Opinion of older Meade 16" reflectors

I have come across an older Meade 16" reflector that has been
converted to a Dobsonian.

What was the quality like on the older Meade 16" optics?

What would something like this be worth these days?

I would like a fair price for both buyer and seller.

And today's market with the Meade Lightbridge available for about
$1800, is it worth pursuing with respect to value and quality?

Thanks

Too_Many_Tools wrote in news:5ed8d809-4fb2-4be4-
:

I have come across an older Meade 16" reflector that has been
converted to a Dobsonian.

What was the quality like on the older Meade 16" optics?

What would something like this be worth these days?

I would like a fair price for both buyer and seller.

And today's market with the Meade Lightbridge available for about
$1800, is it worth pursuing with respect to value and quality?

Thanks


If the scope is withing a reasonable driving distance, why not test it?
If not, about $1000.00, depending on what kind of set-up it has.
It's very hard to judge the optics without testing them. Meade has made
expensive 16" scopes back in the day, and cheap Dobs. Optical production
methods improved between 1975 and 1990, but there are no guarantees.

On Feb 4, 10:43*am, Too_Many_Tools wrote:
I have come across an older Meade 16" reflector that has been
converted to a Dobsonian.

What was the quality like on the older Meade 16" optics?

What would something like this be worth these days?

I would like a fair price for both buyer and seller.

And today's market with the Meade Lightbridge available for about
$1800, is it worth pursuing with respect to value and quality?

Thanks

The optics on most of the 16s, both Starfinders and DSes, were usually
fair and occasionally somewhat better than that.

On Feb 9, 12:51*pm, RMOLLISE wrote:
On Feb 4, 10:43*am, Too_Many_Tools wrote:

I have come across an older Meade 16" reflector that has been
converted to a Dobsonian.

What was the quality like on the older Meade 16" optics?

What would something like this be worth these days?

I would like a fair price for both buyer and seller.

And today's market with the Meade Lightbridge available for about
$1800, is it worth pursuing with respect to value and quality?

Thanks

The optics on most of the 16s, both Starfinders and DSes, were usually
fair and occasionally somewhat better than that.

Thanks...how do you think they compare to today's Meade 16" offerings?

TMT

On Feb 10, 11:41*pm, Too_Many_Tools wrote:
On Feb 9, 12:51*pm, RMOLLISE wrote:





On Feb 4, 10:43*am, Too_Many_Tools wrote:

I have come across an older Meade 16" reflector that has been
converted to a Dobsonian.

What was the quality like on the older Meade 16" optics?

What would something like this be worth these days?

I would like a fair price for both buyer and seller.

And today's market with the Meade Lightbridge available for about
$1800, is it worth pursuing with respect to value and quality?

Thanks

The optics on most of the 16s, both Starfinders and DSes, were usually
fair and occasionally somewhat better than that.

Thanks...how do you think they compare to today's Meade 16" offerings?

TMT- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The GSO optics in the current scope are decidedly better IMHO.

RMOLLISE wrote in news:a815b469-d12a-4cd7-b7a5-
:

The GSO optics in the current scope are decidedly better IMHO.

While there is a constant bickering against "the chinese", one can't
dispute the fact that they were the ones to bring decent optics to
affordable scopes.

On Feb 12, 9:55*am, RMOLLISE wrote:
On Feb 10, 11:41*pm, Too_Many_Tools wrote:





On Feb 9, 12:51*pm, RMOLLISE wrote:

On Feb 4, 10:43*am, Too_Many_Tools wrote:

I have come across an older Meade 16" reflector that has been
converted to a Dobsonian.

What was the quality like on the older Meade 16" optics?

What would something like this be worth these days?

I would like a fair price for both buyer and seller.

And today's market with the Meade Lightbridge available for about
$1800, is it worth pursuing with respect to value and quality?

Thanks

The optics on most of the 16s, both Starfinders and DSes, were usually
fair and occasionally somewhat better than that.

Thanks...how do you think they compare to today's Meade 16" offerings?

TMT- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The GSO optics in the current scope are decidedly better IMHO.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks...that is very nice to know.

It also causes me to wonder why anyone would buy an older Meade.

TMT

On Feb 12, 8:52*pm, Too_Many_Tools wrote:
On Feb 12, 9:55*am, RMOLLISE wrote:





On Feb 10, 11:41*pm, Too_Many_Tools wrote:

On Feb 9, 12:51*pm, RMOLLISE wrote:

On Feb 4, 10:43*am, Too_Many_Tools wrote:

I have come across an older Meade 16" reflector that has been
converted to a Dobsonian.

