Hard to find combo - Videokarma.org TV - Video

captainmoody · #1 01-28-2004, 08:16 PM

Does anyone have in their collection any of the vertical combos made in the late sixties/early seventies?
Here is a pic of a 1967 RCA, They look pretty neat and wouldn't really take up that much space.
I tried to get the Magnavox version lately without success and would like to see if anyone else has been lucky enough to find one.

jstout66 · #2 01-28-2004, 08:54 PM

Captain Moody, I was so bummed. We used to work on one of those combo's into the early 80's. I thought it was very cool. Anyway.... Was at the "used" store in my hometown, saw the set sitting in the corner. Got all excited only to discover they had stripped EVERYTHING out of the cabinet. I wonder what failed in that set that made them do that. We had replaced the picture-tube and flyback in 1981. With a set that age I suppose it could have been anything, but I was pissed to discover an empty cabinet. That was the only RCA unit of that style I had ever seen. We had a few Maggies on our route that we worked on, but liked the RCA much better.

captainmoody · #3 01-28-2004, 09:46 PM

Yes, The RCA is the one that I would prefer also.
I saw one in the same condition you were speaking of a few years ago at a garage sale for 10.00.
The lady told me they just took out the guts and tossed them a few days before the sale as they were sure no one would buy it with a non working set inside, Sheesh!
Seems that only the cabinets survived on many of these.

Jeffhs · #4 01-29-2004, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by captainmoody
Yes, The RCA is the one that I would prefer also.
I saw one in the same condition you were speaking of a few years ago at a garage sale for 10.00.
The lady told me they just took out the guts and tossed them a few days before the sale as they were sure no one would buy it with a non working set inside, Sheesh!
Seems that only the cabinets survived on many of these.

Captainmoody,

That happens with a lot of old TVs which develop serious problems such as bad flybacks, shorted or burned-out power transformers, etc. The owner simply doesn't want to put any more money into the set, but likes the cabinet too well to simply put it out for the trash. I have known people who have done just what you and js described, to use the cabinet as a bookcase, entertainment center, etc.

I remember seeing a b&w picture of that RCA vertical combo in one of the 1967 issues of Mechanix Illustrated magazine, but unfortunately it was the only one I ever saw. I guess these sets weren't too popular, but I'll be darned if I know why. As was mentioned here, the vertical cabinet didn't take up near as much space in a living room or family room as would a traditional 3-way console, so the vertical units would have been perfect for small apartments or homes with small living rooms. This particular RCA, IIRC, had touch-bar power tuning, with the AM/FM tuner and other audio components above the TV. Very nice looking unit which anyone would be proud to have in their home.

I was not aware that Magnavox also had a vertical 3-way console. Was it of the same general style as RCA's unit?

polaraman · #5 01-29-2004, 02:48 PM

Two of the late 60's Magnavox vertical consoles were just on EBAY. I believe neither one sold. Both had color televisions in them. If one was close to me I would have bid. Think if you would search Magnavox under completed items they should pop up. One was dark coloerd wood and the other was blonde with gold.

polaraman

captainmoody · #6 01-29-2004, 02:51 PM

Yes, Very similar. I bid on one on Epay a couple of weeks ago but someone else that wanted it more than me sniped it.
Shame, As it was less than an hour away from my house.

polaraman · #7 01-29-2004, 03:00 PM

I found the brown combo in the completed items. It went for $106.50. It was a working pretty cool set in working condition. Thought about bidding on it myself.

polaraman

captainmoody · #8 01-29-2004, 03:27 PM

That is the one I bid on and lost, If you look at the seller's bid history you will see that he purchased it on Jan 3rd of this year for 80.00 from a guy in cincinnatti.
It was not working, So he had to drive a bunch of miles and fix the set just to get 106.00 for it a few weeks later.

drh4683 · #9 01-29-2004, 06:57 PM

hey, like jeff said, apartments would have been the best place for those types of combos. Tons of apartments around here, but never really see estate sales in them, probably because there is so little the family can deal with it no problem. The westbrook apartments are all older folks, and Im sure one of those sets is in there! They are on the next street over, like 14 buildings, 4 floors, they were built in 1966, and almost all the original tenants are still there! Very rare if there is an estate sale there. I always keep an eye out for those, like any old set.
Just an observation, It doesnt seem like any of those sets were made in a "modern" or danish styled cabinet. A set like that in a danish mod cabinet would be the best. Then again, just finding one to begin with would be the best.

kc8adu · #10 01-30-2004, 08:42 AM

i just changed a crt in a rutherford(rebadged c-m) and it is in a tall cabinet with stereo in the top.
customer says it was a special order and now to get something similar they would have to build it themselves.
has a 79 date code .

Chad Hauris · #11 01-30-2004, 09:03 AM

These must be rare...have never, ever seen one. Have seen some Curtis Mathes long consoles with the stereo in a compartment attached like a hutch to the top of the console, and some GE stereos built to look like desks, but never the armoire styled units.

#12 02-01-2004, 09:11 PM

There was an Early American version of one of these at a thrift shop in Teague, (East)TX and as far as I know, it's still there. If anyone's interested, I can certainly look for them next time I'm by there.
We had one of these when I was in high school and they--as well as most of the larger Magnavox sets--had problems w/the tuner contacts. The outer plastic tuning ring was quite fragile as I recall, too.

Michael

captainmoody · #13 02-02-2004, 08:21 AM

Maybe Chad would be interested as he is already in Texas, The freight charges to Michigan would bankrupt my feeble tv fund!

Chad Hauris · #14 02-02-2004, 09:04 AM

Captainmoody, yes I would be interested in one of those sets...but Teague is pretty far away (7 hrs. or so)...not as far as Michigan, though!

But, I would have to go see it when out on a vacation trip, it's too far to drive out and back and one day (I have only 1 day a week off from jobs).

Two of the Mag. sets like that that I have (just standard consoles, though) have the tuning knobs missing...the stupid thing is thay they drive the channel indicator from a specially designed knob and no replacement knob will change the indicator.