I posted this on AudioAsylum and figured that I'd post it here also since lots of people are active here...
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So I'm over at a friends house and am getting ready to leave. I notice a dumpster in the driveway across the street and he mentions that the "grandpa" who lived there passed away.
It turns out that "grandpa" was a tube fanatic and had lots and lots of old tube gear...
I about lost it and ran over to the dumpster and started looking inside. About then, the kid who lives there comes riding up on his skateboard and asks what we're doing (he's about 17 I'd guess).
I explain that I'm interested in old tube gear and was wondering what was in the dumpster...
About then I spy two TungSols laying on the floor...
He promptly pipes up that this "is the third dumpster and they put them in the driveway so they could just toss everything out of the second floor window into the dumpsters because it was heavy and it was easier than carrying it..."
I felt like breaking one of the TungSols that I found and running it across this kid's neck...
I'm 40 and am just learning about this tube stuff.
PLEASE, PLEASE if you're getting up in years, let the younger folks in your family know what you have. At the very least, tell them to check everything on Ebay before tossing it.
This stuff is getting too rare to have it tossed like this...
I have no idea of what they sent to the trash. I walked away with a couple of nice TungSol power tubes, a sleeve of NOS RCA 12ax7's and two JAN 5751's in the boxes from the floor of the dumpster.
I can tell you the kid piped up that "they kept a really nice Pioneer receiver..."
Sob.....
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So I'm over at a friends house and am getting ready to leave. I notice a dumpster in the driveway across the street and he mentions that the "grandpa" who lived there passed away.
It turns out that "grandpa" was a tube fanatic and had lots and lots of old tube gear...
I about lost it and ran over to the dumpster and started looking inside. About then, the kid who lives there comes riding up on his skateboard and asks what we're doing (he's about 17 I'd guess).
I explain that I'm interested in old tube gear and was wondering what was in the dumpster...
About then I spy two TungSols laying on the floor...
He promptly pipes up that this "is the third dumpster and they put them in the driveway so they could just toss everything out of the second floor window into the dumpsters because it was heavy and it was easier than carrying it..."
I felt like breaking one of the TungSols that I found and running it across this kid's neck...
I'm 40 and am just learning about this tube stuff.
PLEASE, PLEASE if you're getting up in years, let the younger folks in your family know what you have. At the very least, tell them to check everything on Ebay before tossing it.
This stuff is getting too rare to have it tossed like this...
I have no idea of what they sent to the trash. I walked away with a couple of nice TungSol power tubes, a sleeve of NOS RCA 12ax7's and two JAN 5751's in the boxes from the floor of the dumpster.
I can tell you the kid piped up that "they kept a really nice Pioneer receiver..."
Sob.....
Apogee said:So I'm over at a friends house and am getting ready to leave. I notice a dumpster in the driveway across the street and he mentions that the "grandpa" who lived there passed away.
It turns out that "grandpa" was a tube fanatic and had lots and lots of old tube gear...
I about lost it and ran over to the dumpster and started looking inside. About then, the kid who lives there comes riding up on his skateboard and asks what we're doing (he's about 17 I'd guess).
I explain that I'm interested in old tube gear and was wondering what was in the dumpster...
About then I spy two TungSols laying on the floor...
He promptly pipes up that this "is the third dumpster and they put them in the driveway so they could just toss everything out of the second floor window into the dumpsters because it was heavy and it was easier than carrying it..."
I felt like breaking one of the TungSols that I found and running it across this kid's neck...
I'm 40 and am just learning about this tube stuff.
PLEASE, PLEASE if you're getting up in years, let the younger folks in your family know what you have. At the very least, tell them to check everything on Ebay before tossing it.
This stuff is getting too rare to have it tossed like this...
I have no idea of what they sent to the trash. I walked away with a couple of nice TungSol power tubes, a sleeve of NOS RCA 12ax7's and two JAN 5751's in the boxes from the floor of the dumpster.
I can tell you the kid piped up that "they kept a really nice Pioneer receiver..."
Sob.....
There are lots of these horror strories out there. Someone sold all of grandma's silly collection of ceramic animal people for a buck a piece at a yardsale just to be rid of this stuff. Turned out they were all Hummels and worth at least a hundred times what they were selling them for.
Everyone would be well advised to make certain what the old folks are leaving behind before just getting rid of it. And if you won't do that, then let me know when and where your yard sale is.
You'd think with the internet people would try to find the value of something they inherit and don't know squat about. Its hard to change the mentality of a throwaway society. I just hope the popularity of tubes will continue to grow as it seems to be and maybe this will become less common, maybe.
I was at a thrift store that was jettisoning all the tube stuff that came in, including two original McIntoshes that I could see....
