What to look for in a Model 33 Teletype - a newb's buyer's guide?

[Paul Anderson]

Where are you located?  I have an extra 33 in Illinois.

Paul

On Fri, Nov 21, 2014 at 12:53 AM, drlegendre . <drlegendre at gmail.com> wrote:

> I've gone off the Deep End and now I just have to re-have a Teletype model
> 33.. I feel awful about what became of the junker I bought for $15 when I
> was a 13 year-old and wish I still had it today, so I could fix it and put
> it to use.
>
> So what should a mentally-challenged guy like myself be looking for, in a
> Model 33 - preferably an ASR model with the paper tape reader?
>
> What does and doesn't go bad? Are there any serious game-changing,
> show-stopping or buzz-killing issues that effectively render one of these
> units as a parts donor? What differences exist between the various
> ASR-model units, as they progress through the years? What does one look for
> - and more importantly, what to avoid?
>
> And one more - how do you differentiate a 20mA current-loop model from a
> 'standard' RS-232 model? Can you tell from the rear panel, or do you need
> to go under the hood?
>