BLOGGER'S 50s MUSIC EDUCATION:This PYE radio (image) is vintage 40s but the family had a later model made in the 50s. Blogger would listen to his music from this particular make of radio and another in the bedroom*.
With its usual noise interference as one twiddled the tuning knob to get the correct station, the radio had an internal antenna and a green 'magic eye' indicator for focused tuning. The tube radio proved a boon in the 50s because TV came only in the 60s.
It was quite a handsome Medium Wave/Short Wave table model for AC mains and typical of the period, the case is constructed of walnut veneered plywood. The front is taken up with the cloth-covered loudspeaker baffle on the left and glass tuning scale on the right.
The volume, tone, wave-change and tuning controls are provided in a row underneath. There is a cardboard cover for the back and a removable panel on the underside. This back cover had the word 'Achtung' printed in red. It was a German word the family learnt early because it spelt 'warning', so we never tried to open this cover, ever.
The beautifully constructed radio with its German speakers provided blogger with hours of English, Chinese and Malay music.
*Check posting: December 25th, 2008.
Original article: Andy Lim Collection.
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