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Elgin RM-4220 Turntable

K

Kris

New Member
Hi all, I'm new here, and I have a question.

A few years ago, I bought an Elgin RM-4220 turntable. I know nothing about the history of it, and I haven't been able to find out any information about it on the internet, either. I've seen other Elgin products on eBay and such (8-track players, transistor radios, and even a receiver that looks like it's the matching component to my turntable) but that's it. I have no idea what year it's from, although my guess is the late 1970s. It says "precision crafted in Great Britain" on the turntable itself, but on the back it says it's made in Japan.

I'm just curious to see if anyone knows anything about this turntable, or even the Elgin brand in general. I may sell this in the future since I'm not using it anymore (I bought a new turntable recently) but I have no idea what I should try and sell it for. Although it's really hard for me to part with vintage turntables -- especially if they still work.

Anyway, here are some photos of it:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/krisheding/sets/72157625461105033/with/5255655753/

If anyone has any information, I'd be so grateful!

Thanks in advance!

Kris
 
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Kris said:
...........I'm just curious to see if anyone knows anything about this turntable, or even the Elgin brand in general.......... Kris
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I too have seen a couple of Elgin transistor radios on the auction site. But I think of them foremost as a brand of wristwatch. My father wore one for years; I would guess that he bought it new in about 1950.
 
Octaven said:
I too have seen a couple of Elgin transistor radios on the auction site. But I think of them foremost as a brand of wristwatch. My father wore one for years; I would guess that he bought it new in about 1950.
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Is the Elgin brand of watches the same Elgin that made this turntable? That's where I'm confused. I can't seem to find any information on the internet about Elgin making turntables, which is just really odd.
 
Kris said:
What do you think I could sell it for these days? It still works, and works pretty well.
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I think questions on worth and pricing should get moved to Dollars and Sense. If you wanted to pursue that further then Im sure a moderator will move it over there for you.
Kind of a cool looking little bugger though, Im sure there would be some interest if marketed as a well working retro piece.
 
Kris said:
Is the Elgin brand of watches the same Elgin that made this turntable? That's where I'm confused. I can't seem to find any information on the internet about Elgin making turntables, which is just really odd.
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Back in the day there were a lot of kind of off brands getting a few toes in the market place. And as far as finding info on the net goes..alot of times there is no information at all for models produced by major players..like Sony for instance.
Not so sure of the likelyhood that the watch people and the compact stereo people are one in the same..and then theres the tie in or not with the town in Ohio and there was also an Elgin streetsweeper.
 
bobaloniny said:
I think questions on worth and pricing should get moved to Dollars and Sense. If you wanted to pursue that further then Im sure a moderator will move it over there for you.
Kind of a cool looking little bugger though, Im sure there would be some interest if marketed as a well working retro piece.
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It's definitely cool-looking -- I really like it.

Thank you for all of the info...I appreciate it!
 
Kris said:
Is the Elgin brand of watches the same Elgin that made this turntable? That's where I'm confused. I can't seem to find any information on the internet about Elgin making turntables, which is just really odd.
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Yes...the one and same. Elgin made some really great radios in the 60's that were super-sensitive and offered great fidelity.
 
I would say the receiver portion may be Panasonic, although the turntable portion is definitely BSR or a Glenburn. My grandfather saved an Invicta stereo from the neighbors garbage with an AM/FM receiver and 8-track that had the same turntable on top of it.
 
Kris said:
Is the Elgin brand of watches the same Elgin that made this turntable? That's where I'm confused. I can't seem to find any information on the internet about Elgin making turntables, which is just really odd.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't go so far as to say Elgin "made" the turntable... it looks like something that was sourced from somewhere else, with the hope that the lustre of the Elgin brand would help it sell. Also it would represent some 'plus' business on the side for Elgin watch dealers.

In the 60's and 70's several of the well known electronics companies (eg Electrophonic and Panasonic at the lower end of the market; Scott, Kenwood, and Harman/Kardon at the higher end) marketed compact stereos with built in turntables. The turntables were almost always supplied by an outside company that specialized in them. I think "compact stereo" is a more accurate description of your Elgin, rather than "turntable".

Bulova was another popular wristwatch in those days, and their name appears on some radios as well.
 
Octaven said:
I wouldn't go so far as to say Elgin "made" the turntable... it looks like something that was sourced from somewhere else, with the hope that the lustre of the Elgin brand would help it sell. Also it would represent some 'plus' business on the side for Elgin watch dealers.

In the 60's and 70's several of the well known electronics companies (eg Electrophonic and Panasonic at the lower end of the market; Scott, Kenwood, and Harman/Kardon at the higher end) marketed compact stereos with built in turntables. The turntables were almost always supplied by an outside company that specialized in them. I think "compact stereo" is a more accurate description of your Elgin, rather than "turntable".

Bulova was another popular wristwatch in those days, and their name appears on some radios as well.
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That's the explanation that makes the most sense to me. Thank you!
 
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