2021 Flea market, yard sale, craigslist, etc finds

[mozz]

Well, time for a new thread. Charging up the tablet to take some photos. I've been hitting the few indoor flea markets, kind of empty as a lot of vendors moved out, no business, no money for the rent.

First is a phono preamp, i kind of figured it was early transistor model, so that would mean germanium's, my favorite. Well for $10 i took it home, it was mono which i should have known and inside were 2 12ax7's, GE, 1952. So now it has been rehashed with a 6aw8 (triode and pentode inside) and a 12at7. Why a 6aw8 may you ask? Becuase i have a few hundred and always wanted to find a way to make these work for something. Triode is first, going into the pentode. Gain is about 70 into the pentode, which is tamed down also. Then into the 12at7 with a cathode follower driving a TMB tone stack. I really had to lose a lot of gain because it was way too much. Still need to tweak the tone values as a treble mid bass with a lot of push makes a pretty touchy preamp. Schematic is here somewhere, once i get it tweaked i will post it if any interest.

Second is a small variac, 2 amps which is 240 watts so i should be able to run most amps on it, less than 100watts or so. Need to rewire and add grounds. I may even build it into a amp someday.

Third is a set of tube socket testers, it lets you measure the voltage on the pins without going under the chassis, these do come in handy for troubleshooting.

Last i picked these up today. Guy had a tube caddy full of RCA parts from the 70's 80's. Knobs, circuit breakers, some power transistors, stuff a TV guy would use if he came to your house to fix your set. In the bottom were these caps, 50's no doubt. I have heard of phonebook caps before but couldn't remember. So for $10 i got 34 of them. Only references i could find were to 58-59 Gibson explorers and flying v's. They are the right value of .02uf for a gibson and measure about .025, .028 so they are real close and not drifted and leaky as most caps that old are. Can't find much info as bumblebees get all the glory. Only picture on reverb show one sold for $795.
Can't get my hopes up, didn't even get 1 mega millions number.
https://reverb.com/item/17316072-1959-g ... r-1959-wax

[JimyTheAssassin]

Nice scores! I scooped up all this stuff for free on Facebook market place. The seller advertised the lot as RCA GE “tube lights”. The photos showed a couple tubes I could use, so I made the arrangements to pick them up. Within, I found a lot more. Some of the tubes look brand new still. The sams substitution guide is pretty handy. There were 6 price lists from the early 60s and a rudimentary tube filament checker.

I’m glad I saved them. The seller said the garbage was next for these items.

[mozz]

More stuff.
Local antique radio show, there are parts out there, just have to be continually looking. I buy old radios for $1 or 2 for the germaniums. 2n5133 in a rusty out regency radio and some tropical fish .047. 25 of the 2n1305 and a bunch of others. Pair of 2n270, now maybe the FZ-1 Maestro build will work right, gains are 40-50 and leakages low but will try. Telefunken AC122 and AC 171. Tubes and stuff.

For those not in the know, 2n5133 were used in the original big muff, 2n270 were used in the original FZ-1 gibson fuzz used by Keith.

[mozz]

Gutted a Webcor reel to reel. No i don't feel bad, millions of tape recorders were made, a high end one i would keep or refurb. Got some Mullards, EL84s, 12AX7s, 12AU7s, all 1960 date coded.

Found a old Acoustic combo cabinet. It's the second time i found a Acoustic combo empty, except for the speaker. Maybe they use to blow up and couldn't get parts? The other Acoustic 164 i sold i should have kept, it had the EV speaker also. This one is marked Fender, 12F, made by EV, were a option in old Fender Rivera era combos as a upgrade. So now i have 2 sitting here, a EVM 12L and this EVM 12S. Need to buy/build a 2x12 that can support these heavy beasts. Loud clean and heavy. From what i am reading, nothing compares to these.

[golem]

@andrewsrea is the one who clued me into EVMs. They're great speakers. Pricey too~!

