Value of Rider's manuals?

[W8ACR]

I have a chance to buy a set of Rider's manuals, volume 1-21. They are in very good condition. I guess a complete set would include vol 1-27, so this set is not quite complete. I have not looked through them. Do they cover communications receivers, and are they actually that helpful? What do you guys think a fair price would be?

Thanks, Ron W8ACR

[KM1H]

The set goes to #23 and there are 3 different #1's plus a 1-5 Abridged version. #23 is the scarcest but strictly to collect. Starting in 1946 SAM's was far superior.

Most usually go for $5-10 each on the radio forums since most of the circuits are now on line and easier than dragging out 10# books.

I paid $50 for it all plus another box of indexes plus several boxes of OEM auto manuals back in the 70's from a store that had closed. Most of it now sits in the attic.

Carl

[Detroit47]

They are nice to have but you can buy them on CD, and they are easier to use. I have a complete set. But I use my CD set over the paper ones. It's easy for me to set my laptop wherever I am working, without worrying about damaging an old book.

73 N8QPC

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I paid $125 back in the 90's for an excellent condition of all 23 Volumes plus an Index book. These work great when customers need clean and readable blown up schematics on many of the early radios. I've never seen a scanned version of Rider's (I've seen several) where a scanned copy of some of the early radios (especially schematics) could be enlarged and read 100%. On many of them the letters and numbers, and even some of the symbols, just look like blobs of dried ink.

If you tinker with radios from the 40's, 30's, or 20's, the set is very useful.

[Detroit47]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Riders-Perpetual-Troubleshooters-Manual-Vols-1-23-DVD-/200286574170?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ea202965a

[The Slab Bacon]

I also have a set on CDs. I've had them for quite a few years, think I paid around a C-note for them.  I'd also like to have an original but..................
The CDs take up a lot less space than 24 large looseleafed binders! ! ! ! ! !

I just print out the few pages I need when I need them and discard them when I am done. (or give them to whoever owns what I am working on). That takes up even less room than a laptop.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

I've got a few of them here too, Ron. They are nice to have if you use them a lot. Otherwise they take up a lot of real estate and collect dust. There was a time not too many years ago they sold for big $. Lately they seem to go begging. I think $5 each would be a lot to pay in today's world. If I were me (which I try to be most days), $50 for the lot would be about it. It's really an issue of utility determining value. If you enjoy the hands-on approach of old books and manuals and have the space, grab 'em. I've got the first thousand SAMS Photofacts in boxes stored in the garage. Picked them up at a radio auction in 1994 because I thought they'd be great to have. Can't remember ever using one.