Vintage Elecronics Advertisements - Scans from 1953 Handbook

[Dana-L]

For your enjoyment, I present several scans from the advertising section of the 1953 edition of the 'Radio Amateur's Handbook.'

I think guitar amp builders are the ham radio enthusiasts of the new millennium.

Regarding components, as folks like Tone Lizard have noted, the focus was on selection, availability, reliability and cost. Unlike today, 'mojo' was not up for consideration.

Cheers,

-Dana

[jac]

Fun

[LooseChange]

Great! I like the Sprauge Ad... " Just right for your rig".

I've never seen the Koolohm resistors.

[KenMoon]

That's pretty cool. Thanks for posting those!

Once I had to do some research on RAM testing fundamentals, and I found a lot of good stuff in IBM tech journals from the '60s. The funniest part, though, was the ads for the IBM 360 mainframe computers - they all featured girls in swimsuits and high heels Don't think you'd see that these days...

[lo-watt]

In this age of outsourcing and decreased quality, it's kind of cool to know Mallory/CDE, Sprauge and Allied electronics are still around and made in the USA. I buy from Allied almost everday for my owrk and almost all of my Guitar amp and pedals needs as well.

Here's something you my not have known about Allied,They are owned by RS in england.Thats right Radiospares!!!!!
Can you say cool transformers for marshalls??

[Mr_dB]

Hallicrafters made clock radios?????!!!!!!!!!

Do not tell me that Collins made them too...

[Mr_dB]

In this age of outsourcing and decreased quality, it's kind of cool to know Mallory/CDE, Sprauge and Allied electronics are still around and made in the USA. I buy from Allied almost everday for my owrk and almost all of my Guitar amp and pedals needs as well.

Here's something you my not have known about Allied,They are owned by RS in england.Thats right Radiospares!!!!!
Can you say cool transformers for marshalls??

Uh, I think the RS that is connected to Allied Radio is Radio Shack. Tandy Corporation.

[Mr_dB]

Great! I like the Sprauge Ad... " Just right for your rig".

I've never seen the Koolohm resistors.

Remember the ads that said "Don't be vague, ask for Sprague"?

[brownnote]

Remember the ads that said "Don't be vague, ask for Sprague"?

Yes, I do!
I have some old stock with that slogan on it.

[bluesfreak68]

I especially like the pricing of the Amplifier Kits

cu
bluesfreak

[Keith2112]

I especially like the pricing of the Amplifier Kits

If you adjust for modest inflation, the prices are not much less than what you would pay for a good kit today. The 20 watt kit listed at $33.50 in 1953 would list close to $300 today with an inflation rate of 4% per year, which is fairly close to the 50 year average rate. Compare that to a Brown Note kit at $350. The Brown Note kit comes with faceplates and a pre-punched chassis which the old Heathkits might not have. The big difference would be that in 1953 you would be getting American made tubes, whereas today you will get Russian or Chinese varieties.

It is fun to contemplate the prices but remember that in 1953 an annual salary might be 2 or 3 thousand dollars, not tens of thousands of dollars. In many ways, things are far superior today for the DIY enthusiast.

[Dana-L]

Hallicrafters made clock radios?????!!!!!!!!!

Do not tell me that Collins made them too...

In this handbook, the Hallicrafters advertisement is several pages long, which surprised me because I'd never really even heard of them (no radio buffs in my family).

Wondering how I could not know about an electronics company that appeared to have been a prosperous technology leader, I did some Googling and learned they'd followed the sad and familiar path to destruction traveled by companies that get acquired by a larger company that is later itself acquired, etc., etc.

Big, successful companies sometimes seem so all-powerful when in reality very few are able to thrive for more than a few decades. Woolworth's, Sears Roebuck, General Motors, NCR, RCA, IBM, Microsoft, Wal-Mart - It's only a matter of time.

Cheers,

-Dana

[Dana-L]

Remember the ads that said "Don't be vague, ask for Sprague"?

Yes, I do!
I have some old stock with that slogan on it.

I've thought of you, Brownnote, as I've enjoyed the illustrations and text stylings in this old handbook because you've done such a nice job of capturing the period vibe in many of your own graphics.

-Dana