'The Editor' tape recorder

[Nostaticatall]

One of my yet to start projects (along with far too many others) is a restoration of an early tape recorder known as 'The Editor'. Looking through old magazines shows these being sold in the fifties through a mail order company. There were several versions and this looks like an early 50s one - they got a little less 'prototype' looking later on! The deck is a three motor job with a heavy cast flywheel and a pinch roller you have to engage manually. The whole deck is assembled on a piece of laminated chipboard. Erase and Rec/Play heads are by Lane and in cast alloy pots. I remember my father buying it secondhand and in need of repair in the early - mid sixties and he paid a pound for it! It's probably not worth that much more today but it is a curious piece of history, representing the kind of product that was sold to satisfy a boom market at the time and when a top consumer brand like Grundig could only be considered by the 'well off'

Has anyone come across one of these or remembers them? I'll post some pictures if anyone is interested.

[reel-to-reel-man]

Hello, always interested to see some pics, it soulnd like my Truvox

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ead.php?t=7052

Must admit I have not heard of this machine and would be very interested seeing it.

[reelguy]

Yes , I would like to see a couple of pics of your recorder. Seeing them may jog my memory {Almost nonexistent now } The name "Editor" sounds familiar though.Can you show pics of the underside as well if possible.. I like the older recorders and wouldnt mind the little "Sound Belle" on Ebay at present.Also I would like a "Elpico Geloso", Every time I bid on one it goes for more than I can afford Or want to pay!! Peter [Reelguy}

[KB-KR20]

Hi,
Is it either of these?

Mick

[Mike Phelan]

Originally Posted by Nostaticatall

One of my yet to start projects (along with far too many others) is a restoration of an early tape recorder known as 'The Editor'. Looking through old magazines shows these being sold in the fifties through a mail order company. There were several versions and this looks like an early 50s one - they got a little less 'prototype' looking later on! The deck is a three motor job with a heavy cast flywheel and a pinch roller you have to engage manually. The whole deck is assembled on a piece of laminated chipboard. Erase and Rec/Play heads are by Lane and in cast alloy pots. I remember my father buying it secondhand and in need of repair in the early - mid sixties and he paid a pound for it! It's probably not worth that much more today but it is a curious piece of history, representing the kind of product that was sold to satisfy a boom market at the time and when a top consumer brand like Grundig could only be considered by the 'well off'

Has anyone come across one of these or remembers them? I'll post some pictures if anyone is interested.

Yes - I remember it well. We had a few in the pile where I worked in a shop in Leigh - the proprietor dusted them down and put them up for sale at the original price, and marked 'new'! They were from the late 1950s , IIRC, and I was there in the mid 60s! Needless to say no-one bought them.

I found the construction quite unbelievable! The flywheel was a big lu,p of brass and probably worth more in scrap value.

[Nostaticatall]

Originally Posted by KB-KR20

Hi,
Is it either of these?

Mick

Yes it is the first one (1954). Absolutely marvellous - I hadn't banked on there being any service dope around for these. It never occured to me that there might be an ERT sheet. Thanks Mick!

[Nostaticatall]

Originally Posted by reel-to-reel-man

Must admit I have not heard of this machine and would be very interested seeing it.

I'll post some pictures in the next day or two
Steve

[Nostaticatall]

Originally Posted by reelguy

Yes , I would like to see a couple of pics of your recorder. Seeing them may jog my memory {Almost nonexistent now } The name "Editor" sounds familiar though.Can you show pics of the underside as well if possible.. I like the older recorders and wouldnt mind the little "Sound Belle" on Ebay at present.Also I would like a "Elpico Geloso", Every time I bid on one it goes for more than I can afford Or want to pay!! Peter [Reelguy}

I'll take some detailed shots and post them soon
Steve

[reel-to-reel-man]

The recorder does look very interesting from the ales literature, it would be nice to see some inside pics as well.

[KB-KR20]

Steve,
You have a PM.
Mick

[Nostaticatall]

Originally Posted by Mike Phelan

I found the construction quite unbelievable! The flywheel was a big lu,p of brass and probably worth more in scrap value.

Interesting stuff Mike - I bet you wish that you had bought them all yourself with hindsight!

The steel frame that the two chassis and the top deck bolt to means that the outer wooden case is just the cladding and unstressed. It might have been a 'utility' product but some good engineering went into its construction
Steve

[Mike Phelan]

Originally Posted by Nostaticatall

Interesting stuff Mike - I bet you wish that you had bought them all yourself with hindsight!

Steve

Hi Steve
If I had, I could have retired! There were a few Walters as well - nowt special, but I quite liked them. Better than the Fidelity et al and all the other cheapies with BSR decks.
The Editors I dealt with had a lot of bits of bent wire on the brake mechanism - like an American striking clock!
I suspect these were the later ones that Mick has the sheet for.

[Nostaticatall]

Here are some photographs of "The Editor" tape recorder. It's quite grubby but will clean up quite nicely - a bit like a Formica work surface really! I have all the knobs and the pinch roller kept in a safe place - I just need to remember where that safe place was. The same goes for the microphone.
Steve

[reel-to-reel-man]

Does this machine not have a pinch roller?

[reelguy]

Laminated Chipboard for the deck!. Haven't come across that before, but it seems to have lasted well. Hope you get it going ok. I assume you have tapes to try on it? Peter {Reelguy}

[Nostaticatall]

Originally Posted by reelguy

Laminated Chipboard for the deck!. Haven't come across that before, but it seems to have lasted well. Hope you get it going ok. I assume you have tapes to try on it? Peter {Reelguy}

Looking forward to getting it up and running! I have quite a few tapes but scouting around for empty reels (I've just bid for a couple on eBay). Some of the tapes I have were actually recorded on by this machine in the 60s so that'll make interesting listening. I'll report back when it comes to life!
Steve

[DOFFERY]

Hi Steve,

I Had one of the Editors as your pic. (original) back in the early 50's, spent more time repairing/modifying than using, best of luck, at least will keep you warm in Winter.

Doffery

[reel-to-reel-man]

I forgot ! I was going to send a PM to you as I saw one of these going for sale...somewhere... it was in real nice condition, don't know if it sold though and have not been able to trace it nut where you have the two audio connectors at the top of the machine there should be a chrome ring, shame about the chipped surface.

[Michael Maurice]

Looks like the motors were made by Collaro, they'll probably need stripping down and relubricating