1964 RCA home entertainment center with "Wireless Wizard" on Ebay - Videokarma.org TV - Video

jroberts500 · #1 10-23-2005, 12:44 AM

Item # 6570463702
I wondered if someone would outbid me. I was the first "real bidder" with $1.58. The first bidder is clearly a friend of the seller or the seller's alternate account. One can tell this by the purchase historys of the seller and the first bidder. I was expecting someone to bring it up here as I have seen the gentlemen in this forum work together so as not to raise the bids too high. Seems to me we should work together to preserve the sets without wasting precious rebuilding funds. I just noticed that Polaraman bid it up to $51.00 and no surprise to me, the reserve is not met. It has several days left and I believe it is usually best to bid in the last moments of the auction. I was surprised Polarman bid as I thought he is up north of Florida. The set is near me in Miami. I understand the sets value is debateable but I see it has had humid air damage as evident by the turntable. Also, the photo makes it look suspiciously close to the wall on the porch it is shown on. The seller says it needs a new screen. Those two factors make me wonder if the CRT neck has been broken. The seller has the remote under the control panel door which may put indents in the lid and damage the hand unit if the door/lid is pushed down. I think the color/cabinet design is one of the ugliest but I have been trying to get a home entertainment center. I wish it were the Danish-Contemporary version!
It will be interesting to see what happens. I think we should decide who amoungst us should have it and then agree not to outbid one another. His reserve is likely to be too high and he is cheating us with his fake bids.
Have a nice day!

blue_lateral · #2 10-23-2005, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Also, the photo makes it look suspiciously close to the wall on the porch it is shown on. The seller says it needs a new screen. Those two factors make me wonder if the CRT neck has been broken.

Yikes!

I dont think there was a roundie made that can go that close to the wall. Those RCA crt cups are about 8 inches, no? Even with the back off, it seems like it couldnt go that close.

John

frenchy · #3 10-23-2005, 01:23 AM

My 10 with the remote is a very 'deep' set and I measured the back crt thingy and it is only 4 inches deep. Maybe this here set is deep too since it has those sliding top doors built into it. The pics show the feet at least that far from the wall to my eyes anyway but who knows for sure unless you ask the guy. At least ask him if the back cover is still there, then you know the pics were deceiving. If it really had no cover and snapped neck, why wouldn't he just shove it right up against the wall.

jroberts500 · #4 10-23-2005, 02:13 AM

This set does not have sliding doors, only the usual top lids for phono, etc. I know the plastic CRT cup on it's back is the most common big one used on all those RCA's around that time because I saw a photo of the back of an identical set with a blonde cabinet in an earlier post here. The blonde one is a '65 but the same cabinet. I had planned on asking him about it but I thought if I got it cheap enough it wouldn't matter. Now that the price is jacked-up it matters! I see your point about him not putting it closer to the wall but sometimes that cup may be hanging on by one tab if it was "bumped". I'd guess the CRT may be ok but it may be busted. I should have asked to have him to be careful with it but I didn't want to seem "too interested" too soon. Plus, I already wrote him immediately when I saw it was outside and asked him to cover it. He said he took it back inside.

kc8adu · #5 10-23-2005, 07:47 AM

as close as the set appears to be to the wall the crt and cup are busted off/pushed in.
ask for a rear pic.
if the crt is good its a bonus as that appears to be one of the rare black matrix replacements.note the light gray of the screen.

jstout66 · #6 10-23-2005, 08:34 AM

Beautiful looking set, but I would bet money that the CRT is busted. Look at the screen, and notice how there is a lighter "swirl" pattern in the center. I've seen enough busted CRT's in my time and that is a dead giveaway. Also I am concerned on why the turntable board is so rusty. That cabinet sure is beautiful tho!!! Here's the link if anyone wants to look at the pictures. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...3D50%26fvi%3D1

polaraman · #7 10-23-2005, 09:03 AM

I did bid on it. I did that before this thread started. It is in my range to get the set if won. I saw the low bids and decided to go for it. I got a CTC 11 out of Tampa a few weeks ago. I will not bid over what I already have. I did not see it here and thought nobody saw it. Nice set. Hope you get it.

polaraman

jroberts500 · #8 10-23-2005, 02:02 PM

I will ask him to post a rear photo and ask if he thinks the neck is broken. I got a funny feeling it is. In a about a month I will have a greater budget but at this time I am spending my limit on another set so I can't take this '64 if it goes any higher in price as I also have to rent a U-haul to get it. I imagine this seller could have a very high reserve and with his friend bidding it up I am not going to bid more than the $51.00 it is at now. Maybe I will bid $52.58(I put .58 usually cause it's the year my dad graduated and more than .50) just to outbid Polaraman if we all continue to let me take the set. I think I should wait til last minute to bid. Maybe the seller will relist it if reserve is not met, maybe he will allow the highest bidder to take it even if the reserve is not met. I would love to have the set but it would also be cool if Polaraman gets it. If I get it I will post all photos of set interior, etc. throughout the restoration. Then I would use it until I get a Danish-Contemporary version or an armoire RCA home entertainment center from about '68 because the brochure states: "Amplifier in Armoire models delivers an awsome 300 watts peak power with extremely smooth frequency response from 30 to 20,000 cps. Amplifier rating in lowboy models is 120 watts peak power with frequency response of 35 to 20,000 cps." The lowboys look the best to me and the armoire is not good-looking to me but I love great sound! Also, the TV control area on those models is neat looking having that tall door to cover the tuner knobs, etc(CTC-30?). So, then I would sell the restored '64 at a low price.

oldtvman · #9 10-23-2005, 07:18 PM

All I remember about these big guys is that they weigh a ton! we had to deliver one of the beauties up three flights of stairs and it took 5 guys to manuver it to the top

polaraman · #10 10-23-2005, 07:25 PM

I had to pass on a Maggie roundie combo once. I could not lift one end to the height of my truck bed. There were only ladies running the estate sale. I could not get anybody to help once they felt how heavy it was.

I agree that those sets are monsters.

polaraman

jroberts500 · #11 10-23-2005, 07:57 PM

Wow, That set must have been heavy to pass it up! I am strong but small and for two other men to speak of those things being that heavy has me thinking I may have to remove the components and CRT to lift it! I lifted one end of a '67 Mark I Deluxe "Sebastian" HH-872 lowboy home entertainment center when I was 14 and helped take it from the van to the living room. I was smaller and weaker than I am now. That was supposedly an extremely heavy combo but you guys are giving me the impression this roundie combo is even heavier! If I get it I will figure out a way.

Sandy G · #12 10-23-2005, 09:22 PM

I dunno, guys-let's be positive-maybe it's just cataracts...Too pretty of a set to let go to Le Dumpe.-Sandy G.

polaraman · #13 10-23-2005, 09:27 PM

If you get it, take it apart!

polaraman

frenchy · #14 10-24-2005, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandy G

I dunno, guys-let's be positive-maybe it's just cataracts...Too pretty of a set to let go to Le Dumpe.-Sandy G.

Yeah I've seen lots of pics of sets with just cataracts that looked just like that and a LOT worse than those little fuzzy pictures there, maybe some of it is just partially due to reflections as it was taken outdoors. Maybe if it was a better pic I could concur it's something else. It was mentioned this is a black matrix tube but wow, sure just looks like same old grey color of all the other tubes to me. Besides, could a newish black matrix tube even GET a cataract? Did they still have the same old faceplates and 'goop' holding them on at that point in time?
I could say maybe I need new glasses but I just bought 3 pair of them last week 8 )

TVtommy · #15 10-24-2005, 07:25 AM

I'm with you frenchy, I think that cherry be popped.