The HARDEST CB Radios To Find 

I had a Courier 23 as a kid. All metal, tubes, cool as hell. I wish I still had it.

Good list. I sold a GE Superbase about a year ago that was like brand new. It had sat in a closet for 30 years. I bought it for a reasonable price and recapped and aligned it. It worked excellent. Sold it for $550. I saw a Stoner Pro 40 at the Elmira, NY Ham fest last September. There wasn't a price on it though, and I don't know if it worked, but it was in excellent shape. CPIs are nice too. I have a 300 which is a mobile and have repaired many of their other radios and products.

Over 2 grand must of been the "YELLOW" table🤣 As usual Cool video Racoon. 12ny...

Another great video🖐️ Happy New Year

I have the Royce 642 & it runs great!

Great video and have subscribed to your channel. I saw you in the OTR chat last night and hunted you down 🙂. A fun tip to use for some of these prices that couldn't be found...when you do a search on eBay tick the box for "sold/completed listings" found on the left hand side column (desktop view). On a "device" you'll have to use filter or sort options. I just did a search like that to find a beautiful ARF-2001 that just sold for $1515.00 on Dec. 28th after 30 bids!!!!

I have two of your list. I have the General electric Superbase and I also have the ARF 2001. Good choice for your list

Wow some tuff radios there.some ive never seen.thanks for video😃

I appreciate your interest in vintage radios. Modern radios are all digital, and I just don't like digital. I grew up in an analog world, and that's what I still like. I don't even own a motor vehicle that isn't carbureted. One vintage CB that I would like to find, not that I would ever use it, but would just like it for a collectors item, is a Radio Shack Realistic CB-Fone TRC-454 base station. I remember someone who had one back in the very early '80s. They also made a mobile model. It was a 23 channel TRC-56 21-153, while the base station was a 40 channel. They were both completely made out of plastic, so it is unlikely any survived over the last 40+ years, unless someone bought one, and just put it away still in the box. Things like that do turn up on eBay once in a while. Several years ago, I found a NIB under dash 8 Track tape player for my 1972 Pinto woodgrain wagon. I've been into 8 tracks all my life, and have well over 1000 of them.

Im sitting here with Country Cowboy. I showed him this video. He was drulling🤣 He says Hello and congrats on the success of your RU-vid page. He will subscribe. 🤘 12ny...

I think you picked a pretty good list. If I could add any they would be the SBE sidebander 3, sidebander 5 sidebander 6 & SBE console 6.

Only radio I'm missing is a magnum Omega Force should have got one when they came out but it was going through some crap in my life...😂... awesome lineup though😎✌️

I have a Royce 1-641 side band radio, it does need work, my problem is finding a qualified tech to bring it back to life that is in the local area. At least now after watching the video, I feel better knowing that I have kept it stored away all these years, after buying it at a garage sale....

Super nice cb radios.

I have a Cobra 2000 with 2 speakers and a D-104 mic with extra channels. It's been sitting for about 5 years at least. I'll have to get it out of the box and start it up slow with my variac and see what happens. Put a surge protector in line, plug it into the radio and start at 20 volts, move up 10 volts every hour until somethings happens or until smoke comes out. That's how I start everything old that hasn't been on for a while. Most of the time it works and you don't let the smoke out. When you let the smoke out of one of the parts inside, the radio quits. The smoke trapped in the parts is what keeps the radio going, don't ya know. Let the smoke out and the radio quits working. Dang.

My father had a Tea Berry CB years ago. I've had Motorola and RCA years ago. Probably when there were only 23 channels.

I had the Royce, it was my first base station, good memories with that radio.

🤣 Stoner Pro🤣 I've got to get one of them for sure. Infact, Theres a few of us that should get this radio locally🤣

I own the teaberry stalker xx 20 but the export version with fm and 80 channels, it's one of my favourite cb's that I own!.

Had a beautiful Motorola ssb/am CB. Was lost in a burglary of my home in 1974 when I was in the Army.

Yea, that is my feeling as well, I'll probably get some stuff myself...

Yp i had a stoner ssb was great radio !

I think I might still have one of those GE super base radios. If I remember right, I think there is something wrong with the buttons on top of it. The short grey ones that set the time.

Good video How about video on rarest Mobil sideband mobiles ?

