning knob turns at (perhaps) a 3 or 4 to 1 ratio in relationship to the tuning indicator (needle).

Dave