Friend at work has an almost mint Penny's 6TP-555 radio that he bought at a garage sale. Has the leather case. the cabinet is perfect, like it was never used. Plays perfectly as well. He's asking $15 for it. Would that be a good price for it? Here's link to the radio at Radiomuseum: http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/penney_6_tp_5556tp55.html
RW

I don't see how you can go wrong for 15 dollars! That would be about ten pounds here in the UK - I'd be happy to pay a tenner for that little radio. Of course, it's worth only what you want to pay for it I guess - how much is it worth TO YOU

I don't think it's an incredible bargain, but that's about as low as a very nice radio can get. It reminds me of my Hitachi Marie of similar vintage:

Ok...I suspect he paid about $10 for it or less at the sale. I'll probably take it. Only have a few transistor radios that are nearly that good. Most of those need work, and those will have to wait until this fall when I'm retired. I also forgot to add that I think it was sold thru JC Penny's.
RW

That model number sounds familiar....
Don't similar numbers cross out to Toshiba radios?

~ Mitch ~

P.S. - It does! See here:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R4 ... stor+radio

That does sound like a great deal for something in that good of shape !

Think Toshiba made many if not all of Penney's 60's radios---had a nice multi-band Penney set years ago & not too long ago saw the Toshiba version which was nearly identical...

How about some pics when you get it ?

John

I'd say $15 is a fair deal. Toshiba did make this radio for Pennys
and can be found under many brand names such as
a Viscount model 630 and a Sylvania (Golden Shield) 7100.
In Canada we had a version under the RCA Victor brand.
Here are mine.....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/transistor ... 3550393022

Not listed in my Bunis Guide, but in Transistor Radios by Norman Smith, it shows up as a Toshiba Model 6P-15, 6 Transistor, Japan, 1961, $50-$60. Of course the Toshiba model looks snazzier;



But for 15 bux if your set is in mint or near-mint condition, you won't go wrong.

That Toshiba is definitely better looking...but I'll take the Penny's...just need to dig up the money...hope he'll take quarters!
RW

Got it! Already on the shelf by the other transistor radios...I really need to set up a photobucket or some such to show off the goodies I have.
RW

Post the pics here directly...

Glad to see you've added to your collection.

To show them off to the forum, simply take a few pics, save them in a folder, access each one, open with Paint shop, re-size (I usually use 60-70%), and then crop. If you still get the oversize prompt when trying to attach them to a post, just re-size down again, maybe 5-10% more.

Will do that when I get a little time...have oldest son home from his group home thru Sunday afternoon, and watching the grandson in a little while for an hour or so. Want to do the whole collection of all my radios, so that's why a photobucket or wherever. Transistor sets I can post here easy. Only about 25 sets or so.
RW

There must be a dozen or more of these horiz 6 transistor Toshibas out there, all but the GE in the upper right(it's a true GE) are the same radio internally... There is a earlier version of the Pennys 6TP-555 that's a 1105 I believe(I have one packed away), and the Philco is different in that it has a external power connector... The RCA & Marconi are Canadian, with the RCA being the newest version of the bunch...

Models

RCA Ltd PA-5 -- Bright Red

Penneys 6TP-555 -- Black ... Truetone DC 3306 -- Olive Green

Marconi 2101 -- Black ... Philco T-67GP -- Light Blue

Toshiba 6P-15 -- Reddish Orange ... Norwood-602 -- Beige

All Have white backs except for Philco & Truetone that are same as case... Philco back is unique in that it doesn't have the same vent style or meatball in the middle with model number, has sticker inside with number...

http://amradio.freeiz.com/radio/Toshibas.jpg

Oops we have a straggler...

Trancel T-11 -- Cream White...

Has model number in circle on back but back and case are one piece, vent style same as others with exception of the Philco of course...

http://amradio.freeiz.com/radio/Trancel.jpg

What's the sound like on these compared to other 6-transistor shirtpockets? Judging by the large speaker grill, it must sound a bit better.

The size of the speaker grille doesn't determine how a radio sounds. It is the size and quality of the speaker, the cabinet, and the design of the circuits that drive the speaker that count toward how "good" they sound.

Dave

Okay... are these any good in terms of sound?