My SX824 now has company. Late yesterday afternoon my neighbor rang my doorbell, and when I opened the door I saw him holding this still-blows-my-mind surprise birthday gift:
It had belonged to his late father-in-law, who'd been a technician at Altec-Lansing (yes, back that far). It's in pristine physical condition, but I haven't been able to test it yet since there was no power cord (I just ordered one). Given its prior owner's occupation, I don't doubt that it's in good shape, but its end-of-'60's vintage mandates replacing the electrolytic caps and probably the belts at bare minimum. I'm now looking to see if I can find a competent tech within reasonable driving distance to check it out and tune it up (my septuagenarian hands aren't as soldering-iron or reach-into dexterous as they once were, so I don't want to screw anything up).
A total surprise.