"Triple-Take" It On The Run, Baby...!

Taking a closer look at the VZ's, I'm impressed with what all they include: separate bass & treble controls, a adjustable recording level, a tape-deck that's metal capable--and has a 3-way tape-type selector?! Man!... Those babies have so-muxh to them, I'm surprised they didn't also include auto-reverse for the tape, and a digital PLL (Phase Locked Loop) tuner for the radio!

 

We have discussed that sort of thing before and the problem would be the economics of it. I am sure the reason Crosley and other companies went for the retro look is that the initial outlay to make wooden cases is very low although assembly is then labor intensive.

In contrast the cost of getting molds made for plastic parts is huge, but once made the parts can be made for not much more than the cost of the raw plastic. In the future 3D printing might be the way forward but at the moment it is costly to make large parts.

Apparently the reason the new Technics SL1200 is so expensive is that Panasonic scrapped the tooling for making the original when they stopped making them so had to get new tooling made.

I have just been reading how a Kickstarter campaign managed to make new cases for the Amiga 1200 computer. However that is quite simple (just three parts) compared to a Boombox, and didn't include the electronics.

I expect most of the cost was in the record deck mechanism and the necessarily large case. The VZ2500 wasn't that expensive when new - about £200 or twice the cost of an SGJ500.

You would probably find that a box with a Digital Tuner like the GF9797 was more than that. I do know that the cheapest car radio with a digital tuner was about £100 back then. Digital tuning was considered to be high-tech stuff back then. Not surprisingly my first car radio back then cost £20 new and had five mechanical tuning buttons, The tuning was the same on the second which was a rather nice Pioneer Cassette Radio with Auto Replay (it would go into play when it stopped rewinding).

 

Well, that explains a lot... like why my first cassette personal stereo cost only $5.00, but my first CD-player--a Citizen CBM-777, bought a short time later--cost $69.00. Guess I was just hoping for something that--deep-down--I knew wasn't going to happen.

BTW: Have I got a low-price/high-price car-stereo story to share....

 

Having mentioned the Panasonic SG-J500L my Father bought new, last night I was in his house with no TV or internet but the Panasonic to play with.

First on was Tomita _ Pictures at an exhibition.



We have actually had the record far longer than the Panasonic, probably since it was released in 1975,
when my sister persuaded my Mother that we had to have this record featuring new instruments called synthesizers.

Next fast forward to the Noughties for a bit of Britney. I have to admit I bought this in the Charity shop for the cover although the song
wasn't bad.



Then back to 1979 for Sarah Brightman with rather poor follow up to Starship Trooper.
I bought this one purely for the rather fetching red vinyl.



If the song isn't much good you can always include a comic. Try doing that with an MP3



Finally some pics of the SG-J500L.


I was surprised to find a Car Power lead in the battery compartment. I don't think this one has ever had batteries in it.


The record player is working fine and sounds surprisingly good especially with Tomita. I did try recording a tape but there is wow and flutter of about 30%

 

I have the sg 600 and the jvc dc33l...there both ok, had lots of fun with the jvc at school back in the day...does the sg 800 sound any better than the 600...the 500 is mickey mouse im afraid but the one with the fold out speakers is much better (the one i have)

 

Tomita and Brittany... Sounds like parts of my collection.

You're lucky to have found one in such good shape, and with the car-lighter adapter. Most people don't keep ahold of that... or even the household A/C-adapter, sometimes.

True, these units aren't best suited for recording to cassette--from any source... but even the 500 provides "decent" vinyl playback for personal listening at moderate volume levels. And that alone makes it something you can't fault it for.

Sarah Brightman, huh? Well, I guess I'll need to give that a listen... I've been searching for a disco-era song that I only know by sound, and use of a cover for the Tomy Toys Gyrobots commercial. The title, lyrics and even artist have eluded me, so I listen to anything related to anything like it that crosses my path. Here's hoping this is it!

 

I'll take your word on that, sir... I've yet to real give either-one of mine a good listen, except for trying an upgraded stylus on the 600... on a very-neglected copy of Laura Brannigan's "Gloria". (Yes, I've heard the original Italian version!) Perhaps I'll give the 800 a try this week... Time permitting, of course. Much to do at my brother's, and allot to move from there as-well.

 

As said earlier this one was bought new by my Father in the mid 1980s. Since then it has been sat in the same room getting very little use which explains the good condition.

It sounded better than I was expecting it to. When taking the photos I was also surprised at quite how small and light it is, truly portable. I don't have experience of any of the other 3 in 1 Units. The ones that interest me are the Sharp VZ2000 and VZ2500.
Can anyone give an opinion on the Record playing abilities of those.

Since you are in the USA here are links to three Space themed Disco songs that made the charts here.
I'm sure the success of Star Wars had nothing to do with it

 

Shiela B Devotion.....classis

 

Well, I know it's been a while... but here they are, as promised: The pics of my Panasonic SGJ-800!:


Hows this for convenient: An easy-access holder for the 7"45 adapter:

Still not sure what the second of these two switches on the back do...

...And yes, the factory speaker cables are included.

I still have yet to give it a serious listen, but after the effort I just put into writing this, I think I will... Today!

 

Good luck!

 

I guess this Panasonic 747 was the inspiration for the 1980s Panasonic boxes. It must be rare as Google does little more than take you back to the listing.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/national...446971?hash=item2cd95f103b:g:KOQAAOSwPipbadsP.

The photos aren't very good in showing how it goes together. I would guess the turntable clips to the back.

 

The "original listing" is still there but ebay would rather have you look at current auctions. In case you can't see it here is the sellers description.

"National panasonic 747 boombox. Rare model with turntable , tape deck , mw,FM sw1,sw2 , radio ,
Good points
Working turntable with new belt and stylus , cassette deck working , radio works on all wavebands , has stereo and expanded stereo , mains powered , battery powered at 12v DC , would easily take a car power socket plug ,to run off your car caravan or camper , it's loud as you would expect
It's also quite heavy at 12 kgs
Bad points
Tape door missing , small cover for power lead for turntable missing , tape counter not working"

Attached are four photos I just grabbed from the listing.
It definitely looks as if the turntable clips to the back until you want to use it.

One of Techmoan's videos shows yet another approach

 

It is a lovely design, and I hear Mister X about trying to "cash-in" on the popularity and mesmerization around that big ol' bird!

That reminds me: For a while I had a Concorde open-reel deck. It wasn't much to look at, and compared to others I'd seen made under that mark, it seemed like the bottom model. Also, how "avant-garde" is a tape deck that uses a lever control, compared to others that employed piano-key operation at the time?

 

Sounds like the Crown cassette personal stereo I had after a few weeks... What can you expect from K-Mart for $5.00?

 

Well, it's time I wrap-up this thread... especially since I just finished wrapping-up my collection in bubble-wrap, to shortly be placed in storage.

I apologize for not getting back sooner, but I had a few friends pass-away recently and just got hit with the news of needing to move. And on that last part, I didn't realize I've yet to post pics of the SG-J600L until after it was wrapped!

So, with the best I could find on the internet, here's a few pics to give you an idea what it looks like:






Thank-you for your patience, and here's looking forward to getting a SGJ-550 next... followed by the JVC JV-7 and JV-33, then whatever like these Sharp offered. And finally: The Marantz!

 

Hello Everyone,
I have a JcPenny Penncrest model 4375