Console alert DC - Fisher for $35

I was at an estate sale in Annandale this morning they have a console with a Fisher TX 300, Dual TT and real to real for $35. Partners Estate Sales. There are also a pair of large speakers which I have no idea what are in them. Housed in Chinese laquar furniture.

Is the TX 300 solid state or tubed? It would be gone by the time I'd get there & I'd blow $20 in gas on the trip. Yeah, I'm gonna go back to the yard work now...

I "almost" wanna donate the $20, just to find out what's in those Chinese Theatre cabinets. :scratch2: I know, there was no mention of theatre, but something made Graumman's (sp?) pop into my mind.

TX 300 is SS. If it were tubed it would be in my car. Still a great deal though. The console was handsome. I too was wanting to know about the speakers but without taking them apart I could not tell.

spartanmanor said:

I too was wanting to know about the speakers but without taking them apart I could not tell.

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Buy first, ask questions later.

If cheap enough I just buy... I've done good with that so far..

I also carry a drill in the truck and ask them if I can have a look. A lot of sellers will let you do that..

Thanks for the heads-up, David. Based on the components I thought we might be talking Presidential but Chinese lacquer isn't mentioned in Fisher's mid-60s catalogs. So I thought it might be worth venturing inside the Beltway to see what was what.

Like David said: a Fisher TX-300, Dual 1019 and an all-tube Akai 345NC R2R. I borrowed a screwdriver from the nice lady running the sale and opened up the speakers (priced at $95 ea. but half off since it was their last day). Upstairs in the enormous cabinets: a pair of unfinished AR3's. The downstairs compartment was sealed with more carpentry but based on the way the speakers were wired and some other clues I found in the main console, I suspect there are some sort of Wharfedale woofers down there (or maybe an entire W60 - there's certainly enough room!). I offered $45 for the entire matched group. After some consultation with a co-worker and a phone call my offer was accepted.

I have to go back and pick up the main cabinet and the speakers but they are very nicely put together and oddly familiar. By an extraordinary coincidence, they were built in Japan for YET ANOTHER Navy Commander by the Yokohama Hi-Fi Cabinet Maker Company. In my basement sits the original Commander's Console:

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=223270

The items I am most pleased with are the two cartridges that came with the Dual - a Shure V-15 (mounted) and an M3D (in a different type of headshell). The drawers in the main cabinet were just crammed full of a lifetime's worth of audio accessories which include a wired remote for the Akai and a box with two Wharfedale volume controls - both apparently never even opened. There were also 5 microphones; a half dozen alternate phono spindles and 45 adapters; pre-recorded and blank R2R tapes; splicing kits; spare parts; cords, cables, and speaker wire; AND literally hundreds of pieces of assorted nuts, bolts, screws, brackets, adapters, etc., etc.

Wowza! Nice catch Carter.

Damn Carter. You sure can pick'em. Have you told the "boss" yet????

INCOMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Larry

That V-15 is the rare original one from '61 or '62. Great scroe, I want it.


Ben aka MacKat

larryderouin said:

Damn Carter. You sure can pick'em. Have you told the "boss" yet????

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Funny thing - she's out of town at the moment. You would have thought she would have learned not to leave me on my own for extended periods. I may need to take you up on your offer of the MAFCRS trailer once I figure out where I am going to put it.

Look what just turned up in a search for Yokokama Hi-Fi Cabinet Maker Co.:

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/ele/2901073295.html

There must be more of these out there than I at first thought.

That one in portland is purty! It looks like the spkrs aren't included tho. AW What the hell. The price is good too. I'd pay 2-3 times that for one loaded with the speakers.

Did you notice the gear is tilted back? Neat little touches like that are great!!!


Larry

Under the speakers is record storage. I was able to figure that one out. Damn AR3's WTG! and I am glad to hear someone got this one.

I was about to snag the cart off the TT while I was there and put it in my pile but felt like that was bad Karma. I did not check out what it was.

I did pick up a couple of replacement carts in the original wooden boxes. I also grabbed a bunch of unused Incra jigs and fences at the same sale. They had some very nice mid century modern furniture as well.