2020 Flea market, yard sale, craigslist, etc finds

[JimyTheAssassin]

I could take better photos but I picked these up the other day for a very fair price. Overall, less than a dollar a drawer and they are chuck full with components and materials. The rest may get sold to return my money spent.

One organizer is packed full of capacitors and the sample I’ve tested have been nearly perfect so far. I have no doubt I got a good value here. The tube caddy has a lot of radio and ham radio tubes but a few are good for audio. I have barely dug into these to see what I really have here, but I can see lots of useable items that make it all worth it, not to mention the organizers themselves.

I may be getting a Tube tester (transconductance tester) for a great price from the same seller soon. He says he has two. If the price is right I may buy both and sell one.

[JimyTheAssassin]

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[mozz]

Nice find on the old parts. Most of those caps, well, old electrolytics I would never use. Wax caps, nope. Others really need to be tested with full working voltage. Certain ones could be eBay fodder. Tubes look like radio tubes. They're all useful if you build off the wall stuff. 6sc7 glass or metal? Some of those pots, depending on value and date codes, could be worth a lot if used on old Gibson's and fenders.

[JimyTheAssassin]

Nice find on the old parts. Most of those caps, well, old electrolytics I would never use. Wax caps, nope. Others really need to be tested with full working voltage. Certain ones could be eBay fodder. Tubes look like radio tubes. They're all useful if you build off the wall stuff. 6sc7 glass or metal? Some of those pots, depending on value and date codes, could be worth a lot if used on old Gibson's and fenders.

One of the pots I just grabbed is a CTS. 137 6945 500k short solid shaft. If it tests good, I imagine that might be worth a little something. There’s so many, this will take a while too.

I was thinking of maybe deciding a way to test the capacitors in circuit. Maybe I can setup a test amp and alligator clip them in. My other thought was getting a capacitor tester if I can find one at a good price. (Something like a Heathkit). I’ve seen them on the bay for not much. There appears to be many brown and blue “turd” Types here, orange drops and so many More. This one organizer will take a while.

The 6sc7 tubes (x2) are metal type. One looks perfect (box marked “new”). 6sq7 are used in a few old and new boutique amps. I found a metal 6v6 and two 7c5 (loctal 6v6). A handful of the radio tubes appear to sell well on the bay for over $10. But I’ll want to test them first and see. Honestly if none of them worked, the caddy would still likely sell for what I paid. No worries here. But I don’t want to sell a tube without being able to represent it accurately. That’s where the tube tester would be essential. I’ll probably hear from my friend next week.

There’s a lot of good parts, some of which are for ham radios that I will definitely let go. I expect I may get a full return just on the relays and coils. Once I have it all figured out, I’ll tackle the selling process on eBay. I’ve never really sold stuff there before

[mozz]

6sc7 glass go for a good buck. The metal are often microphonic and only way to test for that is in a amp. I built a 5C3 deluxe and went through a lot of metal tubes till I found the glass versions.

Beware of selling as there are a lot of scammers buying then complaining the tubes don't work. If you accept returns they often send back a different tube. eBay won't care as long as the return has a tracking number. I'd advise a small hidden watermark of sorts so you have proof of your item. They also lock your account money until it gets settled. Then commission. It's a lot of fun.

[JimyTheAssassin]

6sc7 glass go for a good buck. The metal are often microphonic and only way to test for that is in a amp. I built a 5C3 deluxe and went through a lot of metal tubes till I found the glass versions.

Beware of selling as there are a lot of scammers buying then complaining the tubes don't work. If you accept returns they often send back a different tube. eBay won't care as long as the return has a tracking number. I'd advise a small hidden watermark of sorts so you have proof of your item. They also lock your account money until it gets settled. Then commission. It's a lot of fun.

Excellent advice. Thanks! I was figuring I may essentially copy the approach of other more seasoned resellers so I can limit the chance of being burned. A watermark is a smart idea.

[mozz]

I didn't mean a actual watermark but some little nick or scratch, dot of red ink or something. I end up selling "sold as-is due to age, for parts only no returns".
I then put in the auction it works but due to scammers sold as-is. Also put "the picture is the description", " if you have any questions or want more pictures, please email"
Since Ebay also charges you commission on shipping charges, it's good to make a dollar there if possible. I use bubble envelopes, small boxes, regional A&B boxes, they are all cheaper than Priority mail.

[mozz]

Lets see, this weeks finds and it's only friday. Cheating but going to a antique radio show in Kutztown PA. I always find stuff there.

