fini Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 Time was when I was known 'round these parts as a console collector/aficianato/proponent. Fisher, Magnavox...ah, the good old days. The local thrift stores yeilded many a hifi-in-a-cabinet to me. I even bought anice Fisher console containing the sought-after SA-16 amp and 100-T pre/tuner on eBay with help from our Allan Songer who expertly removed the components to send to me, while keeping the "furniture" portion for his prop house. I wonder if it's been in any films... Well, I was down to one whole console, a Fisher, with a nice little 6BQ5 PP amp. My recent purchase of a second set of Klipschorns meant that something large had to go. The console, as it recently sat in my garage, was missing the amp and tuner/pre (which were on the shelf, awaiting the elusive "service" I'd promised them years ago). The nifty Garrard turntable was still there, as were the built-in speakers. I decided it was time for someone else to enjoy having this piece of quasi-mid-century-modern furniture in their home. I wasn't willing to put the components back in (honest, I'm gonna fix 'em up someday), hell, I was giving the thing away! Shoot, it still had the awesome turntable and speakers in there! A prize package, especially for free!! I packed it (along with a few other bulky do-dads) into the back of the Toyota PU, and headed with my buddy Zeno over to the recycling center at the landfill (affectionately named Recycletown). I figured someone would take it, if just to re-purpose it into a bar, storage box, or credenza. Well, they (Brian actually, the head recycletown dude) wouldn't take it! Man, given the tons of real crap they DO take, I thought I'd be able to donate it, no problem! I mean, I've seen them here before. This made me wonder how many really cool, FULL consoles they may have rejected. Most people, when told Recycletown can't use whatever they're trying to unload, simply drive the stuff a little further down the road and just heap it into the junk pile. It breaks my heart to imagine a (admittedly rare) McIntosh MX-110 and MC240 combo turned into landfill (those discarded solid state Zeniths didn't upset me in the least, though). Disappointed, I brought it back home (along with a few "new" items Zeno picked up for his rancho). Back home, I knew the console would never make it back into the garage, let alone the house. My wife has wanted this thing GONE since the moment I brought it home from the VNA Thrift store oh so many years ago. I became resigned to just throw it out, pretty mahogany and all. I did, however, delicately pull the turntable, speaker components and a cool light that turns on when you opened the lid before I chopped it into pieces small enough to fit into the garbage can. Oh, I saved the brass "The Fisher" nail-on logo, too. It'll look nice on the amp case I make for that little push-pull amp. After I restore it. One of these days. So, I now own no consoles. Am I unconsolable? Or would that term apply to Recycletown? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 nice story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted September 5, 2010 Moderators Share Posted September 5, 2010 I kind of liked the undefined Fini. [] Cool looking logo, and remember the wife is always right, left or how ever she likes to be. [Y] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted September 5, 2010 Author Share Posted September 5, 2010 nice story. And I swear it's all true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted September 5, 2010 Author Share Posted September 5, 2010 Cool looking logo, and remember the wife is always right, left or how ever she likes to be. You forgot top or bottom...[6] You must be really wise, Eldon, cuz you're always right correct! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skonopa Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 Oh, I saved the brass "The Fisher" nail-on logo, too. It'll look nice on the amp case I make for that little push-pull amp. After I restore it. One of these days. To bad you didn't save any of the wood from the console. That would've been cool to make the case for the amp out of. I wonder if those dudes from "American Picker" would've taken it. [] Oh, well, sad you end up having to junk it, but at least you saved the table and speaker components. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted September 5, 2010 Moderators Share Posted September 5, 2010 You must be really wise, Eldon, cuz you're always right correct! I thought you knew me better than that, haven't talked to christy I see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sputnik Posted September 6, 2010 Share Posted September 6, 2010 It's pretty cool to have a friend named Zeno. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted September 6, 2010 Share Posted September 6, 2010 a woodworker like you scraping some nice old mahogany? that makes my heart sink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted September 6, 2010 Author Share Posted September 6, 2010 To bad you didn't save any of the wood from the console. That would've been cool to make the case for the amp out of. I considered it! I did save the lid top (at a minimum, it'll make a nice shelf). I guess I could cut that into some type of case. Actually, it's ALL still here, just in the garbage can. I tried to think of something to do with the cane grills...hmm, maybe I'll see if the material could be salvaged for Heresys... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted September 6, 2010 Author Share Posted September 6, 2010 It's pretty cool to have a friend named Zeno. You all know him as Clipped & Shorn... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted September 6, 2010 Share Posted September 6, 2010 I've gotten six or so old tube console stereos over the years, and still feel a bit guilty about the one's I've trashed. One was a Montgomery wards "Airline" from around 1959. It had a rather weird space-age look, quite different and unique compared the bedroom dresser look common with the vintage consoles. Shoulda left it alone, but it got chopped up. Another was a 3 channel mohogany Motorola console. It was a beast, and I didn't have the room. It however made great firewood at a Barter Faire... Gave away a couple. A couple went to the dump. I still have one little mahogany Magnavox console. It's a stand for the refridgerator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkrop Posted September 6, 2010 Share Posted September 6, 2010 Gee, you probably have room for a car in the garage now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksonbart Posted September 6, 2010 Share Posted September 6, 2010 Sometimes one man's treasure is a another man's trash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted September 6, 2010 Share Posted September 6, 2010 I think I had the same console you did with Coronet 100 and SA-16. I also kept The Fisher tin logo. Unfortunately my console was damaged so I ebayed the drivers which sold well. All you do is use the key word alnico. The turntablewas left on the curb where it was recycled. If I want something to go to a home instead of the dumb I post it on a www.freecycle.org. Things usually disappear quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 I knew this would happen. Fini's House of Consoles has been overextended for quite some time now. Inventory shrinking, staffing reduced and never a good sale to move out the old and refresh the product line. It's a good thing I took certain legal steps to differentiate the brand and I am proud to announce that Fini's Est Cost Consoles, has been renamed Thebes-O-Rama's East Coast Consoles. We have a wide selection and we are open for business. Our specialty is German brands, including Telefunken and Grundig. Free zip cord (as good or better than the fancy stuff!) to the first 100 customers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted September 7, 2010 Author Share Posted September 7, 2010 I am of course fine with that, Marty. Just remember my 20% cut... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 Somebody should build a house out of old console stereos... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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