[drh4683]

In the mid 90's I remember seeing tube color and b+W sets at the thrift stores all the time. I didnt see many chromacolor II's until the late 90's. Thats when most of the tube sets dissapeared from the resale shops then all I started to see were chormacolor II's only.
Those sets were always cheap. However, for me as a kid, $35.00 for a nice 4tube hybrid was expensive. A few lawnmows could pay for it. I remember going to the gingham tree resale shop with my friend and his mom back around 1992 and seeing all of the old sets on the shelf. The Downers Grove resale shop had just as much neat vintage electronics piled up. Almost all of them were tube sets. I'll never forget how neat the resale shops looked, and this really was not all that long ago. Saw lots of 4 tubers back then and I had lots of them.
Those sets didnt really sell though, theyd sit on the shelf until I could save enought to buy them. I was fortunate enough to live just a few blocks away from the resale shops in Downers Grove. Id go almost every day after school. If I found a set and was able to buy it, Id bring it home carrying it by the carry handel and have to put the TV in the grass and switch hands every 20 steps. It was a real effort to bring those 16" zenith hybrid portables home. Never had a handel break on me though. Even to this day!
The gingham tree resale shop was run by older folks in there 70's and 80's and was part of the Good Samaritan hospital. Whenever I brought a set upto the front and it was a Zenith one of the old ladys would tell me "You got a Zenith TV there, those are the best money can buy". I heard that all the time back then.

Sometimes Id hear "I think thats a tube type TV" or "you wont be able to find tubes anymore"
One thing I must say, the term "tube TV" has a whole new meaning with the advent of LCD television..............