[Chas]

Yes - my experience has been the same. There are various online resources which declare this is a necessity but I’m dubious. It seems more important to make sure the caps are properly soldered and mechanically stable i.e. not hanging in space, using tubing over bare leads,etc.
I find interesting the variety of opinions on this. I’ve actually been told that replacing old caps is bad, “shotgunning” all the sixty year old caps is bad practice, recap kits are just a scam, etc. I don’t really get the antagonism in some places, not here in this forum, to people doing this.

Overall, the Phorum is a much "smaller place", because of its specialty.

I have "shotgunned" radios, but, I am a qualified (former MA licensed Radio/TV technician) as well as an inventor of several electronic devices. Meaning, if I dig my way into a hole, I can get out of it. I once took a A-K 55 down to the chassis, left it disassembled for some 6 years, then in a flurry, rebuilt with outstanding results, I never knew a TRF could be as sensitive as it was.

None the less, someone new to the hobby OR working on an unfamiliar chassis as well as not have "suitable" test equipment should NOT "shotgun".

That methodology does not do well for the person who just wants to have the radio/phono work.

I have mixed "feelings" leaving/using old caps. I have left some radios just that way with exception of filter caps and vital coupling caps. That I found is not always a viable cheat as I have had screen bypass caps fail and take out a nice, good dog bone screen resistor, grrr.

I have adopted a practice of replacing the most critical caps and far off tolerance resistors, but only after a suitable "triage", that is checking the difficult or unobtainable components first. The powering ( seldom use a "dim bulb or a variable transformer) that, depends largely on how much I "trust" what I have seen and triage repaired. Assess again, then proceed to replace two capacitors at a time and any adjacent (circuit) resistors, then power once again.

I only "shotgun" when I absolutely know the chassis/model and it potential issues.

My comment about capacitor kits, these too can be "two at a time" installed, unless the chassis is well known to the restorer. I do believe the cap kit is economical if one considers the time involved doing look up for capacitors used especially modern electrolytics for solid-state. I once re-capped a S-S phono, what a PIA! Not only the value but the dimensional information and the MTBF as well as operating temp had to be considered. Project went well but time at the desk was awful. At least two caps had to be laid down and silicone to the board...

Chas