Reel to Reel Owner = Vietnam Vet?

[cymbop]

My wife (we're 34) mentioned that her dad, who's no audiophile, had a reel-to-reel while she was growing up. She asked him about it this week and he said, "Yeah, for a lot of years if you walked into a middle-class home and saw a reel-to-reel, you'd know it was owned by a Vietnam vet. The PX sold them ridiculously cheap, and shipped it to your home so it would be there when you got back from the war."

That's all I got. Carry on. :scratch2:

 

[Duane]

Whether or not his statement is true,there were quite a few people who made purchases of electronic gear via that route.That's how I got my first deck.

 

[gearhead]

Here's a true story-I know of 2 Vietnam vets, I introduced them to each other.
The purpose of the introduction was so one could buy a reel to reel deck from the other.
Another interesting factoid-the guy who sold the deck also has a Gran Torino he bought new.
I know, he's not a Korean vet, but I still think it's pretty cosmic.

 

[finnbow]

My Pioneer PL-41 turntable was originally purchased in Vietnam by a neighbor who served there. When he passed, it was given to me.

 

[Saratoga48]

Vietnam era vet here, and have had a reel to reel since 67

 

[Phototone]

Non-vet here, and I've had a reel to reel deck since about 1960.

 

[TAGO MAGO]

When I worked at Wal Mart while in college I had an Assistant Manager who knew I collected old audio gear and was telling me about the stereo he bought while at Vietnam and yes it had a reel to reel in it. My aunt and uncle used to send messages back and forth to each other when he was in Vietnam using a reel to reel as well. It seems as if some really nice gear came back with folks while in the military both during their time in Vietnam and a bit afterwards.

 

[Jonny Ramone]

I recently got a R2R tape from GW, that had armed forces radio from Vietnam on it.

 

[NAM JAMMER]

I'm a Vietnam vet that wore his out that was sent home.I still have cassette player and my older amp and speakers also.I have since bought another RtoR and collected much gear.We had a catalogue we could order it out of and it was shipped streight home.When I did get home my bedroom was full of boxes and it was like Christmas.It was a happy time for me just being home also.

 

[rBuckner]

To all the vets in this post or reading it: Admiration and a sincere thank you for your service. :thmbsp:

 

[Blue Shadow]

There is some truth to that but as stated, many had a rtr and were not vets.

The pricing must have been nice as a Pioneer SX-5580 sold for $350 BRAND NEW at the base, post or whatever. That is Half the list price of $700 for the SX-1050 in the states and it was a much better looking unit.

 

[gearhead]

To all the vets in this post or reading it: Admiration and a sincere thank you for your service. :thmbsp:

+1 :thmbsp:

 

[Old Busted H]

To all the vets in this post or reading it: Admiration and a sincere thank you for your service. :thmbsp:

And another one.

Too young for Nam, too old for Iraq. Can't say I miss the opportunity to travel, but my hat's off to the guys who did.

 

[kermit z]

To all the vets in this post or reading it: Admiration and a sincere thank you for your service. :thmbsp:

Agreed:yes:

My Dad was a Korean and Vietnam vet. He brought home a Panasonic Reel 2 Reel that also had an AM/FM Stereo radio onboard. Got it in a Tokyo PX is my understanding. When he passed a few years ago, I asked my Mom whatever happened to it since it had been in ther living room of every home since 1969. She did not know.

 

[DougMac]

I'd expand that to include any vets from that time frame in the Asian Theater.

I have a friend who was stationed in Korea 1967-1970 who had a RTR and exchanged tapes with his family and girlfriend, to whom he's been married for 40 years. I'm finishing a project of transcribing 27 of those tapes. I'm digitizing them both as a safety backup and for him to share with his children.

The tapes are in excellent condition, this was pre-sticky shed syndrome. Even though they were recorded at 3 3/4 ips, the sound much better than cassettes. I want to interview them and produce a 30 minute radio program with selected cuts from this histroric record. One tape was recorded just after MLK was assasinated and another has a description of the "Pueblo".

I also own an Akai purchased by another '60's Korean vet. It came with 30 or so BASF 7" reels. Back then they had audio clubs where they'd dub tapes at the rec center. Unfortunately the tapes are of bad easy listening music recorded at slow speed from what must have been third or fourth generation dubs. They sound is horrid. Still, I can't bring myself to record over them quite yet.

I never saw service but I had a RTR since I was 12, back in 1963. I started with a Voice of Music and upgraded to a Viking, which I still have.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Most good open reels in the middle 1960's cost more than $300 upwards. And that meant people of means as a rule in those days or people who saved for them or put them in layaway. In 1967 money, a US model Teac A series like an A 1200W cost about $500 US in the day. The ReVox A 77 new in 1968 was about $700. A salute to our fighting men who keep us free. People then in military service didn't have a lot of things to spend their cash on so Stereo equipment, cameras, and the like of high caliber got bought there.

 

[michaelhigh]

To all the vets in this post or reading it: Admiration and a sincere thank you for your service. :thmbsp:

Yes. Thank you very much all.:yes:

 

[aldena007]

I did not serve in Vietnam, but was in the Navy during the "Vietnam Era". The military Exchanges were fantastic. If you were overseas you could pick up gear/goodies duty free, ship them home via FPO (Fleet Post Office) or ship them home as household goods duty free. I was lucky enough to be stationed in Japan for several years and picked up HiFi, Cameras, China (Noritaki) and a Charles Daley shotgun real cheap. It also helped that the U.S. Dollar was exchanging at 360/1. During the 60's Reel to Reel was the popular format so the Vietnam Vet/Reel to Reel link is just co-incidental.

 

[Old Busted H]

In 1967 money, a US model Teac A series like an A 1200W cost about $500 US in the day. The ReVox A 77 new in 1968 was about $700.

Which would be about 4 grand in today's dollars

 

[LittleNaples]

U.S. Navy Vietnam era vet here......bought my R2R before I went in but I did buy my Nikon F system overseas for 1/2 price and also a Pioneer CT-F7171 cassette deck....those were the days.