What was the quality like on the older Meade 16" optics?

What would something like this be worth these days?

I would like a fair price for both buyer and seller.

And today's market with the Meade Lightbridge available for about
$1800, is it worth pursuing with respect to value and quality?

Thanks

The optics on most of the 16s, both Starfinders and DSes, were usually
fair and occasionally somewhat better than that.

Thanks...how do you think they compare to today's Meade 16" offerings?

TMT- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The GSO optics in the current scope are decidedly better IMHO.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks...that is very nice to know.

It also causes me to wonder why anyone would buy an older Meade.

TMT- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Why? Many Meade 16s are OK and they are cheap.

In contrast, Meade's 12.5-inch StarFinder optics ain't just OK, they
are often superb.

On Feb 13, 10:33*am, RMOLLISE wrote:
On Feb 12, 8:52*pm, Too_Many_Tools wrote:





On Feb 12, 9:55*am, RMOLLISE wrote:

On Feb 10, 11:41*pm, Too_Many_Tools wrote:

On Feb 9, 12:51*pm, RMOLLISE wrote:

On Feb 4, 10:43*am, Too_Many_Tools wrote:

I have come across an older Meade 16" reflector that has been
converted to a Dobsonian.

What was the quality like on the older Meade 16" optics?

What would something like this be worth these days?

I would like a fair price for both buyer and seller.

And today's market with the Meade Lightbridge available for about
$1800, is it worth pursuing with respect to value and quality?

Thanks

The optics on most of the 16s, both Starfinders and DSes, were usually
fair and occasionally somewhat better than that.

Thanks...how do you think they compare to today's Meade 16" offerings?

TMT- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The GSO optics in the current scope are decidedly better IMHO.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks...that is very nice to know.

It also causes me to wonder why anyone would buy an older Meade.

TMT- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Why? Many Meade 16s are OK and they are cheap.

In contrast, Meade's 12.5-inch StarFinder optics ain't just OK, they
are often superb.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Okay..so it sounds like older 12.5 inch Meades are worth looking at
while the 16" Meades are a dice roll.

When you say 16" Meades are cheap...what is your definition of
"cheap"?

As I mentioned earlier, a NEW Meade 16" Lightbridge can be found for
$1800..delivered...with warranty.

TMT

On Feb 13, 3:27*pm, Too_Many_Tools wrote:
On Feb 13, 10:33*am, RMOLLISE wrote:



On Feb 12, 8:52*pm, Too_Many_Tools wrote:

On Feb 12, 9:55*am, RMOLLISE wrote:

On Feb 10, 11:41*pm, Too_Many_Tools wrote:

On Feb 9, 12:51*pm, RMOLLISE wrote:

On Feb 4, 10:43*am, Too_Many_Tools wrote:

I have come across an older Meade 16" reflector that has been
converted to a Dobsonian.

What was the quality like on the older Meade 16" optics?

What would something like this be worth these days?

I would like a fair price for both buyer and seller.

And today's market with the Meade Lightbridge available for about
$1800, is it worth pursuing with respect to value and quality?

Thanks

The optics on most of the 16s, both Starfinders and DSes, were usually
fair and occasionally somewhat better than that.

Thanks...how do you think they compare to today's Meade 16" offerings?

TMT- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The GSO optics in the current scope are decidedly better IMHO.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks...that is very nice to know.

It also causes me to wonder why anyone would buy an older Meade.

TMT- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Why? Many Meade 16s are OK and they are cheap.

In contrast, Meade's 12.5-inch StarFinder optics ain't just OK, they
are often superb.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Okay..so it sounds like older 12.5 inch Meades are worth looking at
while the 16" Meades are a dice roll.

When you say 16" Meades are cheap...what is your definition of
"cheap"?

As I mentioned earlier, a NEW Meade 16" Lightbridge can be found for
$1800..delivered...with warranty.

TMT

Hi:

What is cheap: A few years ago I purchased a 16 inch Meade
Starfinder DOB for $350. After a few uses it was clear I would hurt
myself if I continued to try to lift the OTA on to the mount, was
just too heavy.

I ended up buying a kit from Dobstuff and converting it into a Strut
scope. The end result is that I have about $1100 invested, it was a
great experience building the scope. I now have what I consider to be
a significantly better scope mechanically than the Lightbridge,
considerably lighter and certainly more attractive. One advantage of
the older Meade's is that they used Pyrex rather than Plate glass or
BK-7 for the mirrors.

So, I think most often people buy these things for the optics. If
need be, one can have the optics refigured and still be ahead of the
game.

Jon