Graham1982:

Hi:

 

I really like Jaguar's and have been breaking them for a few years with a friend of mine in the London area. I have an interest in a Jaguar dismantlers if anyone has Jaguars and is looking for parts. However, the purpose of me replying to this thread was not to unashemedly advertise myself but to say that I seem to like stuff from the 1950s era that was made decently. I really like the Jaguar Mk X or 420g and once I have passed my test (having failed three times on silly things), I am getting me one. It will probably cost me a bomb to insure and be like parking an aircraft carrier. However, I want one.

I don't know what it is with me and the 50s. When people think of "ordinary" furniture from this era they are quite rightly repulsed - formica, chipboard, etc. However, if you ever have a chance to buy "proper" furniture from this period, you really should. I once had a 1950's cocktail cabinet which had a drop down unit which once pulled down would cause two little shelves to fold out with a lemon squeezer and ice tray in them. The veneer on this was really rich and the unit really heavy. Of its time but not God awful like the cheaper stuff mentioned above.

 Now the real point of me joining this thread was so I could ask where I could get a Grand Prix radio from. I really like the look of it and think it will make a nice yet contrasting addition to my room. At the moment it is all rather complicated - Beovision 1 connected to Xbox and graphics card on my PC which I then use to stream media. As I can't leave things alone and like messing around with them, it would make a refreshing change to buy a Grand Prix, stick it on the shelf and just use it for what it is meant without trying to upgrade its sound board, runnig cables from it etc!

I really would like one so if anyone has any idea where I coud get one from that would be awesome. 

You could do worse than ask Martin Olsen (Dillen). He might have one/know where to get one from, as one thing's for sure, and that is you're more likely to get one from the continent than from the UK.

As an aside, I bought a Jet Present 607 valve set from Martin last year, and you're spot on about how great it is to just plug it in and listen to the radio. With the valve sound and the warm glow from the dial lamps, it brings a new sense of pleasure to listening to radio programmes. Get a good one valve set and you'll have a posession to treasure!

Well, until I can locate the knobs and stereo board I need, I've finished it.  Yesterday I took the speaker grilles off and cleaned them, and got rid of almost all the nicotine staining with a light wet and dry, though it is a tricky business to avoid rounding any edges/corners.

The cabinet got a teak oiling, and that looks fabulous now. As does the dial now I've fitted replacement bulbs.

I think it looks great, and I hope you agree

A copycat Arena. Also danish.
Very clear where they got the idea from, still they didn't mamage to make it as light and pleasant looking as B&O did. It looks a bit clumsy, I think and the top dial knob ruins the "flush" design somehow.

There were many B&O "clones" like this and actually, compared to most, the above Arena is not the worst looking.

Martin

Hi Martin

I agree about that top knob. I also think that having vertical grilles, as opposed to the 900K's horizontal ones does reinforce the boxiness too.