I believe it would be great and useful to have the threads about just one particular model, like the 'Featured unit' thread in the walkman section, to collect all the information in one place - great pictures, facts, reviews, ads, promotional papers, receipts, manuals - everything we could find about this model, so everybody could help to accumulate precious information.

Let's start from the Sharp GF-9292X - one of the fine examples of the industrial design of the late 70'. 

The years of production: 1979-80
The earliest sample I've seen (at the moment) was made in june of 1979 (updated information), and the latest one - in may of 1980.

Everyone of you could help to find out the earliest, and the latest ones, just post the serial number of your radio (for those who love statistics).

In fact GF-9292 is an 'updated' version of the GF-9191.
quote from the service manual:
"The model GF-9292X is almost the same, as the former GF-9191X, except following:
1. The meter is of LED indication.
2. The front design is different from that of the GF9191X.
3. "AM" indication of the radio band selector is different from that of the GF-9191X "

So the differences, mostly in the external appearance.
GF-9292X got new speakers with chrome dust caps, LED meters, aluminium cassette door and tuner scale, and more chrome on the front panel.

Necessary to say, that there is only 'X' version of the 9292 - GF-9292X, unlike GF-9191 with A, E, H, HB, X, XR versions, for different regions and countries.

GF-9191 was top of the line model in the 1978, and was one of the Sharp's bestsellers till 1979, thousands of them still exist and you can see them on ebay, every week.
GF-9292 is more rare, I believe the reason lies in that Sharp has focused on GF-9494 and the newest GF-9595 in 1979, and on the GF-9696 and GF-555 in 1980, as you may know a lot of them survived till these days, much more than GF-9292's.

Booklet courtesy of Bredgeo, the member of this site

Promotional sticker

Packing box

Little african girl is listening to the radio she looks so happy 

Fashion show

Cheryl Cole, 2010 calendar 

Album cover of the russian band 'Kasta'

 Paul Weller of "The Jam"

very informative and interesting post also a good idea to have the info on boxes to hand

great info and pics there Metad, the 9292 looks much nicer than the 9191, but they are both great boxes.

sorry i have no info or pics to add here but really enjoyed reading and seeing yours

Specifications:

Yep, LavLoo, both are great radios, but chrome dust caps make radio 'alive', IMO.

Here is the pic of the both of them, it was posted on here back in 2006 by Rambo Estrada, the member from New Zealand.

Agree   

I tried, as you pointed out Metad, to do this with the Walkman section, might have another bash with that, it would be a good resource

i agree on the chrome dust caps for sure Metad, but looking at the above pic i now feel the 9191 looks nicer.

i prefer the deck door section better on the 9191 and the tweets, but prefer the chrome dust caps and led section on the 9292.

it's a very close call Metad

it was a really good try Agent, don't give up

GF-9292 is my very first box, got it in may of 1980, still have it, and love it to the bits, so as you understand, nothing compares to the first love  

totally mate, i won't go into the details of my first love, i think people are tired of me talking about the d86...............ooops

Incredible thread Metad !

And no Lav Loo some of us are not tired at all in fact we are obsessed!

So Please if you have the time and want it please do

present to the forum the Philips D8614 !

What i m suggesting is upload some

pdf files (for brochures etc) to be downloaded for people

who are interested for future reference

and in printing them to be in the right resolution !

thanks Deech, would love to have a go but i don't know where to start

sorry mate

 Ahh... i think metad paved the way !

Come on it would be so good for the forum mate to make a review !

We are obsessed and possessed simultaneously, with the Philips !!!

this is a very good idea metad, hope the mods can help out on putting it at top of one of the boombox sections for easy access.

by the way also one of my favs boombox over the 9090 and 9191 and 9494 for that matter.

Thank you guys

GF-9292X shares the same tape mechanism with following models

GF-3700

GF-3800

GF-6000

GF-6500

GF-9090

GF-9191

GF-9494

GF-9696

and models for japanese domestic market

GF-116

GF-118

GF-123

GF-146

GF-202

GF-303

GF-305

GF-505

GF-508

so it would be easy to find spare parts, if someone needs them.

The most common fault for that type of the mechanism is tiny rubber capstan pulley. With age, this pulley turns into sticky goo, and take-up spindle stops to rotate, and boombox starts to chew the tape. Not every Sharp suffers from that fault, but most of them, and in any case - would be better to replace it, with the new one. 

This is what it looks like

before

After

Service manual, courtesy of Retro

Unfortunately, it's not complete, but as you may see, this manual refers to 9191X service manual, so it's possible to use GF-9191X schematics. 

GF-305SB/ST has a Tape speed adjustment control below the cassette door!

One of the features on these Sharps is their Cassette door can be removed by unscrewing those two Thump screws. Designed for those who want to show-off their Flashy cassettes and those who want to see the cassette in action without any glass in between!

There were some Pioneer decks with no cassette door and the cassette almost sitting outside the deck like below. (Photo from net) 

love the pioneer ct series tape decks they look and sound great ,   the little cover that pops up to cover the tape heads is fab 

Very good thread.  I have a GF-305 Japanese model, which is like a blend between the 9191 and 9292.  It has:

The 9191's woofers and woofer rings

The 9292's tweeter rings

The 9191's VU meters

The 9292's tuner panel

The 9292's tape door

PLUS adjustable tape speed, echo, true Line In, and FM wireless

I also have a Japanese GF-305SB, but never knew that it is a mix-up of (or best of?) 9191 & 9292. Interesting information!