Pair of P10R Jensen alnico speakers from 1959-1960. Used in the famous 5F6-a Fender bassman. All tube amps wish they could have these installed. These are 16 ohms but i'm sure in a old Fender style amp with 2-10's these will rock. I have a cabinet in mind already. Also a pair of 8" Jensen alnico P8R, these are 8 ohms. They will do in a Champ, of which i am always game to build another. $40 all.

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8" alnico Jensen again, this is from 1952. Also a old 8" alnico Cresent, they were together so i bought both. More champs or variations of. $10

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[mozz]

Large supply of caps, .68 and .47. Marshall's use .68uF cathode bypass caps on V1 and it's part of the difference in the sound between Fender & Marshall. $3

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My favorite thing to find, old germanium transistors. These are really early, gain is a little low for a fuzz but i have ideas already for a boost pedal. $10

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Another of my vices, tubes, i sorted out 17 pieces of 6v6 of $1 each. Only 1 test bad. Also a few new in the box 12ax7, 6an8.

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6v6 push pull tube amp, 5y3, 6sl7, 6sh7/6sj7 pre amps. I have a head cabinet here and it just happens to fit pretty good. $40

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[JimyTheAssassin]

Man I wish I had more time to hit some radio and ham fests. That’s a helluva score.

After looking at all the parts I have now from my organizer haul, a treble booster fuzz or a champ isn’t very far away. We’ve been so busy here, I still have things to sort through. But now I find that I have to service my tube tester before I can get down to checking tubes and capacitors. Another item on the stack bound for the bench

[mozz]

You have to overhaul a tube tester as soon as you get it. Then calibrate it. Then buy a better model. Repeat. All while you are still looking for the Hickok model you always wanted at a low low price.

In reality, there is usually only 1 or 2 or 3 electrolytic capacitors in any tube tester.

[JimyTheAssassin]

You have to overhaul a tube tester as soon as you get it. Then calibrate it. Then buy a better model. Repeat. All while you are still looking for the Hickok model you always wanted at a low low price.

In reality, there is usually only 1 or 2 or 3 electrolytic capacitors in any tube tester.

Absolutely! Someday I would like a transconductance tester. Ya I had this one looked over when I got it. It worked well until some smoke puffed out. So I had it looked at again by my dad who gave it the ok. But it smoked on me again and now I’ve opened it to discover what we missed. I have a large resistor that’s showing signs of distress although it measures perfect and a 10k load pot that goes open between 14%-24% of its travel. So I have to fix the resistor and see if I can service the wire wound pot. I figure I should do some routine cleaning while I’m in there and maybe take a few voltage measurements

In other news my dad told me today that he has a capacitor tester he hasn’t fired up in a few decades. I’m hoping I’ll get that one dug out of his archive soon.

[mozz]

If you attempt to repair the wire wound pot, there may be some hints on the antique radio forum. I can't remember what brand but there is a wirewound pot that goes bad and some have fixed or attempted to fix that problem. I've got a few shoeboxes full of pots from just about everything here if you need a pot that is not a normal alpha or cts style.

[JimyTheAssassin]

If you attempt to repair the wire wound pot, there may be some hints on the antique radio forum. I can't remember what brand but there is a wirewound pot that goes bad and some have fixed or attempted to fix that problem. I've got a few shoeboxes full of pots from just about everything here if you need a pot that is not a normal alpha or cts style.

Awesome and thanks for the tip. It’s a clarostat 970-A. Linear up to 9.7k and the a detent at the end where it goes open resistance. I’ll keep this in mind if I have trouble fixing it

[nomadh]

Large supply of caps, .68 and .47. Marshall's use .68uF cathode bypass caps on V1 and it's part of the difference in the sound between Fender & Marshall. $3

20200918_185127_resized.jpg

My favorite thing to find, old germanium transistors. These are really early, gain is a little low for a fuzz but i have ideas already for a boost pedal. $10

20200918_191207_resized.jpg

Another of my vices, tubes, i sorted out 17 pieces of 6v6 of $1 each. Only 1 test bad. Also a few new in the box 12ax7, 6an8.


20200918_185259_resized.jpg

6v6 push pull tube amp, 5y3, 6sl7, 6sh7/6sj7 pre amps. I have a head cabinet here and it just happens to fit pretty good. $40


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Maybe you should do this as a live show on fb as you walk around and decide on deals and explain why. The best part of the show would be how you teleport back to 1975 to go to these shows with these prices.

[mozz]

Depressed area around here. Coal is not king anymore. One that I passed on was a Epiphone Futura amp. Guy was asking $600. My max price would have been $50. Tube 4x10 particle board cabinet with a lot of bottom water damage. 4 different speakers. This picture is mint, the one I passed on was 2 out of 10.

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