shold I buy these old scopes for a few dollars?

Thread Starter

dentaku

Joined Jul 29, 2013
45
I have a chance to maybe buy some quite old oscilloscopes from someone near me. He doesn't seem to know what they're worth an neither do I.
He's got...
EICO 460 (uses vacuum tubes and is not useful for me other than it's ornamental value)
Advance (Gould) OS1000A 20MHz analog scope. Is this from the 70's?
B+K Precision 1472C 15MHz analog scope. Again, not sure what date this thing's from.

What would the Advance and B+K be worth in $Can if they work?
I really only want a scope for audio work, nothing high frequency.

Here's some grainy photos of the hardware
https://app.box.com/s/v71fzgex61g0j1emjm6g
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,201
You might try Ebay for similar scopes to see what they are going for. Likely it's not much more than couple hundred bucks.
 

Thread Starter

dentaku

Joined Jul 29, 2013
45
Scopes that old go for 30 to 50 dollars sometimes.

So far the Advance seems like the best one even though the design is probably older than then B&K.

You might try Ebay for similar scopes to see what they are going for. Likely it's not much more than couple hundred bucks.
 

DerStrom8

Joined Feb 20, 2011
2,390
BKs are pretty decent, and I would expect to find one on Ebay for between $50 and $150, plus shipping. I've actually been looking for one myself, but would prefer a 20MHz+ scope.

Regards,
Matt
 

paulktreg

Joined Jun 2, 2008
833
I'm not being funny but they're only worth what somebody will pay for them.

You can buy reasonable USB scopes with equal or better bandwidth for very little money these days and although the CRT scopes work very well in the audio spectrum, I like them, it must be hard to justify paying too much when cheaper new alternatives are available?
 

Thread Starter

dentaku

Joined Jul 29, 2013
45
The BK 1472 is kind of tall right?
The Advance OS1000A looks like it might take up less vertical space.

I might just buy both if he's wanting to get rid of them and not expecting to get much for them.

I have a BK 1472, purchased new in 1980 for around $ 175.
 

DerStrom8

Joined Feb 20, 2011
2,390
I'm not being funny but they're only worth what somebody will pay for them.

You can buy reasonable USB scopes with equal or better bandwidth for very little money these days and although the CRT scopes work very well in the audio spectrum, I like them, it must be hard to justify paying too much when cheaper new alternatives are available?
I have yet to try a decent USB scope. I'd love to have one, but they tend not to do as good of a job as a modern digital one, or even a vintage analog one. Perhaps I'll find a good one sometime, but for the time being I'd rather stick with the real thing ;)

Regards,
Matt
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,621
EICO 460 - $0, nostalgic value only
Advance Gould OS1000 - $20 - $30
B&K 1472C - $20 - $30

I can help you fix the Advance OS1000 if you are having trouble with it.
 

Thread Starter

dentaku

Joined Jul 29, 2013
45
Yeah. I'm interested in these old ones because they have slow streaky CRTs.
I like that it's not a chunky low resolution aliased LCD.

I've seen videos of newer expensive scopes with nice analog-like persistence and intensity graduated display modes that look great though. (Rigol DS2202 looks fabulous)
You won't find those nice displays on really cheap Chinese scopes though.
 
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Thread Starter

dentaku

Joined Jul 29, 2013
45
Hmmm...
I think I'll offer him $40 if they work fine and have good probes included. He's got no use for the probes and it's nice not to have to pay for shipping like you would on ebay.

EICO 460 - $0, nostalgic value only
Advance Gould OS1000 - $20 - $30
B&K 1472C - $20 - $30

I can help you fix the Advance OS1000 if you are having trouble with it.
 

DerStrom8

Joined Feb 20, 2011
2,390
I just gave in and bought one. :D



It's not a great scope, only 2 channel, 100MHz, but the price was right.
$72 including shipping :D
 

Thread Starter

dentaku

Joined Jul 29, 2013
45
I just gave in and bought one. :D

It's not a great scope, only 2 channel, 100MHz, but the price was right.
$72 including shipping :D
Wow, it looks to be I nice shape. I doubt you could find a perfectly usable HP in Canada for that price and the shipping from the US would be ridiculous.
 

DerStrom8

Joined Feb 20, 2011
2,390
Wow, it looks to be I nice shape. I doubt you could find a perfectly usable HP in Canada for that price and the shipping from the US would be ridiculous.
I would expect you're right, but in my search I did find some in Canada. I bought this one off ebay, so a few searches might find something in your area. Worth a shot ;)

Good luck!
Matt
 

DerStrom8

Joined Feb 20, 2011
2,390
Whaddumean, only 2 channels and 100MHz? That's a terrific scope! Plus storage!
You would be hard pressed to find a better bargain!
Well I've been looking for a digital scope, so this is a step down from what I wanted, but it's a great scope for the price--I would expect to see this for at least twice what I paid for it. I do feel very fortunate to have found this.

I find it hard to believe though, it had a "make an offer" button and two people had made offers, but for that price I couldn't think of making a lower offer. I just hit the "buy it now" button and took it right out from under the fools who were trying to get it for less :D:D:D

Matt
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,621
Long before digital scopes became available my workhorse for many years was an HP 1703A scope.
The storage capability saved my skin on so many occasions I could not live without it.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
These are great scopes. Very durable. It you open it up, you will see all gold plated circuit traces (if I remember correctly).
 

Thread Starter

dentaku

Joined Jul 29, 2013
45
You're lucky you didn't have to restore one that looked like this. (unless you find that kinda stuff fun).
http://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/hp-1741a-oscilloscope-restoration-project/

Well I've been looking for a digital scope, so this is a step down from what I wanted, but it's a great scope for the price--I would expect to see this for at least twice what I paid for it. I do feel very fortunate to have found this.

I find it hard to believe though, it had a "make an offer" button and two people had made offers, but for that price I couldn't think of making a lower offer. I just hit the "buy it now" button and took it right out from under the fools who were trying to get it for less :D:D:D

Matt
 
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