Grundig & Telefunken similarities - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Roy Nichols · 9th Nov 2005, 4:45 pm

I've noted for for years Telefunken and Grundig radios appear to be very similar in styling, features (keyboard tuning and controls, visual eye, etc.), finish,etc and wondered if they were related companies.

Nickthedentist · 9th Nov 2005, 6:26 pm

Hi Roy,

No, not as far as I know, I think they just happened to make similar-quality sets for the same market at the same time.

If you consider other German companies who were active in the late 1950s, for example Blaupunkt & Nordmende, their radios look remarkably similar too.

I suppose this phenomenon continues today - just have a look in a shop selling new audio-visual equipment, and a lot of it will look very similar indeed, in spite of the fact that the items may have been made in China, Turkey or Japan by completely different companies.

Nick.

Paul_RK · 9th Nov 2005, 11:30 pm

Full agreement with Nick here: the style of their large wooden late '50s- early '60s piano-key sets was a very popular one. It spread some way beyond Germany, even, with at least Bush and Pye here going quite some way toward emulating it: and my own favourite set in the style, albeit in an untypically light coloured veneer, is a Tandberg Solvsuper DeLuxe. Its two side HF units happen to be the flat Grundig electrostatic type.

One set that I was surprised to meet a few years ago was fully in the Grundig / Telefunken style and I believe of West German manufacture, but proudly badged RCA...

Paul

Roy Nichols · 10th Nov 2005, 1:04 am

Thanks for the information. Yes, I guess it is just a styling similarity now that I've researched them a bit more. Paul, I too have seen the RCA badged radio you spoke of. It definitely had the FRG look, feel and circuit. Those show up over here once in a while.

Speaking of keyboard controls, General Electric here in the States had a rather neat keyboard tuning setup in the late 1930's. It was a complicated preset tuning mechanism and some sets even came with an internal program timer. Lots of features and gadgets. In restoring one today you need a tanker car full of contact cleaner and a lot of patience.

9th Nov 2005, 4:45 pm	#1
Roy Nichols Triode Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Grand Junction, Colorado, USA. Posts: 33	Grundig & Telefunken similarities I've noted for for years Telefunken and Grundig radios appear to be very similar in styling, features (keyboard tuning and controls, visual eye, etc.), finish,etc and wondered if they were related companies. __________________ Regards, Roy

9th Nov 2005, 6:26 pm	#2
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,866	Re: Grundig & Telefunken similarities Hi Roy, No, not as far as I know, I think they just happened to make similar-quality sets for the same market at the same time. If you consider other German companies who were active in the late 1950s, for example Blaupunkt & Nordmende, their radios look remarkably similar too. I suppose this phenomenon continues today - just have a look in a shop selling new audio-visual equipment, and a lot of it will look very similar indeed, in spite of the fact that the items may have been made in China, Turkey or Japan by completely different companies. Nick.

9th Nov 2005, 11:30 pm	#3
Paul_RK Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 4,259	Re: Grundig & Telefunken similarities Full agreement with Nick here: the style of their large wooden late '50s- early '60s piano-key sets was a very popular one. It spread some way beyond Germany, even, with at least Bush and Pye here going quite some way toward emulating it: and my own favourite set in the style, albeit in an untypically light coloured veneer, is a Tandberg Solvsuper DeLuxe. Its two side HF units happen to be the flat Grundig electrostatic type. One set that I was surprised to meet a few years ago was fully in the Grundig / Telefunken style and I believe of West German manufacture, but proudly badged RCA... Paul

10th Nov 2005, 1:04 am	#4
Roy Nichols Triode Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Grand Junction, Colorado, USA. Posts: 33	Re: Grundig & Telefunken similarities Thanks for the information. Yes, I guess it is just a styling similarity now that I've researched them a bit more. Paul, I too have seen the RCA badged radio you spoke of. It definitely had the FRG look, feel and circuit. Those show up over here once in a while. Speaking of keyboard controls, General Electric here in the States had a rather neat keyboard tuning setup in the late 1930's. It was a complicated preset tuning mechanism and some sets even came with an internal program timer. Lots of features and gadgets. In restoring one today you need a tanker car full of contact cleaner and a lot of patience. __________________ Regards, Roy