One of the best of the "lesser rigs" is the Hammarlund HQ120/129/140
series. Very well built, easy to work on/recap, excellent performance.
You can find nice ones for $150 or so. Also the older Super Pros
including the mil. versions (SP200/400, BC779, etc.).

The cheaper Hallicrafters, generally speaking, suffered from cheap
components & build quality.


You also should, IMHO look at some of the lesser rigs too. People sat around
for hours listening to them, the way they spend time watching their plasma
TVs these days before hitting pause and switching to their email. :-)

They won't hold up well on a crowded band, but if you can find a clear signal
with little close by stations, they can be a pleasant listen.

Geoff.