What's with GE Wildcats on ebay?

[radiotvnut]

I just remembered another Wildcat knock-off that I used to own. This one was a Westinghouse from about '69-'70. It was about the size of a Wildcat, was all plastic with similar sized speakers to the GE, and the changer was a 4-speed BSR. The sound quality of the Westinghouse and the GE's were very similar.

Actually, my first "somewhat real" record player was a big late '60's Westinghouse plastic cased portable. It was a hand-me-down from my Mother, who used it as a teenager. It was one of those ultra-cheapies with no tone control, seperate L and R volume controls; and, it also sounded like crap. I gave it away in the early '90's, when I "upgraded" to a mid '70's Electrophonic "all in one" radio/8-track/BSR record changer combo w/ the matching air suspension speakers. I know Electrophonic is still considered junk; but, that unit sounded loads better than anything I owned up to that point.

Speaking of higher end portables, I have a late '60's Sylvania Exponent suitcase style radio/phonograph combination. That model uses a Garrard changer with a Pickering magnetic cartridge. It was a NOS unit when I got it; but, 40+ years of it sitting unused took it's toll on the caps and the mechanics of the changer. One day, I'm going to overhaul it.

[Chad Hauris]

I remember having some of these GE players (plus some other cheap ceramic cartridge record changers) that I got at the flea market when I was a kid. I never knew records could actually sound good until I finally got a magnetic cartridge Garrard changer when I was a teenager. Back then I thought the tinny sound of these GE portables was as good as a vinyl record could sound.

One time back when I was 12 or 13 I heard a Rowe jukebox that really sounded great and I figured it must be using cassettes to play the audio as there was no way that much bass could come from a record! (of course I know better now!)

[JCFitz]

Originally Posted by Chad Hauris

I remember having some of these GE players (plus some other cheap ceramic cartridge record changers) that I got at the flea market when I was a kid. I never knew records could actually sound good until I finally got a magnetic cartridge Garrard changer when I was a teenager. Back then I thought the tinny sound of these GE portables was as good as a vinyl record could sound.

One time back when I was 12 or 13 I heard a Rowe jukebox that really sounded great and I figured it must be using cassettes to play the audio as there was no way that much bass could come from a record! (of course I know better now!)

Ceramic cartridges can sound quite good if they are halfway decent ones and fed through a decent amp and speakers. My 1960 Magnavox console and mid 60s Micromatic suitcase w/ detachable speakers sound great and Wurlitzer used it in their 60s-early 70s jukes and the sound quite good.

I do agree that Magnetics have the best sound and are easier on records but just because it's ceramic doesn't mean it sounds tinny. I think they just cheaped out on all portables and consoles by the time the Wildcat came out.Everything made of plastic on the portables and plastic and and particleboard on the consoles,cheap amps, more compact and thus smaller cheap speakers that sounded tinny.Some of those amps and speakers aren't much more than a portable transistor radio would have.