Old test equipment value when new - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Skimask
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2016, 07:07:27 pm
content: So, like practically everybody else, I've acquired some old test equipment, consider obsolete by the industry and the rest of the world, works fine for me, does what I need it to do, etc. Got them all dirt cheap off ebay. I'm wondering what these things cost brand new in the box direct from the factory "back in the day".I've got a Tek 2245, Tek 2445, and an HP 8590L. Total cost to me so far is far less than $1000 and maybe 2 hours of work into the 2445 (bad U800 when I bought it). What were these things worth...back in the day...

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2016, 07:42:46 pm
content: Yup, I've had a HP 3455A (http://www.daqq.eu/?p=577). When it was first made it cost around 3000 USD. This was in ~1980.

author: Cubdriver
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 20, 2016, 07:45:23 pm
content: I can't help you with the Tek stuff as I lack the info, but the 8590L started at about $9080 for the base unit in the 1999 HP catalog. Options could potentially make it more $$.-Pat

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 20, 2016, 08:11:31 pm
content: I didn't really get into or follow test gear until recently, probably about 2000 onwards, I had a few older RS and Farnell phone book type catalogues and these were the go to references for pricing of discontinued gear, although admittedly they were a bit over the top and probably gave a misleading value more than anything else.Here are a few pages from Emona Instruments back in 2008, make sure you are sitting down and your hot coffee is well out of reach.

author: Macbeth
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2016, 08:24:06 pm
content: Don't forget to include an inflation calculator in your sums! Since the end of Bretton Woods and the fiat economy we are in perpetual inflation and it really adds up over the decades.For UK using Retail Prices Indexhttp://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-1633409/Historic-inflation-calculator-value-money-changed-1900.html

author: Johnny10
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2016, 11:20:46 pm
content: It is really unbelievable the prices for equipment that was top of line in 1990.I have a Tektronix DSA602 that retailed in catalog with 3 vertical amp plugins for Approx 38,000.A Tek 7854 with 4 plugins $27,000 I was surprised it was still for sale in 1990. I have 2 plus 12 plug-ins as I am sure many others also have.Your 2445 was $3995.And what did you pay? Next to nothing in comparison.https://archive.org/stream/tektronix_Tektronix_Catalog_1990/Tektronix_Catalog_1990#page/n79/mode/1upGreat time to be in the hobby !

author: Skimask
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2016, 01:21:38 am
content: The 2245 was $200 with probes. 2445 was $100 but the PSU needed to be re-cap'D and a new U800 at about $200 total.And this latest 8590L got me for $320. BUT now I've gotta find, what basically amounts to, a complete set of RF adapters, plugs, blocks, attenuators, and the list goes on. So if anybody has a righteous link for a pile of those things, my left-click finger is getting itchy...

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2016, 01:48:10 am
content: I have a selection of old HP product catalogs, and they used to include price lists. My 1986 one has the list, my 1988 one (and later) doesn't.Dropping the price list from the catalog was probably a first taste of corporate rot setting in.Anyway, there are some very large numbers in those lists. From the 1986 catalog in US $:8340A synth Sweeper $79,2355061A Cesium freq std $36,80054100D 1GHz scope $22,0805451C Fourier an $102,465 (and the options are typically 4 or 5 digit numbers)83595A RF plugin $33,3508505A netw an $46,2908507D auto netw an $68,709In 1987 I bought a house on very large block, near station, shops and school, for Au$101K.This is why it's so great that equipment like this (and complete service manuals) can be bought so cheaply now. If it can be repaired, it still does the same job.

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2016, 04:04:19 am
content: Even when you have prices in catalogs they are misleading. In the 80s my company bought a lot of test gear from HP and Tektronix. Paid list price for all of it. But at the end of the year there was a rebate based on total sales. Corporate saw the rebate, but the purchasing departments never did. I don't actually know the magnitude of the rebate but it was rumored to be more than 30%.