Review of the Panasonic RF-1350 AM/FM/SW Radio.

(Here's a re-post of a radio you don't see very often)

Thanks to Paul for this review of the Panasonic RF-1350 AM/FM/SW Radio. 

This radio is quite rare. It may have been marketed only outside the US (I received mine from Canada).

Dimensions: 12"x8"x3" (approximate; a little larger in actuality)

Features: 

• AM/FM/SW in 5 bands. Continuous shortwave coverage in 3 bands from 1.6 - 30 MHz.
• Telescopic rod antenna
• Headphone and line out
• External antenna connections for AM and FM
• Continuously variable (analog) volume, bass, and treble control
• Large tuning knob
• Fine tuning knob for AM
• Mechanical band selector switch
• Runs on 4 D batteries or AC (no adapter required)
• Tuning indicator needle
• Carrying handle
• Dial light (press and hold to illuminate)
• Brushed aluminum face

     

 

Performance:

In one word: superb. Excellent sensitivity and very good selectivity on AM/FM/SW. Very smooth, solid tuning knob (no wobble).  No backlash on dial. Dial amazingly accurate on AM and FM. Very nice control of audio tone via bass and treble controls. No scratchy controls. It has a 12 cm speaker (about 4.7 inches), and it can be very loud and room-filling. Build quality and workmanship is great and completely eclipses radios such as the Eton S350DL or Redsun RP2100.

 

Comments

[Angelo]

Do we know when this was made? 1980's/1990s? I love vintage radios for all the reasons Paul loves this one. I look at this radio and have a hard time finding anything made today that is more appealing to me. Just looking at the photos, I can practically feel how smooth these switches/knobs operate.

[Angelo]

E-Bay 230422710773
Here is an old Panasonic. If you don't need shortwave, this might be a buy at thirty bucks plus shipping. I don't think there will be a big bidding war, since it's not a multi-band (it's AM-FM-Weather, which I guess qualifies as multi, but you get my drift). Anyway, speaking of drift, I doubt this thing has much! Looks big and powerful----lots of hours left on the old moose!

[Ambardy]

Hi, I have bought form a junk market the same type of Radio with it brand of National Panasonic but it very fortunate that mine only have 4 Band i.e. MW, SW1, SW2 and SW3. I have no idea when this was made?

[FRAM]

Someone just threw one of these into our shop dumpster outside.

Wow I'm amazed at how well the FM radio on this thing works. The AM band is not picking up anything but I suspect I need to hook up a Loop antenna first.

It brings me back to the days when electronics were well built.

[Sam Allen]

I just picked up one of these today at an auction. It was in a box of other stuff, and bidding was quite fierce. I don't know if people wanted the radio or the other stuff, but the sort of people who attend this auction are not radio collectors!
Anyway, this radio is in quite good condition overall and the only thing I can see wrong with it is the volume control is worn/intermittent at low level. I should be able to find a replacement fairly easily. It's not just a case of squirting some contact cleaner in it - the carbon track is actually worn at the lowest volume level. Other than that, it's a very good and collectible radio.

Fram - your radio should pick up AM without an external loop antenna. This model has a built-in ferrite rod for AM reception. It's possible the AM section of the radio needs some attention.

[Rio]

Hello,does anyone has its schematic / service manual? I need to change some parts on it but have no idea its value.
Thx.

[Angel G. Quiles]

Nice looking radio. What's the price.?

[Rhys Brown]

Hi there, I purchased one of these radios in 1977
latest on the market in Australia at that time.
I still have mine today in the same condition as when I bought it. Excellent on shortwave from my home here in New Zealand. Rhys

[thaer]

hello
i need schematic diagram for this radio

[D]

I have always loved panasonic audio products.In 1976 I purchased a panasonic cassette recorder/player.In 1985 I had my very first panasonic boombox model rx5050.Also that same year I had my very first panasonic personal size stereo.In 1994 I purchased a panasonic slimline radio/cassette player.This small boombox made am sound like fm,...and fm sound like cds.Also it would creata wide stereo sound which felt like the speakers were separated.All of these panasonic items produce a clear clean full rich smooth stereo sound.I am a serious audiophile.

[Alan]

Hi where can I buy one of this radio 1350 Panasonic

[Angelo]

Alan: I would try E-Bay.

[Brandon]

I'm not sure I've ever seen this particular model on ebay - it is quite rare.

The closest radio I have found to this is the Philips 970 - I've always been intrigued by this radio but have yet to buy one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261990904646

[Banana Juice]

Thank very much for this review , I was searching For this type precisely , Can You tell Me please How much the price Of It Nowdays & the year of production .... THANK YOU AGAIN

[Robin Whittle]

I bought one of these new in Melbourne, Australia, I guess in the late 1970s, but I can't be sure. I still have it, and today bought one (also in Melbourne) from a Cash Converter pawn shop for $79. It is in excellent condition except for a broken battery compartment cover.

These radios have a great sound and satisfying controls.

The volume and tone pots of my original one were very noisy, but I fixed them today with a little isopropyl alcohol dribbled into them, followed by lots of turning, more dribbling and turning, a vacuum cleaner and a heat-gun. This can all be done by simply removing the 7 screws to take the back off.

The band switch was noisy too, but I cycled it a hundred times or more and it seems OK now. It would be trickier to get IPA into the switch.

I can't give technical details about its sensitivity etc. but a similar model apparently from the late 1970s (GX600M = RF-1150BA) gets a good rap here from Phil Ireland:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBGcowfwYT4

His review of the RF-1350BA is similarly positive, and he suggests it is from the early 1980s:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_OqDMIgBiA

A very similar looking radio with 4 bands (no FM) is the Panasonic R-4458B: http://sulistyo-antik.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/radio-national-panasonic-r-4458b.html

Rhys Brown, thanks for providing a concrete year - 1977 - but it is sometimes suggested that if you remember the 1970s, you weren't really there.