[Jayce]

I have a possible chance to add a working Philco 91X console to my collection, but want some price advice first. The cabinet on the radio is decent, not sure if a good cleaning will make it look better or not. No bad veneer though. Grill cloth is intact, dial has a chunk broke out and a piece glued back in though. Light for shadow meter burnt out while testing the radio and I think the shadow meter is missing it's little cover for over the dial. Chassis has been electronically rebuilt, but someone put in another volume control which works, but is ultra fussy. Once I tweaked with the volume control, it came out to be a good sounding console. I wonder what I should offer for this set? This guy is shrewd and usually wants $150 on up for alot of his stuff, working or not. Though I would ask you guys here before I get too excited.

[TA Forbes]

A lot of it depends on how much you want it and are willing/able to pay. Of course item condition has a lot to do with it. I would start low, not insultingly low, but low, and see if he comes off his price and by how much. After a couple of back and forths you will, or should, come up with a mutually acceptable deal.

Another tactic is to just tell him all you have on you is ___, will he take that? In this case you would offer somthing closer to what you think he is willing to take, but less than he is asking. Bad thing about this tactic is it is a one shot deal, you come off a liar if you can pay more than your original offer.

If he is the kind that WILL NOT come off his price, (unless it is already a DEAL, like a NICE Philco 116B for 150.00), you might be better served waiting for a deal more to your liking.

[Jayce]

I must admit, even though I like the radio, I am really weighing my pros and cons this time around. I have found it hard to sell radios myself around my region, even when I've tried selling below what they cost me to buy and get repaired years back. With that and the fact that my budget is getting hit by what is supposed to be my new radio hauler, I'm being rather picky this time around.
Thanks for the advice.

[Ron Ramirez]

A 91X is a really nice radio, if it is in good condition. If the cabinet is as nice as you describe, why not offer the guy $100, see what happens. Couldn't hurt...if the guy is wanting more than $150 and won't budge, tell him "Have a nice day" and wait for the next one, as Tom said.

Speaking of radio haulers and money...and I'm not trying to change the subject here...but gas just hit $4.199 in Evansville, which means it will most likely be $4.299 here in Ferdy today. I drive my Roadmaster as little as possible these days. I'm glad we recently bought a car that gets 30+ MPG consistently, to replace Debbie's ailing Grand Prix.

[Jayce]

Ugh, I feel you on the fuel prices Ron. The Ford Ranger I had died and ended up in the scrap yard, so have been driving the one ton for work. 13 mpg on a good day with that thing. Hoping this other Dodge with the slant-six does better on fuel. I'm going to have to get my Volkswagen going soon with these prices.
I'll see what happens with the radio, if I decide to even inquire about it. I'm hoping that the fact this guy radically dropped the price of the Zenith bakelite I bought from him means he's waking up to reality.

[Arran]

It sounds to me like the volume control was replaced by a random potentiometer that someone had laying around in their junk box, a linear pot for a tone control for example, I wonder what kind of hack job was done on the rest of it? The broken dial scale is a definite detractor on the value, those rarely get damaged unless someone was being rough with the chassis. It sounds like an as is radio, no I would not pay anywhere near $150+ for it even if it does sort of work, if you can't get more then what you paid for your old sets neither will he, he isn't being shrewd he's being delusional. I would offer him $60 for it, if he's serious he will counter offer or take it, if he just laughs it off or gets steamed walk away.
Regards
Arran

[Jayce]

Well, the hack job is what this radio looked like when the guy got it. I've actually known this guy a while and can remember the radio sitting apart in his back room for a few years. One reason why he hadn't gotten anyone to redo it was it was missing most of the tubes and it was obvious someone had worked on it and didn't know what they were doing. He's still not happy about the volume control, but I suppose that could be corrected in the future. Just seeing it all back together and working was nice and even with just a short wire hanging on the antenna terminal it sucked in stations like crazy.