[andrewsrea]

So now i have 2 sitting here, a EVM 12L and this EVM 12S. Need to buy/build a 2x12 that can support these heavy beasts. Loud clean and heavy. From what i am reading, nothing compares to these.

20210725_140459.jpg

You always get the good stuff during your quests!

I have an EV12L in my AMI Lil Giant (pic below), which I personally re-coned in 1995 (the original glue on the surround gave up and the original owner shredded the spider).

Definitely a loud & clean Chicago-style speaker. Flat and a bit muted in the highs. Two of those in a 1970's Fender Twin would make your ears bleed!

[mozz]

Some studio/ radio broadcast stuff today, some marked WCLH. 2 power supplies for a mixer/board, will flip on reverb i hope. Somewhere somebody is looking for these. Ward-Beck M624 Power Supply.

Digitech 256xl, guitar processor, though i think you can use it for other things such as vocals. Also a Symetix headphone amp, this may go my my friend who is slowly building a small studio.

2 microphone mixers, 4 in 1out, this are pretty high end for their day.

2 more microphone mixers, Shure, M67, M267, 4 in 1out, this are pretty common for their day and there are many mods for these to add more functionality and a little bit of microphone color due to their use of input transformers that are pretty decent.

[glasshand]

I always complain about not finding a single worthwhile thing at pawn shops, yard sales, etc., but I guess yesterday was my day! Found this 1960s Harmony archtop at a local thrift store. It's in somewhat rough condition, but eminently fixable. The bridge has completely collapsed, and there are some cracks in the body, but nothing major. Somewhat surprisingly, the binding is in excellent shape. More importantly, the neck is fine, the headstock is fine, and there's some life left in the frets. Considering what these go for in good shape, I thought $75 for one in this condition was worth taking a chance on. I haven't decided whether I'll try restoring it a bit or just flip it for someone else to restore.

Followup: Found a little more info about it - it's a Monterey 1325, which was apparently the Monterey "Grand Auditorium" size. It went for around $54.50. which was pretty cheap considering that even a Telecaster was around $200.

[mozz]

Todays $20 find. A Citation MIJ. Back in the 80's i purchased a Alvarez and our drummer (more a guitar player than drummer) purchased a Citation. This is very nice shape adj. bridge. Guild case is from a earlier find and this guitar fits nearly perfect. Needs to cleaned up dusted and oiled. There was also a Jasmine by Takamine very similiar i should have grabbed and flipped but passed.

[Jaymo]

These are all cool finds. I especially like the mike mixers, tubes, transistors, caps and the old preamp.

I've found nothing of interest lately. But, I did switch out one of my 1991 Oktava MD380s from 3 pin to XLR.
Trying to figure out and fix the hum, now. First, I found and fixed a loose ground in my XLR to 1/4" mono cable.
Then, I found and fixed a poor solder joint where the ground solders to the capsule.
Anyway, I may have other problems with the mic and factory cable.
It may be due to the proximity of the mic to the amp, amp or cable to the TV, surge protector, Xbox, etc.
Anyway, not the right subforum for this. No cool finds lately. I'll go away now.

[mozz]

Even though I am selling at the flea market booth, I walk around and see what others have. Picked up this strat copy/ strat. $35. I haven't taken it apart yet to see what it really is. I saw the EMG's and figured it was worth it easily just for those. It has more fingerboard grime than SRV or EC could ever imagine. Truss rod not showing on headstock. Hardtail but the back routed oddly. Guy's name on decal and engraved on the neck plate. Will post some gut shots later. Oddly has no fret markers but has side markers.

[andrewsrea]

Even though I am selling at the flea market booth, I walk around and see what others have. Picked up this strat copy/ strat. $35. I haven't taken it apart yet to see what it really is. I saw the EMG's and figured it was worth it easily just for those. It has more fingerboard grime than SRV or EC could ever imagine. Truss rod not showing on headstock. Hardtail but the back routed oddly. Guy's name on decal and engraved on the neck plate. Will post some gut shots later. Oddly has no fret markers but has side markers.