The removable faceplate of the door designed only for easy access to the tape heads, to clean them. That's all.
The inner frame, i.e. cassette holder, designed to be a framework, nothing more, nothing less. 
Without door faceplate, boombox looks stripped and incomplete, like a car without hood, yes, you can see the flashy engine, and stuff, but this car wasn't designed to look this way.

I Like

Sharp GF-9292X (everything about)

This thread

Well Written - Would like to See more model's described like this

my newly aquired 9292x-serial number 90818390,making it august 1979 production,so earlier than the previous earliest of oct 79 by 2 months lol-this is such a lovely gf

Hi metad, Thankyou for all the info on the Capstan Pulley. Now I know what the name of the part we need. Do you also know roughly where I can get these parts from. I am from Australia but I am willing to buy this and some other parts for my APSS Sharp GF 9292 where they are available.

If its just the capstan tyre thats turned to goo as shown above then r/c car fuel line seems to fit best...just need a nearby model shop.  Somewhere on here you'll find the measurements but if you can't find it I can measure the fuel line I've got as it works perfectly

Hi Foxieblue,

unfortunatelly, those original capstan pulleys are no longer available.

But you can replace it with silicon, or rubber fuel tubes, air hoses.

Check these links for some other parts

http://www.4sharp.co.uk/search.pl?t=55174.6142081537&query=gf-9292

http://www.4sharp.co.uk/search.pl?t=55174.6142081537&query=gf-9191

Also, GF-9292 shares the same tape mechanism with number of Sharp models, see the post above, so you may find a cheap one, for example GF-3800, on e-bay, just to replace the whole deck.

Hi Northener, I was wondering do you have the outside diameter and length of the fuel line from a hobby store? We got a piece of a vacuum hose from Super Cheap auto here in Australia. But we are finding the outside diameter is is not quite right. We have been using a drill as a lathe and sandpapering it so it stays round but just not quite there yet. Looking forward to hearing from you.

I'll happily get the measurements for you but it'll be tomorrow as its after midnight here in the UK and the stuff is in my shed...so I'll let you know tomorrow

Thankyou. 

Hi again Metad, thanks to your images. We have got our Cassette Player working again. We had to decrease the size of what we measured from your images three times but got it. Yay!My Hubbie and I are so glad. And thanks again. With out your images we would be lost.

Originally Posted by Northerner:

I'll happily get the measurements for you but it'll be tomorrow as its after midnight here in the UK and the stuff is in my shed...so I'll let you know tomorrow

Thankyou. 

Hi Northemer, Dont need the measurements now. Thanks to Metad's images we worked it out and got the player working. And what we used was a chainsaw fuel line and it was perfect size in diameter So for anyone who needs to replace the little rubber piece. just remember only need a chainsaw fuel line and the length you need is only 5mm no more. We are listening to it now. And all up it cost us $21.00. As we picked the GF 9292 from the tip shop for $7.00 and the replacement parts $14.00 and My hubbie was lucky to find a piece of fuel line used for chainsaws in the shed. Thanks again for all your help.

Another one booklet, but this one - only in English.

Looking at the speakers on the 9292, i wonder if Sharp used those on the GF-1000

Hi from Argentina, I found a company that manufactures all kind of rollers and belts for old boomboxes.. here is the link:

http://electrogoma.com.ar/Prod...llos/audio/audio.htm

http://electrogoma.com.ar/Prod.../audio/audio%201.htm

http://electrogoma.com.ar/Prod.../Correas/Correas.htm

If you need the hole catalogue in pdf, just contact me. 

I have changed belts and roller in a gf-9191 and gf-9292

metad posted:

<for the love of god stop quoting the entire thread>

 

This is a great collection of images of -- and related to -- the Sharp GF-9292X that metad posted in the final days of 2012. I guess he already knows that the word he really wanted, concerning the seventh image, was "African," spelled with a capital A.

Speaking of the seventh image, perhaps a more fitting word is "content" to describe the young one as she stretches out on what seems to be a repurposed sack, propped up on her elbows as she listens to the Sharp GF-9292X. I suppose that it is the radio and not the tape deck that the little girl is listening to, seeing that one does not see any top-mounted tape-deck buttons pressed down in usage mode of this Sharp GF-9292X -- if it is indeed the GF-9292X and not some other version or model altogether by Sharp.

And, speaking of The Sharp Corporation: 1978? 1979? These amazing portable stereo radio cassette recorders -- and competitors' similar workings -- go that far back? One certainly learns surprising things as time goes by ...

When I was a child, my father bought a gf-9191 (buenos aires, argentina) in the beginning of 1979. I don´t remember the exact date, but i still have the original cassette tape that came with that boombox and it was recorded on side B, writing down april 1979.

Hi, i attach picture of my gf-9191 motor, date of manufacture 12th may 1978. Anyone owns a boombox before this date?

I need your help! Anyone knows how to adjust tape speed in gf-9292. Tape is playing faster than it should. The problem with 9191 and 9292 is that they don´t have any hole in motor to insert a screwdriver and adjust speed. I´ve got the 9191 service manual but it doesnt mention anything about this matter. Belts, pinch roller and capstan roller are new. Anybody came across this trouble and could solve it? If so, please post photos and comments.

I leave a page I found from japan with great step by step dissasemble pictures (gf-305)

http://www.video-koubou-topaz....ox-audio-ripair.html

This is the correct page:

http://www.video-koubou-topaz....P-GF-305-RIPAIR.html