Wolf in Sheep's Clothing: Magnavox Ten Transistor Vintage Radio

Thanks, Gerald:

 

This rather harmless looking late 60's magnavox looks a lot like what grandma used to listen to the swap and shop show on. don't be fooled. several years back when i recieved this radio and loaded it with batteries, i was blown away by its performance. a robust 10"x7'x3.5" it was sturdily built of plstic. no frills. no lights, no meters, just excellent am and fm tuning .

A full 8" ferrite tucked in the back. known only as the model fm-91, i have done the "pepsi" challenge with this radio against some of my heavy hitters and it down right outperformed a couple of them. heres a hint ,sangean, are you listening? only ten transistors but uses every ne of them to the max. the best analogy i can conjur for this radio is this,, imagine a little old lady next to you at the redlight in an avacado green 1968 coronet, the only thing is, there is 426 hemi under the hood. count me in the vintage over modern camp. i know its been debated on here, youll never convince me you'll see the new chinese contraptions for sale on ebay 30 years from now.

Comments

[Mark Roberts]

This must be from the time before Philips bought Magnavox. Do you know where it was made? The craftsmanship is evident from the photos.

By the way, there's a small statue of a horn-style loudspeaker in downtown Napa, California, next to the site where the Magnavox company was founded in the 1910s.

[Demetri]

Japan. See: http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/magnavox_fm_91.html

[Keith Beesley]

I have good Magnavox portable radios from both before and after the Philips acquisition; but they don't seem to have been consistent (i.e., they made some dogs, too). I'll keep an eye out for this one.

[Rehtakul]

There is currently one available on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-MAGNAVOX-LONG-RANGE-AMFM-RADIO-NICE-j-/330534478623?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf563e31f

Condition is pretty rough. Not sure it's worth the asking price in that shape.

[Mark Roberts]

@Rehtakul -- looks like it's been up since February. I agree, $38 for that radio in that condition is not something I'd be willing to pay.