By WA9TGT / Donnie Garrett
The following grading standard has been
established in an effort to provide a much-needed grading standard for Drake
radio equipment. It's basic format is a near similar standard established by the
Collins Collectors Association.
All Drake radio equipment users and or collectors are encouraged to follow these
same equipment grading standards when describing the condition of listed
equipment. By doing so both the buyer and seller will be using the same terms to
describe the actual condition of their listed Drake equipment, therefor reducing
the chance for misrepresentation, either innocently or intentionally. Honesty
and integrity should always be first and foremost. Allowances have been made to
reflect the common corrosion problems encountered on the early Drake line that
used the copper plated chassis.
Drake Grading Standard
Mint Condition
Mint condition is defined as the same condition in which the set left the
factory when it was manufactured. A set in mint condition will be functioning
perfectly, there will be no damaged or missing parts, no signs of wear and tear,
and the cabinet finish will be perfect without a single sign of use. A mint
condition Drake Radio will be accompanied by its original operating manual and
may have the factory-shipping carton as well. Mint condition radios may or may
not have service bulletins incorporated. If so, the bulletins must all be those
approved by Drake and the workmanship must be equal to that of Drake. No other
components, other than tubes, shall have been replaced. The phrase "mint
condition" is a very over used one when describing the condition of radio
equipment. There are very few Drake radios, which actually qualify as
"mint".
Excellent Condition
Sets in excellent condition are
completely functional, have no missing or damaged parts, show only minute
(nearly undetectable) signs of wear and tear, and the cabinet and front panel
will be nearly perfect, without scratches or dents and there is minimal dust on
the chassis. Original RCA
and type "PJ" jacks are in their proper position and show no signs of
wear. The material from which certain parts are made may show physical age - for
example, plastic parts may change color with age. The radio may have had
components replaced but will have no modifications installed which were not
approved by Drake and the workmanship must be equal to that of Drake.
Very Good Condition
A set in very good condition will be
completely functional, there will be signs of wear and tear and the front panel
may be minimally scratched. Damaged or missing parts may have been replaced.
White insulator materials in RCA jacks show definite signs of wear and tear. The
cabinet finish will
have only minor damage (a few small scratches or signs of wear but not into the
metal) and dust may be expected in the chassis and it may have very minor
corrosion on the chassis. The cabinet may have been repainted; quality
equivalent to original but it shall be identified as a repaint.
Good Condition
A Drake radio in good condition will be
either fully functional or easily repairable, there may be a few minor missing
parts which are relatively easy to obtain, there will be signs of normal wear
and tear, and there may be extra holes drilled in the chassis and cabinet. Panel
scratches may exist but are not extensive and the cabinet finish may have
scratches into the metal, which will require touch up or refinishing. There may
be minimal to moderate corrosion on the chassis in places. The radio may have
had components replaced but will have no modifications installed which were not
approved by Drake. Workmanship may not be equal to that of Drake, but still of
good quality.
Fair Condition
Drake Radios in fair condition will
usually not be completely functional, but it will be repairable with
considerable labor. There may be a few missing parts, which may be difficult to
obtain. There will be signs of excessive wear and tear and lots of chassis grime
due to prolonged use. The cabinet and front panel will probably require
refinishing and the chassis may have age related corrosion as a matter of
routine. Non-Drake modifications may have been installed in the radio.
Poor Condition
A set in poor condition will probably not
be functional and will probably require excessive labor to repair. There will
probably be several missing parts, which are difficult to obtain. There will be
signs of very excessive wear and tear, which will probably be impossible to
completely repair. The cabinet finish will probably have heavy dents and
scratches, which are difficult or impossible to repair with refinishing.
Bad Condition
The proverbial "basket case." A
Drake radio in bad condition is usually good for parts only. Critical components
will probably be burned out or damaged beyond repair, rendering the set
permanently non-functional. There will probably be missing parts, which are
impossible to obtain. There will be irreparable damage and abuse. The cabinet
may be missing or damaged beyond repair.
Restored Equipment
It is necessary to evaluate the condition
of Drake radios on the basis of this scale to determine if it is worth more or
less than the value specified. "Mint," "excellent," and
"very good" sets are worth more than the prices stated. Of course,
"fair," "poor," and "bad" sets are worth much
less. When a set has been properly restored, it may move to a much higher
condition rating and its value can increase accordingly. However, it must be
represented that the set has been restored. A poorly done restoration will
greatly reduce the value of an otherwise rare find.
Upon request, The Board Of
Directors of the "Collins Collectors Association" unamaniously voted
to permit the Drake Collector / User Group, permission to use the Collins
grading standard guidelines. Above is found near similar criteria to be
applied to Drake Radio Equipment as a near similar grading standard. The
original Collins version can be found at www.collinsradio.org