I've been looking at antique radio restoration services on the net, and I was surprised to find lots of choices, but to date have not found or picked one for an estimate yet. Some of them look really outstanding, but I'm sure they would be very expensive versus just plain expensive, more ore less.

Do you guys have any recommendations for this service ? The radio I have is a West German manufacturer, prob 60s era, Konigsfeld brand Model "Saba 80 US" model AM/FM multi-band tabletop 120v AC radio. It's in really good shape, but all the capacitors are for sure completely shot, and I don't know the condition of the vacuum tubes. But the overall condition is very nice.

Any recommendations or advice greatly appreciated.

Contact the Antique Wireless Association

They can probably provide some assistance and in sone cases there are local ham radio techs that like working on and restoring old gear

If you want inexpensive. Go local, IMHO, Shipping these things is not cheap. Post online use either antique radio or QRZ both have Boat Anchor forums.

The best guy in the field of "boat anchor" restoration is:

Howard Mills, Harper's Ferry WVA

Look him up. Excellent work, NOT CHEAP, however.

AWA, as stated, also a good bet for a referral, Lynn Bisha is the guy to reach out to there.

Also Electric Radio www.ermag.com

also check out: www.antiqueradios.com

It has been so long since my loss of a huge Saba on Ebay. It sold for $1,710.00 which was near 3 times my final bid. Buyers from China and Canada were involved. I wanted 6 of those big table tops throughout my large apartment. Saba, Grundig, Telefunkin, Nordmende, Siemens and others. I used to email back and forth with language converting program to a German man who was probably Germanys best at radio restorations. Another seller in Belgium as I recall sold some fine radios on the site. Maybe post a pic or 3 of yours when you can.

Used the Perplexity.ai search engine and got this:

For restoring your Konigsfeld brand Model "Saba 80 US" vintage radio, here are some reputable restoration services:

For Your Listening Pleasure (FYLP)
Located in Binghamton, NY, FYLP has over 50 years of experience in vintage radio repair and restoration. They offer comprehensive services for restoring and maintaining classic radios, with a strong emphasis on quality and customer service.

Mumford Restoration
Based in Raleigh, NC, Mumford Restoration treats vintage radios like works of art. They offer detailed evaluations and restoration services for both the technical and cabinetry aspects of antique radios. They have been in the business for 40 years and handle a variety of vintage audio equipment.

Dale's Antique Radio Repair
Located in Greenville, TX, Dale's Antique Radio Repair specializes in the restoration of AC-powered antique tube radios from the 1920s to the 1960s. With over 45 years of experience, Dale offers fast, affordable service and maintains a large stock of parts and tubes.

Retro Radio Shop
This service offers vintage, retro, and antique tube radio restoration and repairs. They have over 25 years of experience and provide a systematic refurbishing process, including cleaning, de-oxidization, lubrication, and replacement of unsafe components. They also offer additional services like adding Bluetooth and FM functionality to vintage radios.

These services are well-regarded for their expertise in vintage radio restoration and can help bring your Saba 80 US back to life.

everythingradio.com was a primary source

I can't make a recommendation but you might find some leads from this link also.

https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-category?id=26

Subscribed, because my wife has one of these in need of repair.

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:
It has been so long since my loss of a huge Saba on Ebay. It sold for $1,710.00 which was near 3 times my final bid. Buyers from China and Canada were involved. I wanted 6 of those big table tops throughout my large apartment. Saba, Grundig, Telefunkin, Nordmende, Siemens and others. I used to email back and forth with language converting program to a German man who was probably Germanys best at radio restorations. Another seller in Belgium as I recall sold some fine radios on the site. Maybe post a pic or 3 of yours when you can.

Wow that is impressive. When I acquired this guy I forgot how nice these old units are. Stepping back in time gets sweeter the older we get. Anyway here is a link to the exact unit I have:

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/saba_80us80_u.html

If I had known a long time ago how restorable old radio and stereo equipment is, I would not have disposed of my old Pioneer and Technic units I acquired as a teenager. The Pioneer was a work of art.

 
Ari Shamron.

I used to drool over beautiful Graetz tubers. And, if you think Blaupunkt only makes modern radios, guess again. The old German tube radios have such a warm sound. Cabinets finished like fine furniture, ivory like buttons and that sweet little green tuning eye. More tube's , more speakers, more power. The chassis can be a work of art. My brothers huge Nordmende could easily fill a large room. That aforementioned SABA at Ebay was over 50 pounds.

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:
 
Ari Shamron.

Hmmm, coming up short on that.

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:
 
Ari Shamron.

Hmmm, coming up short on that.

You must not read the Daniel Silva books. In them Ari Shamron is the head of Mossad and his passionate hobby is repairing old radios.

It appears the gentleman who restored my Grundig 4040 has passed. This list may be of some help:

Radio Restorers

Not sure how current it is.

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:
 
Ari Shamron.

Hmmm, coming up short on that.

You must not read the Daniel Silva books. In them Ari Shamron is the head of Mossad and his passionate hobby is repairing old radios.

That explains the hits I was getting about an Israeli General!