[Amps] Do you think he'll get it?

Jeff Blaine keepwalking188 at yahoo.com
Sat Oct 30 18:07:56 PDT 2010


Carl,

Oh, I thought the question was - will it bring $1200.  Not rather, $2700.  Need more coffee I guess.  My guess is $2200.  I figure 
if mint A76pa's are coming in at $1500, the newer vintage of this box, combined with the instant tune and hypersil has got to be 
worth $500 min.  And I just paid $135 for the face plate on my A76pa, so I know that clean face plate had to set him back the same.

The LK is in a completely different class of heavy-metal.  :)

73, Jeff ACØC
www.ac0c.com
-----Original Message----- 
From: Carl
Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2010 7:36 PM
To: Jeff Blaine ; Amps at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [Amps] Do you think he'll get it?

C'mon Jeff, its all in the timing; both with getting the amp and then the
tubes at a hamfest. I picked up 3 more for spares from the same guy
recently(-;

I'll really rub it in; I have NIB spares for the MLA-2500, DTR-2000L, and
NCL-2000 also. I wont own an amp or even a tube rig without having spare
tubes on hand. Learned that the hard way 45 years ago when I lost a DX
contest by a handful of multipliers thanks to no amp the last day.

That $2750 is a bit steep considering a LK-800A brings $3000-3250 with the
standard voltage external Hypersil transformer. About the same as the 78
with the internal one. That is three 3CX800A7's. Add a bit more for the dual
voltage external iron and 3CPX versions which easily does 5KW.

Carl
KM1H



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff Blaine" <keepwalking188 at yahoo.com>
To: "Paul Christensen" <w9ac at arrl.net>; <Amps at contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2010 6:05 PM
Subject: Re: [Amps] Do you think he'll get it?


Paul,

Low 2's and in this condition? wish I had heard that before picking up my
A76pa.  But once you get over this $2's point, you start
running into the new Ameritron at $3K discussion.  Finding Alphas in this
condition seems a tough demand to start with.  You must
have much better luck!

I got a good deal (knew the owner) for that amp but found shopping around
that guys are paying $1500 for the A76pa in top condition.
With SB220's bringing about $800 on ebay so that made sense.

The downside of these amps is the tubes which are hard to come by unless you
are Carl :)  But with the ready option of retubing iwth
3cx800 pulls for $500 or so, and considering that the service life of a 8874
may outlast the next owner given decent grid drive
care, I don't know that concern is a real worry.

Seems to me this amp should fetch more giving it's pre-tune feature.  I have
done some work with the owner (Scott) on his 2K - and I
can say from personal experience he's a nut case for equipment care.  Tried
to gte him to look into some FT2K mods and he would have
none of that!  So I would guess the thing is in a very sweet condition.

And send a bit of that luck this way if you can spare some.  ha ha ha

73, Jeff ACØC
www.ac0c.com
-----Original Message----- 
From: Paul Christensen
Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2010 4:43 PM
To: Amps at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [Amps] Do you think he'll get it?

Roger,

I've long thought that ETO's product evolution was a bit interesting.  In
the beginning, ETO produced the 70A, 70V, 77, 77D, 77Dx/Sx, all of which
have remarkable circuit and cabinet similarities.  Perhaps these early amps
sold in low volume which, may have then sparked the more economical designs
of the 76, 374, and 78.  Clearly, these amps were built with the
value-oriented amateur in mind with cost savings in areas like:

- Less expensive E core transformers with lower KVA ratings;
- Less expensive metal work, although the chassis work is still in a class
far above that of Ameritron, Heath and Dentron;
- Lack of QSK;
- Honeywell/Schadow switches in place of Switchcraft crossbar types;
- Seemingly lesser-rated ceramic band switching;
- Multiple, lower plate dissipation tubes.

Today, I would likely steer away from the 76/374/78, especially at high
prices.  The Alpha 86 can generally be obtained in the low $2K range.  I
purchased one in new condition for that amount a couple years ago and it's
significantly more robust than the 76, 374, and 78.

It's shame Dick Ehrhorn is no longer active on this list.  It would be
interesting to hear his perspective on ETO's marketing thoughts going back
to the early '70s.

Paul, W9AC

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Roger (K8RI)" <sub1 at rogerhalstead.com>
To: <Amps at contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2010 5:12 PM
Subject: [Amps] Do you think he'll get it?


> It a very nice looking amp, but do you think he'll get his price for
> this old Alpha 78?
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330490529382
>
> 73
>
> Roger (K8RI)
> _______________________________________________
> Amps mailing list
> Amps at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps

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