Another TV shop is closing down

[Jeffhs]

Originally posted by drh4683
a rare name thats almost completely gone is coronado. this is a japanese set made in april of 1970. Works great with the exception of missing knobs in various places.

Doug, that Coronado set looks almost like a GE b&w portable I remember seeing in the early '70s. Some slight differences in the control knobs and cabinet parts (and the set I remember had an instant-on defeat switch on the front panel), but other than that (and the name, of course) I could have sworn it was one of GE's smaller portables from 30+ years ago.

BTW, I saw your pics of those old Zeniths you picked up from the TV shop that was going out of business. Those are some sharp-looking sets. The first pic, of the early-'70s Zenith console, looked familiar to me, as I have relatives who had a set almost exactly like that one--same cabinet style and all, though I think theirs was more late sixties, 1968 or thereabouts. I remember, though, they had a problem with it about six months after they bought it. Seems they were watching it one night, all seemed well, then the raster went out and the CRT screen began to crack. Fortunately, the set was still under warranty so it didn't cost them anything to have it repaired, but I'd be willing to bet it was one heck of a scare to see that screen cracking while the set was on. Fortunately, the tube didn't implode.

[Jeffhs]

Originally posted by bgadow
I have caught several guys when they were closing and got some good stuff because of it, mostly parts. I know I should do more but partly I'm a procrastinator and partly I'm still just a little too shy. My usual excuse is that, if I found a bunch of stuff, what would I do with it? I'm bursting at the seams as it is!

There are a couple shops left in town; one has moved more into appliances. I don't think he would have anything old, from what I know about him. The other guy is drifting towards retirement-I stop by and see him now and again. He has some neat things-store displays, a "drugstore" tube tester and some tubes, some earlier Sams. I asked him last month about crt's but he said he didn't have any. There is a third guy who has a CB shop and said he would be retiring at the end of next year. In a different world I would talk to him about taking over the business...I know him well enough, I think he'll let me know before he tosses anything.

I know one guy who has worked on TV's on the side for decades and has buildings full of sets. I've been in the front of his main building and it was so piled up with stuff that you couldn't see more than 15'. Mounds of solid state stuff. I wonder whats in the back-gotta be some tube stuff, right? He tells me of a Predicta stashed away somewhere. I need to write him a letter-can never reach him on the phone as he does shift work. I think at this point we all need to make an effort to follow the leads because these guys won't be around much longer. I know of several other shops within 30 minutes of here that just might have something. About 14 years ago I sent out postcards to a number of shops saying that I would haul junk TV's for free and this led to many finds, eventually. Last month I sent out 2 or 3 letters to some local shops but got no response. I also should check out the one remaining electronic parts distributor in the area-they are in an old building, who knows what might be in the back room or upstairs? I emailed them once regarding old crt's but never received a response.

One thing with these places, they have been working in the business all their lives and often do not have any apprecitation for tube stuff, so they just toss it. Many have no idea that anyone, anywhere, cares about it.

The TV shop in the next town south of me won't even look at anything really old. I remember asking them a couple years ago if they would look at an old Zenith radio I have here; the answer was no. The reason? The set was made over 50 years ago, and as I said, this place won't so much as look at anything that old, let alone work on it. I would be almost willing to bet this shop is one of those which, despite having been in town since 1947, doesn't have any feelings for tube-type gear any longer because the technicians who work there now probably don't know what a vacuum tube is.