[dave walsh]

Assembly Manual? Ah so this was a Heath "Kit" Chris? Having not heard of a Tape Recorder in their range and after looking up the American Models + the UK STR1 [p2*] I assumed they came ready built.
Since writing that, I see the Radio Museum describes the STR1 as "available as a kit or ready built".

My main experience of Heathkit was studying their catalogue with great interest but not being able to invest the money. I don't recall ever seeing a mention of Heathkit Tape Recorders, a review or a description one being built but given the choice of tape deck and the problems already mentioned, perhaps they weren't much of a success? I'm reminded of the Ferrograph Series 7 TR's [a bit of a step up admittedly]. They are now described as an unsatisfactory venture by some but seen much more positively by others [good news as I have one, another impossible purchase at the time].

Dave W