IMG_20211003_095345727.jpg

IMG_20211003_095351819.jpg

The body looks a lot like an 80's Ibanez Roadstar.

[mozz]

EMG's are fairly early, pots are 1984. No quick connect. Tuners are marked Grover, body looks to be handmade. Neck has a steel truss rod but not adjustable, no problem as it's really flat. Appears to be painted with a brush, varnish. I am sanding it down now.

[jhull54]

Picked up this strat copy/ strat. $35. I haven't taken it apart yet to see what it really is. I saw the EMG's and figured it was worth it easily just for those. It has more fingerboard grime than SRV or EC could ever imagine. Truss rod not showing on headstock. Hardtail but the back routed oddly. Guy's name on decal and engraved on the neck plate. Will post some gut shots later. Oddly has no fret markers but has side markers.

IMG_20211003_095345727.jpg

IMG_20211003_095351819.jpg

Whoa! That one has some major human DNA! Looks kit-built, maybe?

[mozz]

Will post some pictures later today. Pretty sure it's all handmade, rough in places yet I think they had a real strat next to them and took lots of measurements. Body appears to be ash but 6 pieces? Neck is a normal thickness but headstock seems thinner.

[mozz]

Still thinking the body is ash, i have another project here and wood pattern seems the same. Ash pores are big and often it is used for solid colors. You need to do a lot of grain filling and sealing sander to get a beautiful finish. This had varnish or shellac so pores are pretty good shape already. This also appears to have 7 pieces of wood. The top really doesn't look that bad but the bottom edge gives it away, i dont know if i am going to clear or paint this yet. I do like this look.

[andrewsrea]

@mozz is that a veneer top? Also, how dense is the wood?

I am not an authority, but the pieces look like oak.

[Mossman]

@mozz is that a veneer top? Also, how dense is the wood?

I am not an authority, but the pieces look like oak.

I think you're right... It looks a little dark for Ash (though that could be the shellac grain filler), but it's got that straight, sketchy grain that Oak has.

[mighty_duck]

This showed up for a hot second on a FB marketplace search.
Looks like a custom made Harm, SSS, rosewood board, MOP inlays, Wilkinson Trem. They only wanted $150 for it.
It's a once-in-a-lifetime type deal (since this guitar is unique), but it was also 1.5 hours away, and I just couldn't justify another guitar in the stable.
Thought about asking them to meet halfway, and selling something to make room for it, but alas, as I was pondering, it sold; only a few hours after being put up. I'll keep it here for posterity:

[andrewsrea]

This showed up for a hot second on a FB marketplace search.
Looks like a custom made Harm, SSS, rosewood board, MOP inlays, Wilkinson Trem. They only wanted $150 for it.
It's a once-in-a-lifetime type deal (since this guitar is unique), but it was also 1.5 hours away, and I just couldn't justify another guitar in the stable.
Thought about asking them to meet halfway, and selling something to make room for it, but alas, as I was pondering, it sold; only a few hours after being put up. I'll keep it here for posterity:
image.png
image.png

That is cool! I don't recall that as an offering from Rondo.

[mighty_duck]

That is cool! I don't recall that as an offering from Rondo.

Me neither, which is why I'm fairly certain it was from Rondo's old custom shop.
Someone really wanted a Harm with those specs!

[Buddha Pickups]

That is cool! I don't recall that as an offering from Rondo.

Me neither, which is why I'm fairly certain it was from Rondo's old custom shop.
Someone really wanted a Harm with those specs!

Just a Harm 2. From the 2005ish Era. Pre custom shop days.
https://www.rondomusic.com/harm2solid6.html

I'd love to have one but they weren't around but for maybe a couple years when he started the Harm (named after the body that was designed by folks on HARMony central). They don't pop up but maybe once every couple years now.