Help identifying portable reel to reel

[BobBruyn]

Hi,

I recently acquired an old portable reel to reel (50s-60s) from my parents house. Its only identification is the name: Model 72-Deluxe and Made in Japan. But I can't find anything on the internet about it. I know it's at least early 60s because my parents recorded the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964 on it. Unfortunately they have both passed away, so I can't get any more info.
Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction!
Thanks

 

[oceansize]

A quick Google image search - it looks like this Monarch, apart from the model name/number - but it does say it was sold under a few different brand names.

 

[mhardy6647]

Well done @oceansize ! I think (?!?!???) that Monarch was a brand name (in the US???) for Japanes products made predominantly (perhaps exclusively????) by Roland (Rotel). Maybe...

Note the extreme level of certainty I bring to this topic!
I know a little about reel to reel decks and recorders, but I've never seen one quite like this!

Here's the Monarch reference (and, presumably, source of the photo posted above):

MOMSR Collection L to O | Museum of Magnetic Sound Recording

r2rtx.org

This is the type of recorder that, in the US, might have been sold under various names by "second tier" catalog retailers like Burstein-Applebee, Olson, and the like. I believe that the brand names Monarch, Monacor, Rolecor, Roland, and Rotel were all typically interrelated and used in various territories back in the day when places like the US tended to have "distributors" whose names or businesses were associated with Asian and European brands. For example, Bogen distributed Manfrotti tripods in the US, Superscope distributed Sony tape products in the US, United Audio distributed DUAL record players in the US, and Benjamin distributed ELAC turntables in the US. EDIT: Oh, and by the 1960s, "Roberts" brand tape recorders and decks in the US were AKAIs, and "Concertone" decks were TEACs.

Not sure if any of this is helpful, but I hope it's at least interesting.

 

[diddley]

Nice is it still working?

 

[ronniebear]

I suggest you ask about this at Tapeheads, specifically the Tapeheads reel-to-reel forum

 

[r042wal]

I think there is a 'cool' factor to a swanky reel-to-reel system, especially if it takes 1/2" at 15 ips. Buy why would anyone want one? And the prices are crazy. I can see a 1960s McIntosh tube amp but just don't understand the appeal of tape. Now, if someone bequeathed me one, I'm sure I'd make room for it, but only for the cool factor