Don't be discouraged about buying these panasonics and sonys. it's amazing how durable these radios were and i've gotten very few that were "speaker tired". i just put it out there that it happens sometimes you get one thats been played to loudly or just simply abused in some way. by the way that 1080 has crisp sound, it's not a audio powerhouse, when i said its a damn fine radio, i mean tuning performance and overall quality is outstanding. after coming to some understanding of your criteria, for furture bidding keep these radios in mind: I definitely will take up Gerald on his offer.
Herculodge reader Gerald Johnson has provided me a good radio list for those of you searching for vintage radios on eBay.
sony icf-5500- 75.00 range
sony icf-5800 (rare) -depending on condition 100-150
sony icf 5900- 120.00 to 190.00
panasonic rf-1080- l60.00 to 80.00
panasonic rf-1150- 80.00 to 110.00
panasonic rf-1115-60.00 to 90.00 a sleeper
sanyo pr-8700- 100.00 to 125.00
believe it or not montgomery wards house brand "airline"
are damn nice radios generally manufactured by sharp (japan)
theres myriad others but, if ever you have a question on a radio that catches your eye on ebay let me know, chances are i'm familiar with it and can steer you.
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I have an acquaintance with a portable Mont. Ward radio. His has AM, FM, and aircraft bands. Unfortunately, he quit taking care of it years ago. It still works, and has good sound quality, but it's quite beat up from use and abuse in the garage.
Posted by: Scooby214 | August 24, 2008 at 07:31 PM
There appears to be a nice one on ebay now, item 300251742758.
Posted by: Paul | August 24, 2008 at 07:46 PM
Jeff, explain to me what I just bought another radio off ebay I didn't need? Pretty much at a dollar or two higher than I could have gotten it elsewhere? It's not even a good radio based on the reviews (Grundig 960). I guess I had $66 burning a hole in my credit card... How am I going to hide this thing?
Sincerely,
You Won!
Posted by: kr | August 25, 2008 at 10:52 AM
I never even heard of the Grundig 960. For many the quest to find an unusual or especially likable radio is about the quest for the chimera, the Holy Grail, or Radio Uber Alles.
People are enthralled more by the quest than they are the acquisition. Enough of my amateur psychology advice.
Photograph and review the 960 and I'll post it.
Posted by: jeffrey McMahon | August 25, 2008 at 11:33 AM
well, this was definitely, in my case an example of "one just went for $34 and i was beat by a dollar, and that isn't happening again" so i paid $11 over that and now have to explain the package to mama...
here is a thought, and it may not be applicable to you jeff, but a possible reason so many of us are listening to shortwave radios is to try to hear or recreate the past....
primarily, people listening to shortwave are over 45 or so, which is on the long downhill slope of the human lifecycle. people may want at some subconscious level to hear or touch or remember something from when they were growing up. and shortwave fits the bill...
i believe part of the reason people want to get back into the past, is an effort to feel something from the time they were a child. i think we are all wet-wired to want love and tenderness and affection.
thus the time machine.
Posted by: kr | August 25, 2008 at 12:34 PM
You will never see high quality vintage-like affordable radios ever manufactured again for one simple reason. Costs!
Today, the name of the game is high profit margin products that can't be repaired and are mostly throw aways when broken.
Posted by: Tom Welch | August 25, 2008 at 12:48 PM
bingo tom. what you get today is assuredly not going to be of the same quality as yesterdays radios. im amazed at some of the detail and workmanship that use to go into some of the vintage portable radios ive encountered. my supposed top of the line sw portable by ccrane is just plain flimsy in comparison.
Posted by: gerald johnson | August 25, 2008 at 02:36 PM
Gerald,
How's the Panasonic RF-5000? There is a nice one on ebay now (item 130249858467). I believe this is of later production, with the four extra buttons for BW, AFC, ANL and BFO.
Posted by: Paul | August 25, 2008 at 04:07 PM
paul this one i dont have but i know what it looks like. ill bet that fr- 5000 weighs 30lbs! i almost got one of those a few years back but i was outbid. my hunch is, its a great performer. the beat frequency oscillator is a key addition to that radio for ssb signal reception. if the money is right, id go for it. be perpared, its huge, but i bet it sounds beautiful and tunes like a champ.
Posted by: gerald johnson | August 25, 2008 at 04:32 PM
That Montgomery Ward radio does look pretty good. I wonder if the SW works on it, as the seller says he/she can't hear anything on SW. There are a couple of that model available on ebay right now.
Posted by: Scooby214 | August 25, 2008 at 04:43 PM