[AdamAnt316]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

Sorry about that. I had reference to the RD-7000Y, the model with PC boards rather than a metal chassis and socketed transistors. I'm hoping the one I am currently bidding on (time left 23 hours and 45 minutes or so, when I checked the listing just before starting to write this) is one of the American-made RD-7000s and not an offshore-made one, although if I wind up getting the latter (offshore-made, in Taiwan) model I won't complain -- as long as it works halfway decently or better. At this point all I know about the R-7000, etc. is what I have read about the radio on Phil Nelson's site and at RadioJayAllen.com.

So, an R-7000, then. The D7000Y was part of the earlier Royal series, and has the hand-wired chassis. The different revisions of the R-7000 are indicated by numbers on the end; the -2 version is considered the best, from what I've heard, due to a switch from using a toothed belt to a series of gears in the tuning mechanism. I wouldn't mind finding an R-7000 someday, but the Royal D7000Y is an excellent radio.

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

For Sandy G.: Thanks for the heads-up on the chrome bubbling and separating of the vinyl covering of the cabinet on some R-7000s. Again, however, since these are minor cosmetic flaws that will not affect the radio's operation, I can live with it if the set I hopefully will get has it.

Actually, the chrome and leather issues he mentions affect the earlier Royal 1000 and 3000 series sets. By the time of the 7000 series, they'd ironed out most of the cosmetic issues, though my Royal D7000Y does have some pitting in the chrome.
-Adam