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Vintage Radio (domestic) Domestic vintage radio (wireless) receivers only.

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Old 16th Jul 2006, 10:34 pm   #1
Sam
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Default Champion Set Valuation wanted

Hi all, I saw a small Champion set in a shop in town. It was a pale blue/green colour, and I was wondering what would people would estimate to be the value of one of these. I am tempted by it as it is a nice looking little thing. There didn't seem to be any damage to the case, and the back was intact and not burned at all. The bloke wanted £50 for it, so is this fair? I am still not sure if I will get it: £50 seems a lot to lay out on a set, but I know these are desireable little radios.

Sam
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Old 16th Jul 2006, 10:53 pm   #2
Richard
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Default Re: Champion Set Valuation wanted

Hi Sam

Go for it, if you like it does it matter if its £20 over the odds?

If its a Bakelite (urea etc) in blue / green then I expect its worth £50+

Richard.
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Old 17th Jul 2006, 1:59 pm   #3
jay_oldstuff
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Default Re: Champion Set Valuation wanted

I have one if these little Champion sets mine is in a cream case and has some heat dammage over the output valve, paid a tenner for it at a local junk shop and i've seen a simaler one again in cream sell on e-bay for a little over forty pound. i think the colourd ones are worth slightely more performance wise nothing special but not bad for such a small set.

Jay
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Old 17th Jul 2006, 5:54 pm   #4
jim_beacon
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Default Re: Champion Set Valuation wanted

Sam,

if it is the coloured moulding, the price is about right, though if you shop around, you may get one cheaper - it depends who is looking on eBay at the time.

Jim.
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Old 20th Jul 2006, 8:13 am   #5
Paul_RK
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Default Re: Champion Set Valuation wanted

I couldn't say myself whether Champion sets were made with coloured mouldings, beyond there being plenty of cream ones around.

£50 seems definitely at the hiigh end of the price scale for even a near-perfect painted example, but reasonable enough if the moulding's really blue: though technically Champions generally were nothing to write home about

Paul
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Old 20th Jul 2006, 12:32 pm   #6
Aerodyne
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Default Re: Champion Set Valuation wanted

With regard to bright colours, most plastics valve sets were painted or moulded in Urea as Bakelite tends toward a natural dark muddiness. Painted sets in original condition are likely to show wear on corners, knobs etc. If they don't and they are painted (by the way, a check in an unobtrusive place such as the cabinet bottom might confirm this. Look for wear on the moulded-in feet - no wear here means likelihood of a repaint) ask yourself why. Small Urea cabinets housing valve receivers often stress-crack in the most unlikely places and the smaller, low-cost Champion sets certainly fit that category. A lick of paint covers a thousand sins. Personally I would pay little for any of the small Champions as they really are nothing special.
-Tony
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Old 20th Jul 2006, 12:48 pm   #7
mickjjo
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Default Re: Champion Set Valuation wanted

I picked up one of these Champions, a 784B, with B8A valves, UL41 etc, a couple of years ago from a street market, very tidy and free of damage. I paid £18, haggled down from the asking price of £25. Quite pretty in blue but definately a painted finish on top of the cream moulding. £50 does seem a bit steep however..... .

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Old 20th Jul 2006, 3:00 pm   #8
Sam
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Default Re: Champion Set Valuation wanted

Well, I was in town earlier and I relented. £45 paid, and it is a greenish plastic - definitely not painted. It is a TRF 784, so be prepared for questions I may have about it!

Sam
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Old 20th Jul 2006, 7:10 pm   #9
Aerodyne
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Default Re: Champion Set Valuation wanted

Non-painted and a TRF - well, that makes it interesting in itself. Champion were probably the last British maker to market TRF receivers in th early 1950s, economy sets for secondary use, of course. Nice and straightforward and AC/DC live chassis, too. The use of those valves makes yours a type 'M'. Take care - the single pole mains switch is in the neutral line.
-Tony
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