Picked up a Magnavox TV/phono combo at the SA

[radiotvnut]

Me and the neighbor were hitting sales again and decided to stop in the Salvation Army thrift store. If you want '80's and '90's consoles, computer monitors (MANY computer monitors), and BPC stereo stuff - they've got it.

My neighbor saw this old beat up early '60's Magnavox TV and brought it to my attention. There was no price on it and I was afraid I would be quoted the same sort of high price that the other thrift stores want. The lady in charge told me I could have it for $10. She added that she didn't know if it worked and that it was an "AS-IS" sale. There was also a Catalina console stereo that I could have gotten for $15. I lost interest as soon as I found out it was solid state.

The Magnavox does have picture and sound but the tuner needs a serious cleaning and there are vertical problems. The bottom half of the screen is black and the top is so stretched that you can't make out the picture. I see new caps in this TV's future. The TT looks pretty much trashed. There is, however, a nice little single ended 6BQ5 based stereo amp inside. I really don't need or have the space for this; but, I felt like I had to rescue it for $10.

They told me that they got lots of old TV's in. I think I made the mistake of stressing that I wanted OLDER TV's. Also, I was too anxious to hand them the $10 for the Magnavox. The lady told me that the only reason I got that TV for $10 was because they didn't know if it worked and that It had been there forever. They'll probably want ten prices for the next old TV I find simply because I acted too excited over this one.

The guy that helped load it said he had a newer TV that needed repair. I gave him my number and asked him to please call me if any older TV's came in.

I also went back to the same flea market where I bought the RCA tube stereo (see the tube audio forum) and he said he had loads of TV and radio tubes as well as a tube tester at his home. He said he also runs into old TV's at times. He's the type guy with the attitude "as long as I'm making money, sell it" so maybe I can work with him. I'm glad to finally find someone that does not have that "the price is marked and I'm not coming down" attitude.