Grundig Identity Crisis (Identified as an RGD)
 

Hi All,

I am new to the vintage radio community and a retired electronics service engineer, I have always had a thing for valve equipment but never got around to actually repairing or owning any, well not since servicing old black and white tv's as a teenager anyway......most of my work has been solid state stuff and now I have retired from that I started looking for something to work on/restore, I stumbled upon an old Grundig Radiogram that has LW-MW-SW & FM and a reel to reel tape player alongside, I got it cheap and kinda fell in love with its look, I am excited to get it up and running but have no documentation, diagrams or alignment procedure details for when it gets restored and not knowing model of Grundig I am kinda stuck, there doesn't seem to be any numbers around the chassis or cabinet so I am looking for some help from the knowledgeable folk here to solve the identity crisis if possible, any help would be much appreciated, pictures aren't the best but below and can take more if required....Cheers - George.

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis - first restoration
 

The tape recorder chassis looks like early fifties. What valves does it use? There's a lot of similar looking models in Radiomuseum- if you haven't found it, it's an incredible resource for old domestic electronics.

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/grundig_tm700.html looks very similar.

The radio chassis will presumably be similar vintage- again there's loads of similar looking ones......

The whole thing looks rather like a poor relation to this beast:

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/grundi...rank_9010.html

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis - first restoration
 

And it could be an even more incredible resource if more collectors put in the effort to show their sets , one of the most prolific in the UK on the Radiomuseum is Howard of this very forum.

Hats off to collectors like him who make this valuable resource available to all.

Cheers

Mike T

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis - first restoration
 

That tape recorder is a Reporter 700L. I have two, one of which my Father bought in 1956.

One ‘feature’ is that the original ½ track heads record on the lower half of the tape so anything recorded on another machine will sound backwards!

I have an original service manual for the tape recorder if you need a scan of it.

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis - first restoration
 

I don't think think that this as a Grundig Radiogram at all. It looks like a 1956 Model Regentone/RGD 4 waveband radiogram with the Grundig R2R fitted in where the BSR UA8 autochanger used to be.

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis - first restoration
 

Yes I think so too, the carpet view via the tape deck is a bit of a give away, compare the outer two front cabinet bars with the inner bars in the OP's pic to the ones shown here:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/record-pla...78./1266379952

Lawrence.

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis - first restoration
 

^^^Ad no longer available^^^

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis - first restoration
 

Worked for me when I scrolled down, here's a better find (scroll down):

https://www.gumtree.com/p/other-hous...ram/1153783429

Lawrence.

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis - first restoration
 

Ahh, just stopped at "Ad no longer available".

That radio chassis is also incontrovertibly RGD!

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/rgd_ra...m_unknown.html

With a fighting chance that this:

http://www.service-data.com/product....70/7176/a15670

is relevant!

Below is a pic of the valve types in the radio chassis & yes indeed I would say the reel to reel is indeed a TM700 looks amazingly similar, thanks so much for that info ;-)

Great ;-) sounds like that identity has been solved, a scan would be very helpful Richard, thanks very much ;-)

That makes sense Edward, the fitting of the tape player didn't look too well done! although it looks like its been there since new.

Thats exactly the one ;-) pity the record deck was swapped out :/

I agree, the chassis looks exactly the same, valves match that of the radiomuseum too thanks so much for that I can now begin with knowledge ;-)

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis - first restoration
 

I stand to be corrected, but I think this same Plessey built chassis was used in the Regentone version with a BSR UA6 (1955) and later a BSR UA8 (1956) autochanger and the RGD version with 3 speakers ("3D Sound") and a Garrard autochanger.

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis - first restoration
 

definitely the RGD version of the Regentone A155 chassis the slight differences are given in the Radio and TV servicing books possibly the 56-57 volume but the chassis, under various guises, was used for a good few years. Variations included push pull output, single ended output, and a stereo version.

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis - first restoration
 

That would explain those spare holes!

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis (Identified as an RGD)
 

Hi All, sorry for the late reply, Health hasn't been great, I thank you all for helping to identify this odd hybrid and reading the conversation has made me smile, nice to see the discussion ;-)

Sadly I now have to part with the radiogram as it takes up too much room in my little flat and is too big a project for me, I should have chosen a smaller more manageable project to tackle, would anyone have any idea what the radiogram would be worth?

I have not switched it on as it will need re-capping and no doubt the odd resistor here and there as well as I.F. calibration etc. I am hoping the pics already here are enough to estimate a value? should also mention the top will need reattaching and there are a few scratches in the woodwork.

Thanks again for all your valuable input, it has been much appreciated indeed.

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis (Identified as an RGD)
 

Sorry to hear you're not well Midge. Valuation is difficult as these items [being a large inconvenient size in modern homes, as you know, are generally out of favour]. They could hardly be given away two or three years ago and that often still applies.

However, the recent retro boom, has changed things to the extent that ridiculous prices can now be asked on e-bay etc The tape recorder might help but it's very unlikely to be in a good state by now. I'd be more interested in whether there are any vintage recordings on the tapes themselves? Is anything written on the boxes? That hasn't any effect on value though. I'm sure you will get a variety of answers to your question but don't expect too much.

Dave W

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis (Identified as an RGD)
 

In the current condition as seen, and missing the record deck, which would be more useful than a tape deck, then I dont think this unit is going to be popular, it looks like it has FM which is one bonus anyway. The cabinet is not in the best of shape so I would guess at about £10 to £50. (you may even have to pay someone to take it away)

The best option is to try and get the radio chassis serviced and a decent record deck fitted, not necessarily the original type, then it could be used for playing vinyl records. But please note, servicing costs unless you did it yourself would probably outdo the finished value of the unit.

Mike

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis (Identified as an RGD)
 

Thank you Dave, not sure what's on the tapes as I have nothing to play them on unless I refurb the whole thing, there's no writing on the boxes so audio is unknown, I paid £25 for the radiogram so I guess that wasn't too bad and I'd be lucky to get my money back by the sounds of it, thanks again for your reply ;-)

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis (Identified as an RGD)
 

Thanks for the reply Mike, It does indeed have FM, Maybe I would be better hanging on to it, biting the bullet and getting it working in time, it just takes up so much room! and with health up and down like an erratic sine wave I would only be able to service it in better times and when finances allow, also having limited test equipment e.g. no sig gen or scope I might struggle, daft getting it really but it's been something I have wanted to do for so long and when I saw the ad for it I couldn't resist! Ah well see how it goes I guess.

Thanks again - George.

Re: Grundig Identity Crisis (Identified as an RGD)
 

There aren't too many wax capacitors in those chassis and I doubt, unless the phantom twiddler has been at it, that it would need realigning. They are a very good chassis and give very good results under the various guises. I would change "that cap" and then try it.

Just check the smoothing and reservoir caps for physical leakage before hand though.

Steve.