My first HF rig was an MFJ 40m CW kit that I built with the Bergen Amateur Radio Association. What a mighty fine group that was. I got some excellent mentorship, in amateur and other matters.
Thank you M.F.J.! you’ve left a legacy of fond memories with this last generation of radio amateurs.
The first MFJ product I bought was a 941-C Versa Tuner circa 1984 or so. A few years later I tried to load my 80m dipole as a Marconi antenna with 100 Watts. With only about 35 feet of vertical feedline that didn't work so well. In the process the torroid transformers overheated and melted the PVC forms the transformers were housed in. A few years later I ordered replacements from MFJ and these had a larger torroid, Teflon insulated wire, and sandwiched between phenolic wafers for mounting. I sold it a few years later after procuring a second hand 949-D tuner.
I also had a 986 Differential Tee tuner for a number of years that I replaced with a Palstar AT1500DT differential tee tuner. I routinely had to pull the 986 out and clean and lubricate it. I've had the Palstar about 15 years and have yet to open it up. The Palstar was priced about 50% higher than the MFJ but the quality is an order of magnitude better. With the Palstar I only cried once, as the saying goes.
Thank you M.F.J.! you’ve left a legacy of fond memories with this last generation of radio amateurs.