I wonder if there are books who show the evolution of boomboxes?
BBDB is a great thing for us collectors but not really for people who just like the look of these old radios but not want to collect them. Everytime a friend comes to my flat looking at my radios they say something like: I didnt know that there were so much different types of boomboxes. So much different designs, sizes, features...
And i just own a few.

As I studied product design I´m interested in much different products especially from the 80s.
I like the form, graphics and typography of these things. I bought a book which is called "Electronic Plastic" published at Gestalten Verlag.
Here´s a Link with some preview-pictures.

As you can see this book is focused on home arcade systems. The whole book is amazing. It shows lots of different models with typical artworks/graphics/box art/adds and the layout of the book follows this 80s arcade style.
I wish someone would make a book like this for boomboxes. I think people would love it.

What you think about it?
Or is there such a book?

A real boombox-book would be interesting.
This book i think is about all different 80´s electronics.
I know some books about radios (zB the "GRUNDIG Satellitte story"), but this are only of a special type of radios.

its the right time for a book about boxes to come out

the sources for 'the book' are already here --

the boombox museum plus the BBDB plus our members collections photos

...or radiohier alone!
Must only take pics of his stuff.

I looked into it with a buddy of mine in the industry.

A prototype book could be done for not too much money, but the quality of photos was a concern. Not to say it would be cheap, it wouldnt, and the time invested would be quite a bit.

Id be interested in getting it published for the reason of world wide distribution.

Permission of course is an issue, we'd have to have a thread maybe where everyone gave their ok about using photos. Unless there is some legal somewhere already in use about photos posted on line have a certain public domain or something?

Content... Would it just be a photo book? Heavy, hard back, coffee table style? Or actually have content about each model? Im not wise enough by any stretch of the imagination to tackle that project.

I´m with JLF about what such a book will need.
First thing is passion! The book should inspire and fascinate people, they should have fun looking in the book and diving in the world of boomboxes.
Thats the difference to the BBDB. There´s no need to show every single boombox ever build. It should have the icons, the heros and the freaky ones. Unusal designs, crazy features...

So what we will need? A good photographer and a good studio setup whith the right lighting and backgrounds. The pictures must have the quality of professional product shots used in advertisements. If the radios are shot in neutral environment its easy to reduce the background and bind the pictures in the book layout. We will also need a good graphic designer with a feeling for layouts of the 80s.
Support from the original manufactures would be a big plus to have access to original adds/logos and have the permission to use them for the book.

So yes, this will need time and lots of work but again: I think people will love it!

Hi, thanks for starting this thread. I am currently working on a book about Boomboxes -- anyone interested please feel free to contact me with a PM. All the best,

Also -- read this link for more info:
Seeking Contributors

quote:

Originally posted by ViennaSound:
...or radiohier alone!
Must only take pics of his stuff.

He gets the "cover" with his wall shot.