Me: Hey, I'll take that off your hands.
Manager: Nope, has to be destroyed.
Me: I'll pay you. You are a charity, this stuff is worth something.
Manager: Company policy.
People just don't care about anything anymore
Me: Hey, I'll take that off your hands.
Manager: Nope, has to be destroyed.
Me: I'll pay you. You are a charity, this stuff is worth something.
Manager: Company policy.
People just don't care about anything anymore
Geek said:I was at a thrift store that was jettisoning all the tube stuff that came in, including two original McIntoshes that I could see....
Me: Hey, I'll take that off your hands.
Manager: Nope, has to be destroyed.
Me: I'll pay you. You are a charity, this stuff is worth something.
Manager: Company policy.
People just don't care about anything anymore
What satanic thriftstore was that?
Over that past few years, it's become almost impossible to buy electrical / electronic stuff from charity stores and the like over here. The law requires them to safety-test everything they sell, which just isn't worth it from their point of view.
OTOH, contacting a few house clearance specialists (who now have no outlet for electrical goods) can pay dividends, as can advertising in the 'wanted' columns - but be prepared to decline a lot of junk!
OTOH, contacting a few house clearance specialists (who now have no outlet for electrical goods) can pay dividends, as can advertising in the 'wanted' columns - but be prepared to decline a lot of junk!
For me depression is thinking of my childhood.
My dad was head of service for a local Magnavox shop and ran a sideline home repair buisness. As well as serviced my grandfathers radio stations.
To my best estimation he had no less than 15 full RCA tube caddies, 2 walls of tube racks, And countless flats of bulk tubes, (Mostly 6L6's & 6V6gts) in the flats.
As kids ( With BeeBee guns ) we would gather a bucket or 2 and head off to the woods for practice.
Mind you this was 40 years ago. I still look back and realize that was one of the stupidest things I ever Did. 2nd thing is admitting this story is true.
Trout
My dad was head of service for a local Magnavox shop and ran a sideline home repair buisness. As well as serviced my grandfathers radio stations.
To my best estimation he had no less than 15 full RCA tube caddies, 2 walls of tube racks, And countless flats of bulk tubes, (Mostly 6L6's & 6V6gts) in the flats.
As kids ( With BeeBee guns ) we would gather a bucket or 2 and head off to the woods for practice.
Mind you this was 40 years ago. I still look back and realize that was one of the stupidest things I ever Did. 2nd thing is admitting this story is true.
Trout
My parents sold off my grandfather's stereo system. This was nothing tube, but a really nice hi-end all Sansui system (amps, preamp, tuner, etc) for peanuts. I could have killed them.
For the life of me, I still cannot phathom why they would have not at least asked me about it before hocking it, knowing that I am audiophile.
For the life of me, I still cannot phathom why they would have not at least asked me about it before hocking it, knowing that I am audiophile.
People do those things because that is what they do. We all have stories of missed opportunity or acts that in retrospect seem pretty stupid in the light of present knowledge..
I seriously doubt anyone currently guilty of such crimes is going to be reading this or any DIYAudio thread.
Your best defense against such events is to spread the word to friends, family, and casual acquiantances. A small business card you hand out during random encounters can pay dividends later, particularly if there is a hint of even small money being involved.
With eBay there is an increasing awareness of the value of prestigious old names like Quad, Fisher, McIntosh or Marantz, and in recent years I have not seen any hint of anything worthwhile at the local Salvation Army outlet or any local charity I have visited. I do sometimes see very inflated prices for low end tube stuff at yard sales around here. I usually don't buy, but sometimes something will come along.
Family is frequently guilty of the charge involved, the best and only defense is to indicate that you want it before it is available, and to remove it promptly when it is. To most people it will be clutter taking up valuable space, particularly if it has stopped working.
Calm yourself by thinking it was mostly used TV tubes and other less desirable rubbish when you inevitably run across the unwanted news of a stash lost. (In surprisingly many cases that is close to the truth.)
I have made quite sure that my spouse to be knows that my collection has considerable monetary value in the event that something unfortunate ever happens to me. Given that she often wonders where my money goes I think she knows this..
My stupid stories: A marantz 2 accidentally dropped from a 3rd floor balcony because it no longer worked. (Very long ago.) 15 genuine WE 300B at $3 each passed up for 6AS7GA at $2 each at a ham fest around 1990. They were unused, in the original packaging, the seller being a recently retired WE/ATT employee. I remember thinking at the time they would be perfect for an audio amp - I didn't know what they were... That OTL never got built either..
I seriously doubt anyone currently guilty of such crimes is going to be reading this or any DIYAudio thread.
