These are my 50 Cent for that case:
If you take a look on the japanese electronics industry you have to take a look on the history of Japan, too.
Japan was a closen country for hundreds of years, no one in, no one out, like North Korea today.
Japan began to open step by step after an american agression with a battle ship entering the
harbour of Tokyo saying if you don`t deal with us we will shoot down the whole city made of paper.
That was around 1880 or so.
That leaded to a 100 – 110 Volts power system, followed by the american TV standard.
In the thirties the german radio service magazine called „Funkschau“ warned Germany and
the rest of the world, that japanese technic students spreading signs that they want to rule the
world!!!!
Yes, that was in 1935 or close by!
During that time american electronics companies were giving the japs the shoes to learn to run.
One of the examples for these kind of „joint ventures“ was Nippon Columbia, started with TV-
production in 1953 at Kawasaki.
Btw. Japan is still a closen society by the culture and the market.
This is visable for tourists and collectors of vintage radios and TVs.
I own a fine collection of vintage 30s-50s original jap radios incl. hornspeakers and 50s TV sets
incl. some roundies.
Tubes and chassis constructions are typical american based. Even the cabinet style is about 90%
american based. Only a few sets have a european style or something japanese (like a temple).
About 97% of all japanese pre-war radios were one circle radios.
Unusual is the american writing on sets, ON/OFF, VOLUME; SOUND, BRIGHTNESS etc. is standard.
I asked a jap friend about it and he told that english was "hip".
They never produced sets with scales and japanese letters for the stations! Most radios have only
the frequencies on the dial, only very few giving names of stations.
It is uncommon that consumer products were in that time offered with user informations in another
language.
O.K., today everything is in english here in europe.
Japanese electronics stuff was always back in time, with the victory of the transistor in small radios
at the end of the 50s and in small TVs in the beginning of the 50s, they started the fight.
Japanese radios used up to the mid 50s old american tubes, the ones with the 2 thick pins. Up to the
late 50s Octal tubes were common.
The main used CRT diameter was up to the beginning 60s 14“, in western Europe 21“-24“!
It is hard to understand that this industry was strong enough to knock down the whole world!
Something about japanese pricing:
It is for sure, that selling electrical sets cheap, but selling spare parts expensive when no
alternative is given, is a way to take the customers cash!
Example jap trap 1:
My father brought me a big Sony Stereo amp from curbside. It was only 5 years old in 1982.
The amp was kicked out in the street because of the expensive service costs!
I by myself paid for 2 original Sony output transistors close to 80,- Deutsch Marks!
For one of these transistors was a similiar american/european transistor available, price: 5,50 DM!
Example jap trap 2: One of my father`s employees bought himself a Datsun Sunny station wagon in the mid 70s.
This car was not a luxury car!
A short time after the end of the warranty the tail gate wiper motor went south!
The price of the replacement (made of gold) in 1978: (800,- Deutsch Marks – in words eigth
hundred!)
What do you think you could have bought for 800,- DM in 1978?
For just 798,- DM you could have bought a luxury DUAL record player CS 721 incl. Shure V 15 III
What did you pay in ´78 for a tail gate wiper motor from a mid 70s Chevy or Ford wagon?
Now its your turn!
Talking about rat nests, who ever opened a luxury Marantz (ex US company!) Esotheric amp?
My brother picked up one once curbside!
Two well educated professional TV repair technicians lost their interest to repair it.
Both burned down 2-3 sets of output transistors on their own costs.
Couldn`t believe that someone will place so many caps, resistors, transistors on that small
solid state board!
CRAP!
Regards,
TV-collector
