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I can't begin to remember how many people that have said "leave your number and we'll call you" only to never hear a word from them. That's the polite way of saying "get the h-ll out of here and leave me the f--k alone." I asked a person in a high up position at one of our local charity thrift stores to please call me if anything old came in because I'd be interested in buying it. He told me real fast that he wouldn't call me because they didn't have time to waste setting non working junk to the side for someone and that anything old that didn't work would go to the trash. He said the only chance I might have was to drop by everyday and if something happened to be there, we could deal. Needless to say, I didn't like his smart@$$ attitude and I have not been back since. I mean, what is it with these places? They are always begging for stuff to sell and $$ donations; yet, I offer to buy their non working / vintage stuff and they don't want to be bothered. They'd rather throw it out! Now, if they had been nice and called me about some stuff, they could have made some $$ on some stuff that would have otherwise been trashed and maybe gotten some free stuff from me along the way! I guess they've never heard "one man's junk is another man's treasure."

I have had this same issue up here in Placerville with a thrift store called Snowline hospice. They are rude, very frank and tell me the same thing, I have reiterated that these vintage tv's they get in from time to time are for collectors and will not be disposed incorectly, they told me to get lost! Un****ing believable! What exavtly is it going to take for these people to realize that they dont treat people this way! Im from Michigan and I have never in my life seen more rudeness and harshness towards people and ill temperedness anywhere else ever than here! God it just makes me wanna strangle someone!!!

There's a recycling center here with that I've had similar experiences with. They are attached to a dump. The idea being that people come in with their loads of rubbish and the staff seperate out anything that they think is worth saving for resale or scrap value. On several occasions I got in trouble with some of the staff for dragging stuff out of the bins, or going through piles of stuff they hadn't sorted through yet. For a while I had a good relationship going with some of the staff and they'd let me get away with it. The turnover was pretty high though and eventually they all left (I think it operates as some kind of training program for long term unemployed and peolple with disabilities, once someone is good enough for a "normal" job they move on).

I stopped going for a while after I got into a big argument with some of the new staff.

I went back for the first time in ages a while back and the staff had all changed again. The new staff seemed reasonable, but they were sticking to the rules. There wasn't really much left there except for overpriced used furniture and garden/building materials. I thought of making an offer to take "everything" TV/electronic/audio that they got in, but I don't really have the space and I doubt they get enough good stuff to make up for all the crap.

I used to get some interesting stuff there, but it just isn't worth the effort anymore.

Blame occupational health and safety regulations and law suites for this kind of crap. In the old days I used to be able to roam freely around scrap yards and pick out what I wanted and pay per kilogram at the gate. I tore up my clothes and sometimes my arms reaching into piles of metal to drag something out, but I never complained about it. I took the risk and was my own fault, but I guess others didn't see it this way.

I seems that a lot of places don't want to deal with any secondhand electronics anymore due to potential liability issues. I've seen a couple of them close down shortly after making this decision. I used to see several other regulars when I'd make my rounds going to the some places sometimes daily buying up all the electronics/computer/audio gear they could find. We'd usually pick through the vinyl and other stuff while we were there, but it isn't worth going for that stuff alone. I did notice that some of these places raised the prices on their other stock after they stopped accepting electronics/computers, so they obviously noticed a down turn in sales, but it wasn't enough for them to reconsider.

I used to go to that place when I lived in Berkeley and had just started collecting TVs (2000-02). That 25" 1967 Zenith color console I sold to jpdylon a few months ago originally came from there. http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=133742&highlight=zenith It sounds like they changed quite a bit, I remember there being lots of non-working electronics for sale radios, console radios, and quite a few old sets. The problem they had back then is that they were always asking too much for their older stuff, 60s and 70s stuff was reasonably priced, but 50s and earlier stuff was way too high, $100+ for plain ordinary mid-50s 21" b/w consoles. Although what I used to do is just let some stuff sit there for a month or so, after stuff had been there for more than a month I could usually talk them down on the price. A few years ago when I was in Berkeley I went there and it looked like they had closed down, the building it was in looked abandoned. I had assumed the place was gone, maybe it has since opened up under new management?

