Vintage Tasco ?

[John]

For £60 this might be worth a punt if you can collect it:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Telescope-/301297890268?pt=UK_Photography_Telescopes&hash=item4626c0f3dc

I believe the Tasco 17TR was the last of the Japanese made Tasco's and was made by Towa.

I started with a 60mm 1960's Tasco (like many folks) but I'd have given my eye teeth for an 80mm back then

[estwing]

don't they go nuts for these over the pond John?

[John]

don't they go nuts for these over the pond John?

Yes, I've seen them on Astromart for $200 or more. Don't know if they actually sell for that though !

The scope is probably under-mounted and will need a hybrid diagonal to allow 1.25" eyepieces to be used. I believe the objective cell on these has collimation screws fitted.

My old Tasco is Japanese and has a very good objective once you get it on a stable mount and put a half decent eyepiece in it.

[swamp thing]

I remember that awful mount. good grief I hated mine. It wobbled like a jelly with the 4.5' lunagrossa newt on it.

So much trouble trying to get the darn thing stable enough to use at any sort of power. I remember screwing triangles of ply onto the tripod lags so it would be better braced and more stable, hanging a balance weight from the centre eyepiece tray,  and never extending the tripod to keep it steady. Aah! happy days

[nightfisher]

On a good mount, that would be a nice scope, like said with a 1.25 ep conversion, towa lens and a shorter focal length than the more common 80mm f15, i would be tempted but im not bothering with classic scopes any more

[John]

Funny you should say "happy days" Steve. Despite the wobbly mount and the poor supplied eyepieces, or maybe because of them, the sense of achievement in seeing Saturn's rings for the first time or "discovering" M81 and M82 remain highlights of my time in the hobby that don't seem to fade

[callisto]

I loved my 60mm Tasco