TRANSISTOR RADIO DESIGN

This Coronet 2 Transistor is the quintessential boys’ radio! It was manufactured in Japan circa 1959/60 and is probably the most commonly found boys’ radio. These radios came in a variety of colors and styles with some having textured metal speaker grills, plain metal grills, plastic grills, cloisonné badges, no badges, under-painted escutcheons, metal escutcheons etc. The same basic cabinet for this Coronet was used on many boys’ radios and these can be found branded as Windsor, King, Queen, Lloyds, Hi Delity, Royal Tone, Top Flight, Montclair and others. Some even carry branding for both a Windsor and a Coronet at the same time!
 

Toys, toys, toys for boys! This Coronet features a large under-painted face with a silver crown framing the tuning dial. It has a two tone red and white plastic cabinet and textured gold speaker grill. It also features a black and gold cloisonné badge that proudly proclaims ‘2 Transistors’. On the back ‘BOYS RADIO’ is stamped in capitals. Interestingly this radio is not stamped ‘Japan’ anywhere on the cabinet however it does have an inspection sticker inside stamped Japan. In the 1950’s and 1960’s the USA required foreign electronics to be stamped with their country of origin. Japanese manufacturers were aware of the negative stigma associated with their products in the USA.  Many tried to disguise the fact they were made in Japan by stamping it on the back in the smallest allowable font, making it almost unreadable. They were often caught out and their products turned away! A few illegal aliens like this one must have slipped across the border.
 

 

Often these boys’ radios are found beat up. After all they were purchased as gifts for children. This one is a real treasure! Its fun to think of it being purchased at a sale on a cold winters evening, happy shoppers scurrying back and forth hunting for the latest bargains from the far east! I can picture it being unwrapped on Christmas day by an overly excited teen as Mum, Dad and the siblings look on. Imagine receiving your first transistor radio in 1960, climbing into your tree house and listening to the latest offering from Elvis or Chubby Checker! I wonder if the original owner remembers the joy of receiving this beautiful little red and white radio….

This Coronet comes with a fantastic looking gold gift box. Inside the box is an extendable aerial, Warranty Card and black vinyl case.
 

 

This Coronet boys’ radio uses two Matsushita transistors. It has a rather small schematic diagram inside.