On dumpsters: It's now considered a "crime" around here to "dumpster dive." A friend of mine got very mad because a deputy ran him out of a dumpster. He said "they need to be out catching real criminals instead of worrying about me fishing something out of the garbage to sell." The reason for all of this is to prevent lawsuits by people "getting hurt" while fishing out garbage. My take on all that is "enter at your own risk." Of course, there is still plenty of "dumpster diving." If I see something I want beside a dumpster, I'm getting it unless someone of authroity stops me!

On a positive note, there was one church run thrift store in town that was run by a nice lady that actually tried to help me find old stuff. They actually gave me a beat up German stereo once. I would drop in and buy some things from them and I have given them some things. The only problem is that they went "belly up" without warning. Why is it that the good one's fold?

The least these ahole stores could do is not destroy something before trashing it. I guess they have the attitude that if "they can't sell it, then no one else is going to get any use out of it for free."

The State of California government has a program that gives big bucks (our tax money) to companies in order to crush TVs and "get the hazardous waste out of the hands of the public". That's a true greenie lefty liberal lunatic feel-good law that was foisted on us about 4 years ago. Same time they passed the law that sends you to jail of you throw anything in the trash with motor oil on it, and mandates that your car be seized and crushed (at your expense) if you knowingly allow your car's emissions system to be messed with.

Charles

I can relate to the stories you guys have been posting . Here in NJ, THE attitudes you get are kinda the same . Nasty and snotty .

Back in the late eighties and early nineties , i use to find a lot of vintage tvs at thrift stores or the salvation army and actually they were fairly priced . However now days its rare to ever see one there . I think its becuase these places have limited space and they feel these old sets dont work and are not worth their time and effort . I usually get a puzzled look when i ask for vintage tvs .Usually when i ask the director at the salvation army about tube tvs, she said that those old tvs are too big and they have nobody that wants them. I expressed a interest but they declined becuase they feel its more of a hassle to pick it up and hold it and hope i come for it . The places that i do see tvs at once in a while are antique stores or flea markets, however usually the stuff is so over priced at antique stores that it aint worth what they are asking for it . I actually see tvs in the antique stores that need total electronic restoration and the people want more then what the tv would sell for it it was perfectly restored . Basically i think the best place to find old tvs is yard sales or estate sales, providing you get there early, otherwise the ebay hawks buy everything and shove it on ebay . Kinda funney to see how these ebay/antique dealers buy stuff and just load it on ebay and really have no clue on exactly what they have or its working condition . It kinda takes the fun out of finding good old tvs . I find them here or there , but not like i did 15 or 2 years ago . I guess you just have to be in the right place at the right time .

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Very much agreed! This state sucks!

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I know the feeling, it's just as bad here, it is a beautiful area and lots of culture and great history, too many people take for granted, not to gloat, but i am for one of those people that let people pull out into traffic and say hi to the neighbors, (although I get a smug grunt in return). Oh well, just seems to be the concesus of the mind here, and for that it's too bad that buisness owners won't take the time to pull thier heads from thier *** to understand the beauty of vintage electronics and the collectors that would be restoring them and not throwing it into some field or stream! Mostly it seems that these such companies are owned by young ontrapuneurs that dont have a clue what they are taking in and have no care for the history and the keepsake factors involved, (just recycle it) in the head of these people! Berkeley must be the worst due to the "green" feeling I get when im there. But even though this may never change and it will probably get worse, (and I dont like to think this way). The more our sets will be not only worth in some timeline but the ownership pride too! Kinda like a 57 Corvette.

I think there was a topic here on AK a few months ago with a color roundie TV at that Urban Ore store, high priced. Did you see that one (or start it), Andy?

I am another non-native Northern Californian who likes this area but misses Midwest people at times, too.

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The EPA "green" disposal laws, and the ones that state governments enact, are destroying more vintage electronics and creating more pollution than they were intended to prevent.

To be honest, I'm sick of all of this "Green" BS, especially recycling.
Metal is the only material that is not a net energy and monetary loss to recycle. Paper, Cardboard, and Plastic consume more fossil fuels and create more pollution when recycled than it takes to make new, virgin products. If it wasn't for government subsidies and EPA mandates, I doubt we'd do it at all.