I don't have any of those radios. Thanks 😊

picked up a Midland 13-879B couple years ago planning on it being my base on retirement got it for 50. think i did ok

I've a nato 2000 works good with the astatic 575 mic some good dx enjoy good video

I inherited a teaberry model T from my dad shes a sweetheart desktop adjustable power mike!

Has anyone ever seen a Globe Star electronics CB am radio. 5 channel A-B-C-D-E with interchangeable transmit & receive crystals. I had one as a gift way back in the late 60's.

Galaxy turbo.

Dad had a couple of Johnson 5 channel radios from the 60's, they're not rare. I wonder if they're still around in storage somewhere. They probably sold at the auction after he died. He also had a more modern Royce, but not the one listed here. It was a much more basic unit. Edit: The Royce was a T-28C. And I think I remember seeing that one around after the auction.

Another good old radio is the Browning golden eagle

What's a working Realistic trc490 worth? With original manual and mic? Thank you. Awesome video

I loved my Courier 23

My boss (Sam McGill, Sam's Electronics, Slover Ave, Fontana Ca.) purchased the last ~ 20 or so ARF2001 units. As I understand it, the keypad that converted the 40 channel to whatever it could do was a coveted item. I had the whole shooting match for about $200 (payroll was short). It was great on transmit, but the AGC circuit sucked.

i owned a royce 642 bought it and its mobile twin (i still have mobile ?639 ? ) and still works n sounds good transmitting but i sold the 642 best base radio i ever but i was young dad had a new baby and sold it this was in the early 90s i still kick my self for getting rid of it but glad i kept the mobile

MIDLAND 78-999 SSB (1978 ) I HAVE A NEW OLD STOCK ONE BOXED,RARE RADIO HERE IN THE UK.

A rather simple looking, but very rare, CB is the Regency Ranger. It is a simple, early solid state, a.m. mobile. So why is it rare? Because Regency Rangers have an extremely good and very expensive Collins Mechanical Filter in their receivers. They were an expensive radio, and what few were made were stripped of that filter for use in other radios and then they were trashed! They only had about a dozen channels. But their receivers were extremely tight.

For AM, the best sounding base IMO is a properly tuned Tram D201a. Pain in the a$$ to align, but built sturdy. On this list, I would probably run the SSB Stalker.

There must be a bunch of old radios sitting in backs of closets. Not too many come up for sale around here. Great video. 73s 514 Ontario Canada

I like the am audio on the cp2000. It's on my list

I'm looking for a courier gladiator. I had 1 as a kid. Made a mistake and sold it.

i have the stalker got it out of nyc...had no transformer ,,,gee i had one,,,its mint ... have the cpi cp=2000 with its freq counter

I have the sidewinder 46. It's for sale but needs work.

The Robin cb radio is also known as the expert pd8500 that was the one for the UK they are the same radio

Recently sold my stoner pro 40 in mint cond has the best reciver ever

SBE Console 6, Hygain Utopia, Buddy Base, CPI-2500, Browning Compact, Tram XL-100, Midland 78-999

some of these I would agree with, but there are others out there rarer than some on this list, when was the last time you saw a SBE Console VI??

