Forgotten cassette player - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Robarto · 18th Jun 2017, 11:18 pm

I'm after a bit of information. As a child, my father had a portable cassette player that I am curious to discover the make of. As I remember, it was a normal cassette player and its best remembered feature is that it only had two controls. A bar lever to control play, fast forward, rewind and to access the record function you pressed the button and turned the bar passed from, if I remember correctly.
Any suggestions?
Rob

Tom_I · 18th Jun 2017, 11:46 pm

Philips?

space_charged · 18th Jun 2017, 11:51 pm

I'm thinking it could have been one of these (pics attached). They are early Philips cassette recorders. The two here are (left to right) EL 2203 and EL3302.

Charles

Robarto · 20th Jun 2017, 6:59 pm

Thank you for your replies. Very interesting! I didn't explain very well about the switch. It wasn't a sliding switch, rather a rotary one that gave the impression of a pendulum. My own fault for not explaining properly. Mind it has been 35+ years since I've seen it. Any other thoughts?
Rob

Tom_I · 20th Jun 2017, 7:34 pm

Something like this?

Panasonic RQ203S from about 1968.

Nickthedentist · 20th Jun 2017, 7:58 pm

There were also some cheap Hong-Kong made units that had a rotary control with an asymmetrical knob, which could possibly be described as pendulum like, e.g. http://www.relics-rarities.com/wp-co...2/IMG_0408.png

Robarto · 20th Jun 2017, 9:22 pm

That, I must admit, is a lot closer to the image in my head. Knowing my dad, he'd not waste money if it'll do the job.

camtechman · 21st Jun 2017, 12:53 am

If it is the latter type of control lever/knob they have a budget clutch/play mechanism that uses a foam rubber pad that is notorious for decaying/rotting/crumbling. I have several different models of these machines and I've not yet found/made a suitable & workable replacement pad.

Somewhere on this forum I posted examples of the problem. If I can find it, I'll post a link to the thread.

camtechman · 21st Jun 2017, 1:02 am

Here's the link:

http://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/s...ette+recorders

'LIVEWIRE?' · 21st Jun 2017, 1:21 am

Sorry to be pedantic, but the recorder on the left of the photos in post #3 ia a N2203, which is a later model than the EL3302, shown on the right in those pictures.

18th Jun 2017, 11:18 pm	#1
Robarto Retired Dormant Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK. Posts: 26	Forgotten cassette player I'm after a bit of information. As a child, my father had a portable cassette player that I am curious to discover the make of. As I remember, it was a normal cassette player and its best remembered feature is that it only had two controls. A bar lever to control play, fast forward, rewind and to access the record function you pressed the button and turned the bar passed from, if I remember correctly. Any suggestions? Rob

18th Jun 2017, 11:46 pm	#2
Tom_I Heptode Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: North Herts. UK. Posts: 549	Re: Forgotten cassette player Philips? Attached Thumbnails

20th Jun 2017, 6:59 pm	#4
Robarto Retired Dormant Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK. Posts: 26	Re: Forgotten cassette player Thank you for your replies. Very interesting! I didn't explain very well about the switch. It wasn't a sliding switch, rather a rotary one that gave the impression of a pendulum. My own fault for not explaining properly. Mind it has been 35+ years since I've seen it. Any other thoughts? Rob

20th Jun 2017, 7:34 pm	#5
Tom_I Heptode Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: North Herts. UK. Posts: 549	Re: Forgotten cassette player Something like this? Panasonic RQ203S from about 1968. Attached Thumbnails

20th Jun 2017, 7:58 pm	#6
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,846	Re: Forgotten cassette player There were also some cheap Hong-Kong made units that had a rotary control with an asymmetrical knob, which could possibly be described as pendulum like, e.g. http://www.relics-rarities.com/wp-co...2/IMG_0408.png

18th Jun 2017, 11:51 pm	#3
space_charged Hexode Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: West Midlands, UK. Posts: 315	Re: Forgotten cassette player I'm thinking it could have been one of these (pics attached). They are early Philips cassette recorders. The two here are (left to right) EL 2203 and EL3302. Charles Attached Thumbnails

20th Jun 2017, 9:22 pm	#7
Robarto Retired Dormant Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK. Posts: 26	Re: Forgotten cassette player That, I must admit, is a lot closer to the image in my head. Knowing my dad, he'd not waste money if it'll do the job.

21st Jun 2017, 12:53 am	#8
camtechman Nonode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Milton Keynes, Bucks. UK. Posts: 2,552	Re: Forgotten cassette player If it is the latter type of control lever/knob they have a budget clutch/play mechanism that uses a foam rubber pad that is notorious for decaying/rotting/crumbling. I have several different models of these machines and I've not yet found/made a suitable & workable replacement pad. Somewhere on this forum I posted examples of the problem. If I can find it, I'll post a link to the thread. __________________ When I die, please don't let my Wife sell my collection for the amount I told her I paid for it!

21st Jun 2017, 1:02 am	#9
camtechman Nonode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Milton Keynes, Bucks. UK. Posts: 2,552	Re: Forgotten cassette player Here's the link: http://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/s...ette+recorders __________________ When I die, please don't let my Wife sell my collection for the amount I told her I paid for it! Last edited by camtechman; 21st Jun 2017 at 1:07 am.

21st Jun 2017, 1:21 am	#10
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Forgotten cassette player Sorry to be pedantic, but the recorder on the left of the photos in post #3 ia a N2203, which is a later model than the EL3302, shown on the right in those pictures.