On dumpsters: It's now considered a "crime" around here to "dumpster dive." A friend of mine got very mad because a deputy ran him out of a dumpster. He said "they need to be out catching real criminals instead of worrying about me fishing something out of the garbage to sell." The reason for all of this is to prevent lawsuits by people "getting hurt" while fishing out garbage. My take on all that is "enter at your own risk." Of course, there is still plenty of "dumpster diving." If I see something I want beside a dumpster, I'm getting it unless someone of authroity stops me!

On a positive note, there was one church run thrift store in town that was run by a nice lady that actually tried to help me find old stuff. They actually gave me a beat up German stereo once. I would drop in and buy some things from them and I have given them some things. The only problem is that they went "belly up" without warning. Why is it that the good one's fold?

The least these ahole stores could do is not destroy something before trashing it. I guess they have the attitude that if "they can't sell it, then no one else is going to get any use out of it for free."

Yeah, I dunno what the laws here in PA are for "dumpster diving" but my grade school buddy and I do it every so often, On one of his trips, a video rental store was closing and tossed thousands of DVD movies in the dumpster, my buddy snagged them all and gave me a few hundred dupes he has. Myself, I came up with a console stereo CD player, a GE model, made in May of 1984. Plays perfectly, the only thing wrong, the disc tray does not eject, all that is needed is a new belt or a rubber band will do and she is fine. I have an old Panasonic RA-6500 (the one with the cassette) I'll hook it up to or if I get more components, I'll use my JVC JIL-S100 instead.

I'm not an obsessive "greenie" in which I believe in the religion of global warming, we all should drive Prius'es, and banning regular light bulbs, that is way too far, but I do think we are such a wasteful society and I think everything from the environment to our history and heritage suffers for it.

The State of California government has a program that gives big bucks (our tax money) to companies in order to crush TVs and "get the hazardous waste out of the hands of the public". That's a true greenie lefty liberal lunatic feel-good law that was foisted on us about 4 years ago. Same time they passed the law that sends you to jail of you throw anything in the trash with motor oil on it, and mandates that your car be seized and crushed (at your expense) if you knowingly allow your car's emissions system to be messed with.

Charles

You've got to be kidding, they crunch your car if you mess with the emission system. Then again, I believe it. They spend more time and money on this crap than going after murderers and keeping them behind bars for life where they belong. Sometimes I think there is more freedom in Russia, even under Putin, than we have here in the U.S., at least they have a flat tax system and, IIRC, you can own a fully automatic weapon over there. I joked in 1984 when I was in high school, "what if the USSR became the USA and the USA became the USSR?" Looks like we are going to find out if things go the way they are going. :scratch2:

Sorry for the OT rant. Getting back on the subject, us collecting old TV's and electronics, I think that is the best way to save them from polluting the environment. Let's face it, we keep them out of the landfills by collecting, admiring and using them.

Getting back to the USSR/Russia, as Yakov Smiroff said, "whatta country!" :screwy:

the " green people" are some of the rudest,nastiest folks you ever meet. i have to deal with them on a everyday basis. always right,will argue something they know nothing about. idiots. of course to recycle and reuse something is the ultimate "green" situation. if all these things are killing us,then why do we live so long? television is killing us? maybe the programming,but not the set itself. ex hippies and freaks that are driving this country to shambles. no common sense.

the " green people" are some of the rudest,nastiest folks you ever meet. i have to deal with them on a everyday basis. always right,will argue something they know nothing about. idiots. of course to recycle and reuse something is the ultimate "green" situation. if all these things are killing us,then why do we live so long? television is killing us? maybe the programming,but not the set itself. ex hippies and freaks that are driving this country to shambles. no common sense.

Agreed. It seems like if you challenge them, then you are a heretic who should be boiled in oil or burned at the stake. I fear if they could get away with it, they would have their own version of the Spanish Inquistion. Yeah, maybe TV is killing some of us, well, if one is a couch potato and unfit in health plus as you put it, the programming. Heck some of the programming out there lowers the average IQ of the world, but I guess to each his/her own. Yes, we do have/had problems and we have come along way in making things cleaner on our own and we are better for it, but if taken too far, it can hurt us in the long run.

