[R-390] Selling R390X, SP 600's and R3XX radios

[Perry Sandeen]

Yo Bubba Dudes!
wrote: 
If you find a good place to sell it, let me know,I've got a perfectly good 390A I'd like to unload, plus another of questionablecondition, right now it's all apart.

If one was to look at the sold/completed listings on ebay for any of the radios mentioned in my header, one will find that as generalization, good or rare radios sell for good prices.  Others not so well.....
There are two list members who buy, refurbish and resell R39X radios privately. There are several that do so publicly.        

The late Chuck Felton did his upgraded A's for $985.  Others get between $700 to $2,500.
The person selling the $2,500 radios doesn't advertise but has a back-log from 6 month to a year.  He is set up to redo the panels and knobs  After the modules and chassis are cleaned adn re-assembled, the radios are properly serviced with calibrated test equipment. After that, burned-in and re-checked for proper operation.  The radio is shipped in a special container.  The radio is warranted including free shipping both ways.
Yes, there are anomalies on ebay where radios sell for way more or less than average.  

The problem with many list members here is that they expect an anomalie price in their favor when buying or selling and bemoan if it doesn't happen.
The pricing situation is going to become more complicated for two reasons.
First the is a very old ham gentleman in northern Wisconsin who has over 500 B/A radios.  Many R3XX's, SP-600's as well as other well known models from the past.  They all look nice but electrically.., who knows?  When they hit e-bay in as-is condition the market for working radios will drop.

In the past physical condition was the major concern when buying a radio and they were at least *working OK or working well*. As the recent post about 'craklin rose' shows all our B/A receivers need to be at least *capacitor re-maned* and modded PS to deal with today's higher line voltages. Also the removal and replacement of the OEM high leakage line filtering designs.
Few hams or SWL people have either the test equipment/time/expertise to do major B/A repair work.  

So the end buyer wants a radio that is going to work year-in and year-out. A properly re-maned B/A will do that.
This ladies and gentlemen, is the new reality.  We either adapt to it or we perish.

Full discloser: when I finally get settled in South Carolina I plan on re-maning SP 600*S into high tech, high performance  and sell them for a premium price. IMNSHO it is the best B/A band- cruiser ever produced.  

Regards,
Perrier