Kutztown Antique Radio Show

[PeterW.]

OK - this rightfully belongs in the OT section (which it is) - but for those of you that may be in the area, looking for vintage equipment where it can be tested directly and/or just curious, I am willing to take some flack for posting it here:

To all and sundry - sure the primary purpose of this swap is not vinyl, not even audio. But a significant and ever increasing amount of space, vendors and equipment is being dedicated to, are attending and is being shown for sale for audio.

A few things:

Activities start late on Thursday with early arrivals setting up for Friday morning. Friday is mostly dedicated to the hobby (hobbies) with most attendees being there for that purpose alone. Saturday brings the general public. There is a 'quality' auction on Saturday afternoon - and everything from NIB WE300bs to McIntosh tube amps have gone up - not to mention radios and related, of course.

Renningers, the venue for the event, is a large farm/antique market in its own right, so there are activities for other than radio/audio people.

Camping is free, admission is free, parking is free to the public and all visitors. Vendors pay $20 for a space (10' x 10' with 4' x 8' table and electricity). NOTE: It is sold out for September, 2012. There is outdoor overflow space available, however.

There are something over 200 vendors in two roofed-over pavilions.

Lots of activities Friday night, (usually) including live music (quality not guaranteed), a bonfire, fireworks, food (pay as you go), beer (pay as you go, but mighty cheap) and more.

http://hagstar.phanfare.com/slideshow.a ... id=5577202

A slide show of the spring event. You will see me in the "Tech Area" and helping a new-to-the-hobby individual restore his first vintage radio (but I have done a fair bit of audio work there as well). We run a free diagnostic and basic-repair clinic (customer pays only for parts if repairs are made) and we make every attempt to get the customer to do it themselves. I have a pretty good set of diagnostic tools on-hand (no scope) and most basic issues can be diagnosed if not addressed on the spot. Tubes, capacitors, many controls, knobs, lamps, resistors and much more are sold either by the club or by specialty vendors individually and in bulk.

Date: Kutztown XXVII - Sept 21-22, 2012
Location: Kutztown, ADAMS County, PA. Just off SR22 or I78. About one hour from Philadelphia, 45 minutes from Allentown.

Come one, come all. We have had purpose visits from individuals from as far as Australia. No kidding. One gentleman from Japan comes for every meet.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[Coffee Phil]

I would have loved to be there. I love that vintage electronics.

One thing that was a bit upsetting to me was seeing those old radio cabinets torched. What's up with that?

Phil

OK - this rightfully belongs in the OT section (which it is) - but for those of you that may be in the area, looking for vintage equipment where it can be tested directly and/or just curious, I am willing to take some flack for posting it here:

To all and sundry - sure the primary purpose of this swap is not vinyl, not even audio. But a significant and ever increasing amount of space, vendors and equipment is being dedicated to, are attending and is being shown for sale for audio.

A few things:

Activities start late on Thursday with early arrivals setting up for Friday morning. Friday is mostly dedicated to the hobby (hobbies) with most attendees being there for that purpose alone. Saturday brings the general public. There is a 'quality' auction on Saturday afternoon - and everything from NIB WE300bs to McIntosh tube amps have gone up - not to mention radios and related, of course.

Renningers, the venue for the event, is a large farm/antique market in its own right, so there are activities for other than radio/audio people.

Camping is free, admission is free, parking is free to the public and all visitors. Vendors pay $20 for a space (10' x 10' with 4' x 8' table and electricity). NOTE: It is sold out for September, 2012. There is outdoor overflow space available, however.

There are something over 200 vendors in two roofed-over pavilions.

Lots of activities Friday night, (usually) including live music (quality not guaranteed), a bonfire, fireworks, food (pay as you go), beer (pay as you go, but mighty cheap) and more.

http://hagstar.phanfare.com/slideshow.a ... id=5577202

A slide show of the spring event. You will see me in the "Tech Area" and helping a new-to-the-hobby individual restore his first vintage radio (but I have done a fair bit of audio work there as well). We run a free diagnostic and basic-repair clinic (customer pays only for parts if repairs are made) and we make every attempt to get the customer to do it themselves. I have a pretty good set of diagnostic tools on-hand (no scope) and most basic issues can be diagnosed if not addressed on the spot. Tubes, capacitors, many controls, knobs, lamps, resistors and much more are sold either by the club or by specialty vendors individually and in bulk.

Date: Kutztown XXVII - Sept 21-22, 2012
Location: Kutztown, ADAMS County, PA. Just off SR22 or I78. About one hour from Philadelphia, 45 minutes from Allentown.

Come one, come all. We have had purpose visits from individuals from as far as Australia. No kidding. One gentleman from Japan comes for every meet.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[PeterW.]

[quote="Coffee Phil"]I would have loved to be there. I love that vintage electronics.

One thing that was a bit upsetting to me was seeing those old radio cabinets torched. What's up with that?

Phil

Those old consoles have been harvested of every conceivable salvagable part from the veneers to the latches, hinges and whatever else may come to mind. They are typically barn-refugees and utterly useless except as bonfire wood or landfill. They sit in the 'for free' pile for 24 hours prior to burning, any individual may take anything.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[Coffee Phil]

OK,

If the cabinets were useless to house the radios which were in them, I feel better.

Phil

I would have loved to be there. I love that vintage electronics.

One thing that was a bit upsetting to me was seeing those old radio cabinets torched. What's up with that?

Phil

Those old consoles have been harvested of every conceivable salvagable part from the veneers to the latches, hinges and whatever else may come to mind. They are typically barn-refugees and utterly useless except as bonfire wood or landfill. They sit in the 'for free' pile for 24 hours prior to burning, any individual may take anything.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[PeterW.]

".... which were in them..."

Sadly, that is exactly why most of those cabinets are scrapped. The electronics are far more prone to damage from insects, damp, rot, vermin and other age/mechanical issues such that empty cabinets are about 10:1 to homeless chasssis that might fit.

Be certain that Keil, Pooley and Red Lion cabinets in any shape or condition will not be burnt, and that even the most spavined Walton or Philco-90 cabinet will be salvaged.

A statistic that may blow some minds out there: Between 1921 and 1963, well over 300,000,000 (Yes, that is three hundred million) radios were manufactured in the United States *alone*. From the earliest days to about 1960 or so, a decent radio would easily cost a week's average wages, with the Zenith Stratosphere costing almost $750 in 1935. That comes to $12,630.90 today. A bit more than I make in a week, certainly. But what it comes down to is that radios of that era were *expensive* and so were seldom trashed but stored in attics, barns, outbuildings and so forth. And once forgotten they began to moulder. Thereby providing a nearly limitless amount of kindling. I agree that it is sad at one level. At another, you may be sure that easily a few thousand radios (and related equipment) will find a new life at each Kutztown swap.

In any case, Kutztown is worth the visit for those who have the time and inclination. It is quite easily the largest show of its kind in the East and it is a close-run thing nationwide (US) as to whether it is or not.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[pfcs49]

I went past 2 years. Found some interesting artifacts. You never know.
Hot dogs were good too.

[zplyonz]

I'm going to be selling not buying for the first time for Kutztown XXVII. I am troubled to see the DVHRC website down.

http://www.dvhrc.info/kutztown.html

It had a nifty FAQ for the newbies, in whose company I remain. I will be selling a nice Thorens TD-124 if that's of any interest to someone who prefers not to use UPS etc...

See ya there, I hope.