Oh well, I'm going to forget about the "thrift" stores. I just sent this wanted ad to a local paper:

WANTED: Old tube-type TV's, working or not, from the '50's, '60's, & early '70's. These are the type that took a minute to "warm up" and usually have rotary knob tuners.

Maybe I'll get a few before they get crushed. I put that last line in there to try to eliminate someone calling me with a 2004 Durabrand "tube TV". I had been running ad's for general free pick-up of TV's; but, I was getting way too much new stuff and not enough old stuff. I get enough new stuff from the TV shop and can't seem to give them away when I fix them.

xxx

Andy, so you are moving to Austin. I have lived in Buda, Austin Suburb, for 23 years. Austin is the nicest large city in Texas. The only issue is the 4 months of hot every summer(but you do not shovel it). I have not seen the attitude mentioned in this thread in Austin(although it may exist).

As far as TVs, the population of Austin was 200,000 in the mid 1960s and is over 1000000 now. It has trippled since I have lived here. Due to this, there are not too many TVs older than 1980 showing up in thrift stores, etc. But, there are three antique radio clubs in Texas, including one in the Austin area. I am a member of all three and have no trouble finding all the old TVs(through this newtwork) that my wife will allow.

If you do move to Austin, I can set you up with old TVs for a good price(free). I cleaned out an old TV shop and still have the surplus in my garage.

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House prices in Austin are much more reasonable than the Bay area. However, basements are not common here either, but houses are larger.

In addition, the city of San Antonio is only around 70 miles away for more TV hunting. There are many small towns around as well.

There are several hamfests, etc. around Austin, but I do not know of a large scale electronic flea market such as the Bay area has.

the " green people" are some of the rudest,nastiest folks you ever meet. i have to deal with them on a everyday basis. always right,will argue something they know nothing about. idiots. of course to recycle and reuse something is the ultimate "green" situation. if all these things are killing us,then why do we live so long? television is killing us? maybe the programming,but not the set itself. ex hippies and freaks that are driving this country to shambles. no common sense.

The "green" movement today is little more than a cover used by Marxists and socialists to push their agenda. I feel bad for those who genuinely do care about the environment, for they are being used to push a political agenda of "social equality", wealth redistribution and global Governance.

Uhh, guys, come on, let's lay off the politics, OK ?

Uhh, guys, come on, let's lay off the politics, OK ?

Sorry, I just get worked up about that.

I know the feeling, it's just as bad here, it is a beautiful area and lots of culture and great history, too many people take for granted, not to gloat, but i am for one of those people that let people pull out into traffic and say hi to the neighbors, (although I get a smug grunt in return). Oh well, just seems to be the concesus of the mind here, and for that it's too bad that buisness owners won't take the time to pull thier heads from thier *** to understand the beauty of vintage electronics and the collectors that would be restoring them and not throwing it into some field or stream! Mostly it seems that these such companies are owned by young ontrapuneurs that dont have a clue what they are taking in and have no care for the history and the keepsake factors involved, (just recycle it) in the head of these people! Berkeley must be the worst due to the "green" feeling I get when im there. But even though this may never change and it will probably get worse, (and I dont like to think this way). The more our sets will be not only worth in some timeline but the ownership pride too! Kinda like a 57 Corvette.

Preach on brother! I've been saying this for awhile, people are like this in WI too

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Uhh, guys, come on, let's lay off the politics, OK ?

Done. My apologies.

I think it really depends on the location of the store. I am from CA, and have had both pleasant, and unpleasant experinces getting old TV's. The Antique "botique" store people are usually more rude. These people just want a nice set that they can turn a quick profit on. I usually STILL find old TV's by going to Thrift stores in the more urban areas, not exactly in the best parts of town, but for some reason the people are friendlier! They usually don't care if the TV works or not. Just last year from a Thrift store in Inglewood I got an early '60's Silvertone 24" Suburbanite console, a GE Porta-Color, and a 1971 Motorola 19" Black and white set, all for $25! So if you are brave enogh, hit the streets!, lol