Your best defense against such events is to spread the word to friends, family, and casual acquiantances. A small business card you hand out during random encounters can pay dividends later, particularly if there is a hint of even small money being involved.
With eBay there is an increasing awareness of the value of prestigious old names like Quad, Fisher, McIntosh or Marantz, and in recent years I have not seen any hint of anything worthwhile at the local Salvation Army outlet or any local charity I have visited. I do sometimes see very inflated prices for low end tube stuff at yard sales around here. I usually don't buy, but sometimes something will come along.
Family is frequently guilty of the charge involved, the best and only defense is to indicate that you want it before it is available, and to remove it promptly when it is. To most people it will be clutter taking up valuable space, particularly if it has stopped working.
Calm yourself by thinking it was mostly used TV tubes and other less desirable rubbish when you inevitably run across the unwanted news of a stash lost. (In surprisingly many cases that is close to the truth.)
I have made quite sure that my spouse to be knows that my collection has considerable monetary value in the event that something unfortunate ever happens to me. Given that she often wonders where my money goes I think she knows this..
My stupid stories: A marantz 2 accidentally dropped from a 3rd floor balcony because it no longer worked. (Very long ago.) 15 genuine WE 300B at $3 each passed up for 6AS7GA at $2 each at a ham fest around 1990. They were unused, in the original packaging, the seller being a recently retired WE/ATT employee. I remember thinking at the time they would be perfect for an audio amp - I didn't know what they were...
That OTL never got built either.. Geek said:I was at a thrift store that was jettisoning all the tube stuff that came in, including two original McIntoshes that I could see....
Me: Hey, I'll take that off your hands.
Manager: Nope, has to be destroyed.
Me: I'll pay you. You are a charity, this stuff is worth something.
Manager: Company policy.
People just don't care about anything anymore
I'd just grab the stuff and tell them: Go ahead. Call a cop. Do what you want, but I'm taking this stuff. Right now. I have a healthy disrespect for rules that logically and ethically need exceptions. Judge Dredd....
KBK is in Canada, it might be that liability law there precludes the resale of untested electrical devices to the public.
It does seem though that there ought to be some way of dealing with such occurances via registered brokers.
I had a similar problem with a local museum a more than a few years ago, but when I finally showed them my then existing business license (no more unfortunately) and assured them that they could safely sell to me as electrical scrap they just gave the stuff to me.
It does seem though that there ought to be some way of dealing with such occurances via registered brokers.
I had a similar problem with a local museum a more than a few years ago, but when I finally showed them my then existing business license (no more unfortunately) and assured them that they could safely sell to me as electrical scrap they just gave the stuff to me.
My story is not nearly as bad as some of yours. My father n law gave me a Sansui amp that only needs a repaired preamp board. I heard one channel (only one worked) and it kicked the ever living snot out of anything I have ever owned or heard. It was very loud and very clear. I think it's rated at 250 RMS watts.
Anyway, when moving around, I didn't want to put the amp in storage, so I put it in a closet in my inlaws house. I figured it would be all nice and safe till a later date.
Anyway, my brother n law came back from collage and needed some space in his closet, so he put the amp in his friends storage shed. Outside. I just found out a few weeks ago where it was. I think my brother n law got tired of me tearing his room apart looking for it. They are young and they simply have no ideal what they are dealing with. To them, it is old, so it isn't important.
Anyway, my name is still on it and I'm going to get it back any day, but I hope the last year or two of it being in a storage shed didn't cause more dammage to it. I hope it is at least stored on a shelf and not on the ground. I'm going to be VERY upset if it is ruined.
Anyway, I want to build my first set of loud speakers using this amp and use my SACD and later buy a LP player. Having a good amp will save me wods of cash. I want sealed woofers and I need the powha of that amp.
Anyway, when moving around, I didn't want to put the amp in storage, so I put it in a closet in my inlaws house. I figured it would be all nice and safe till a later date.
Anyway, my brother n law came back from collage and needed some space in his closet, so he put the amp in his friends storage shed. Outside. I just found out a few weeks ago where it was. I think my brother n law got tired of me tearing his room apart looking for it. They are young and they simply have no ideal what they are dealing with. To them, it is old, so it isn't important.
Anyway, my name is still on it and I'm going to get it back any day, but I hope the last year or two of it being in a storage shed didn't cause more dammage to it. I hope it is at least stored on a shelf and not on the ground. I'm going to be VERY upset if it is ruined.
Anyway, I want to build my first set of loud speakers using this amp and use my SACD and later buy a LP player. Having a good amp will save me wods of cash. I want sealed woofers and I need the powha of that amp.
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