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Vintage tube gear....value?

Vintage Tube Amps, Original or upgraded?

  • Completely Stock and Original

    Votes: 2 22.2%

  • Rebuilt, new caps, anything out of spec replaced

    Votes: 7 77.8%
  • Total voters
    9
juddboz80

juddboz80

Active Member
Is all of our favorite tube gear worth more if it has had upgrades and brought back up to spec including new caps/can caps and replaced out of tolerance resistors or is it more valuable to people if it's kept original and nothing touched underneath?
 
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For very abundant gear like Dynacos, service adds value. For rarer pieces, keeping the same exterior appearance will affect the value more. If it's going to be used, it should be made safe to operate, but some buyers prefer to do that themselves.
 
Always.....

Old equipment has been played forever unless someone found some new old stock just sitting in boxes in a climate controlled environment !!

You'd have to be a nutter to think that a peice of tube equipment is going to sound just as good as it did sixty years ago with regular usage. In the use of equipment being turned on and shut off those circuits get hot and cold repeatedly which causes damage to the circuitry and the internal components. It's not like buying an antique car that's has been well taken care of by some old man. Then my belief is that no one has the right to ask exorbitant prices for unrestored tube equipment either cause the circuitry could fail at any moment. That's why you buy classic tube equipment at the lowest price and have it repaired without using it until it's been rebuilt. Yah, the equipment might last a few months or even few years. But when it goes up in smoke it will destroy the equipment beyond the ability to just repair it and that would be a shame to destroy a piece of historical equipment like that......
 
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Djcoolray said:
Always.....

Old equipment has been played forever unless someone found some new old stock just sitting in boxes in a climate controlled environment !!

You'd have to be a nutter to think that a peice of tube equipment is going to sound just as good as it did sixty years ago with regular usage. In the use of equipment being turned on and shut off those circuits get hot and cold repeatedly which causes damage to the circuitry and the internal components. It's not like buying an antique car that's has been well taken care of by some old man. Then my belief is that no one has the right to ask absorbent prices for unrestored tube equipment either cause the circuitry could fail at any moment. That's why you buy classic tube equipment at the lowest price and have it repaired without using it until it's been rebuilt. Yah, the equipment might last a few months or even few years. But when it goes up in smoke it will destroy the equipment beyond the ability to just repair it and that would be a shame to destroy a piece of historical equipment like that......
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DJ, what exactly are those prices supposed to be absorbing? Perhaps you meant to say 'exorbitant?' :)
 
It depends.

Except for the most extraordinary circumstances, the vast majority of equipment would be worth the most if fully refurbished for reliable operation & performing to spec.

This is a question of value, correct?
 
In theory fully restored stuff brings the most money, but it depends who you talk to and where you're selling it. I've definitely seen folks who didn't want restored stuff because they didn't trust that the restoration was done properly. I have certainly seen enough stuff, both on and off AK, that was hacked up or had stupid stuff done to it.
 
I think if I was a tech to get a barn find would be cool because you can see all the factory work and fix just what you want to.

As for me, I need working equipment and would give a bit more depending on the piece and how well it was restored.
 
Thanks for the replies, I was just curious because I've seen gear that was all original and it was priced more than than the same piece that was serviced to run great for another 50 years.

Do people actually collect gear and keep it 100% original and not use it? I get the mega rare pieces are worth more all original but I'm asking about stuff that can be found for sale often.
 
juddboz80 said:
... I'm asking about stuff that can be found for sale often.
Click to expand...

In that case, then yes definitely worth more in the market if serviced/repaired/restored to operational spec - assuming the repairs were done in a professional and workmanlike manner.
 
One time I saw two identical model Magnavox tube amps for sale on eBay. One was refurbished, with new caps, terminals and an on/off switch. The other was sold "as is", untested and all original and it sold for more money. So, I don't see how you could get all your money back by servicing one.
Although I'm not sure if this is what you are asking about.
 
darkblue94 said:
DJ, what exactly are those prices supposed to be absorbing? Perhaps you meant to say 'exorbitant?' :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the correction.....they are absorbing money from charging too high a price !

I now realize that I choose the wrong word.....thanks !

You know how things are when your high......or maybe you don't !!!
 
juddboz80 said:
Thanks for the replies, I was just curious because I've seen gear that was all original and it was priced more than than the same piece that was serviced to run great for another 50 years.

Do people actually collect gear and keep it 100% original and not use it? I get the mega rare pieces are worth more all original but I'm asking about stuff that can be found for sale often.
Click to expand...

Some people have the misconception that all original is of more valuable, that theory comes from the world of classic sports cars....
 
Djcoolray said:
Always.....

Old equipment has been played forever unless someone found some new old stock just sitting in boxes in a climate controlled environment !!

You'd have to be a nutter to think that a peice of tube equipment is going to sound just as good as it did sixty years ago with regular usage. In the use of equipment being turned on and shut off those circuits get hot and cold repeatedly which causes damage to the circuitry and the internal components. It's not like buying an antique car that's has been well taken care of by some old man. Then my belief is that no one has the right to ask absorbent prices for unrestored tube equipment either cause the circuitry could fail at any moment. That's why you buy classic tube equipment at the lowest price and have it repaired without using it until it's been rebuilt. Yah, the equipment might last a few months or even few years. But when it goes up in smoke it will destroy the equipment beyond the ability to just repair it and that would be a shame to destroy a piece of historical equipment like that......
Click to expand...
Hi Djcoolray you are right on about that also even with new old stock capacitors age and need to be replaced my friend in the mid 80s found a Sansui AU 70 that was bought in 1965 but never used the tech had to replace a lot of caps on it ps the best tube unit i have heard
 
nefertem7 said:
Hi Djcoolray you are right on about that also even with new old stock capacitors age and need to be replaced my friend in the mid 80s found a Sansui AU 70 that was bought in 1965 but never used the tech had to replace a lot of caps on it ps the best tube unit i have heard
Click to expand...

Cool....
 
Unless I knew who restored the gear and had confidence in them I'd much, much rather have something that was original. That way I could either do the work myself or farm it out to a competent tech.
 
EVBoy said:
One time I saw two identical model Magnavox tube amps for sale on eBay. One was refurbished, with new caps, terminals and an on/off switch. The other was sold "as is", untested and all original and it sold for more money. So, I don't see how you could get all your money back by servicing one.
Although I'm not sure if this is what you are asking about.
Click to expand...

I've seen this too...

I think it is because most are looking for a virgin Magnavox to rebuild themselves...?

But, questionable rebuilding....and or, the look and style of the rebuild/restore may not be pleasing in some way, leading to a lower price?

I've also seen "shiny" and clean, stock, Magnavox sell for $100 more than a dirty barn find one...that was stock also.
 
If you are a collector/speculator, who will never turn the unit on, then if it is rare they want everything original. These are the buyers who want original box and packaging, manuals, even sales literature and original bill of sale. This group is rare and extremely fickle about what suddenly commands the biggest bucks.

For anyone who will actually turn old electronics on, a competent refurb is usually very desirable.

One issue is whether the update is actually competent (I currently have a couple of items that were supposedly refurbed, but I am afraid to turn on until I work on them), and how much of a premium the seller is asking because of the refurb.

Another possible issue involves specialized modifications. As an example, if you wanted a Bogen MO2000 to do Dave Gillespie's "Mighty, Mighty Bogen" mods, then you probably aren't willing to pay a premium for any alternative (and irrelevant) mods done on the unit you are looking to buy.
 
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