Here are some other CB radios that are rare: - Pace 1000B Sidetalk base (40 channel version!) - Midland 78-999 base (same internals as the GE Superbase, but it has 3 meters & this design [quality/cosmetically] puts GE's Superbase to shame) - Robyn AM-500D base (40 channel AM-only version of the SB-520D) - Motorola CM-550 AM/SSB - 40 channel mobile - Motorola CM-540 AM - 40 channel mobile * - SBE Console II AM/SSB base (40 channel version... insanely RARE) - TRS Challenger 1400 AM/SSB 40 channel base NOTES: The Pace 1000B, 40 channel base looks identical to the 23 channel 1000B, but the analog channel selector is obviously different and has a DOT in place of the odd numbers (a talltale sign if you're searching for the rare 40 channel version). I usually see the 40 channel version of the 1000B base appear on Ebay maybe once or twice every 3-4 years. The Pace 1000B 23 channel version is not rare. The Midland 78-999 is a MAJOR omission on your list and is a LOT more rare than the GE Superbase. The 78-999 (if clean) commands a high price and is a much nicer looking radio than the Superbase. The Robyn AM-500D base can be found on Ebay... BUT, finding a clean one is the challenge. At a quick glance, it looks very similar to the SB-520D AM/SSb base which is not rare (but going up in price for a clean one). The Motorola CM radios (System 500) are of exceptional quality with top notch engineering and high quality components. These models are both rare. Finding a clean one is difficult and the sellers usually know what they're worth. Mike (Mike's Radio Repair) has stated that the CM-540 is probably one of the best AM CB radios ever made. * The SBE Console II 23 channel AM/SSB base is pretty common and plenty of them exist for sale. A clean one can usually be found for a very reasonable/cheap price. HOWEVER, there is a 40 channel version that looks identical (with the exception of the analog channel selector) and it is INSANELY RARE. I've only seen ONE for sale on Ebay over the past 8-10 years. I believe that there was a point in time (1977-78) whereby SBE and some other manufacturers offered "Channel Expansion Kits" to authorized dealers. Consequently, you could take your fairly new 23 channel CB to the authorized dealer and for a reasonable price, get the new-additional 17 channels installed. OR... in some cases, you could send your radio back to the manufacturer and they'd do the modification (FCC approved) at their factory. Not all manufacturers did this and it was on a limited basis. Obviously, this was done to maintain customer loyalty and to alleviate the frustration that many buyers experienced when the FCC expanded the CB band, shortly after these folks bought NEW 23 channel radios. The TRS Challenger 1400 is somewhat rare and has some interesting features. Finding a clean one is even more difficult. One last note... You showed the Robyn SB-540D AM/SSB base and that is pretty rare. However, Robyn also made an identical "silver-satin faced" version as well. Not sure which version was the rarest.

I have 3 of the radio's on the list but a Cal-Western is not easy to find I have one of those and a Buddy TX-2 very rare

The prices your finding are crazy lol

Looking for a battery for a Radio Shack TRC-241. Any ideas?

Lol the tram looks like a vintage Cassette deck. Love it

Can you do a list on Navajos??

I bid on the last land command I saw. Went for 650. Way more than I was willing to pay

I have the roirce 6.. the one on the video. I will make a video

I do have the Craig L-201 sadly, I think all the caps should be replaced coz since it has been in storage for more than 3 decades, well you know what I mean. It turns on but no TX/RX & so is the clock.

Opinion of a Uniden Washington?

I am one of these folks who never liked anything old...no old houses, no old cars and no old women (I'm 80 now and I can't even stand me!)...just kidding about the cars! Anyway, I just can't reason the nostalgia behind old stuff, especially these old CB radios that did the jobs expected but just compare them with the modern rigs...the Strykers, Rangers, etc. and none of them old rigs hold a candle to any of the new ones. Well, I hope I didn't offend any of the old houses or cars about my comments...

Any 12 channel radio around how much

Those you cant find are most likely hoarded and owners will not seperate from them i had father in law with the ge super base he kept that to his death bed but it conveniently disapeared from the house as that day came about

Those high prices are laundering drug money. Craig was a big name in car audio at one time.

Galaxy turbo 😂😂😂

Tberry stalker 9 mint

I have the stalker xii

The Teaberry is ok, I wasn't impressed. The Tram d 300 is a bit of a joke. It's a 142gtl inside.

That ARF is bad a$$

What about the cobra 148 base?

Stoners don't give up their stoners bested radio on marketing it's day competes well with hf radios designed for11 meter if I ever had the money I would love one those more than a5 piece browning 4 actually6 piece cause it is#1 transmitter #2reciever #3 ssb transmitter #4 ssb reciever #5 speaker #6 50+ watt browning" business" amp Though you need large desk tosetit up or fully spaced shelving

Well my Old Radios were a bit older, and rarer : A President Washington AM/SSB Radio , and Johnson Viking Messenger CB Radio 1960 (Whiteface), and the Big Brother Blackface JOHNSON VIKING MESSENGER II CB.

WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS LIST ??? sorry for caps

Soo whats so great about these raidos?

No SBE Console VI.

3000.00 for a fancy 12 watt ssb only CB? HARD PASS!!!!

what dictates rare please

why give over 150 dollars for any used Cb radio when you can buy a new one for less than a 100 dollars. not worth the stupid money they ask for them no matter what it is.

You didn't say anything about dak!! I happen to own two. A standard dak IX and a dak X with all the bells and whistles!!!!