J.E. Sugden Vintage Tuners

[Beechwoods]

I picked up a really nice condition R21 Sugden Tuner today. I've not properly tried it out but have read that it was his first and that they're pretty well regarded. Does anyone else here know much about Sugden and his kit? What kind of production runs did he do? How 'rare' is the early R21? I only paid £25 for mine and I thought that was good value...

[Mike]

A bit of info here:

http://www.bt-vertrieb.de/productsit...den/sugtun.pdf

[Mike]

A very good price too judging by this:

http://cgi.ebay.es/Sugden-R21-Stereo...QQcmdZViewItem

[Beechwoods]

Thanks, Shian7... I'd seen the German info site but not that eBay auction. There's one up 'as is' at the moment with no bids and a day to go - wonder if it'll get sniped last minute. It's nice to have snagged a bargain. I picked mine up at a local hifi and band-gear exchange. Most of the stuff they have in is plastic modern stuff, PA equipment, samplers and the occasional DAT machine... so this one was a nice find. I'd had my eye on it for a couple of weeks. Even got to haggle a bit because it was a quiet day.

[Mike]

Ah!... I'm now 'watching' the one on ebay. I quite like the look of them.

I seem to have a bit of a 'tuner thing' going on at the moment! Wonder how they compare to the Leak Troughline?

[Beechwoods]

Well it's rigged up and singing nicely. I'm really impressed but I've no way of comparing it with any other tuner... the separation mentioned on those other sites is true - I've not been able to play it loud yet 'cos the kids are in bed and my aerial is an interior powered one not externally mounted, but if you can pick that one up on the 'bay for what it looks like it'll go for I think you might be impressed! They have, if nothing else, got a nice classic 'English' look to them. The one on eBay looks like it may have a different tuning ribbon to mine - mine is split orange / black like the 'thermometer' mentioned on the German site. The picture of the eBay item seems to have a white bar about where you'd find Radio 2... may be an aftermarket replacement?

[Mike]

The picture of the eBay item seems to have a white bar about where you'd find Radio 2... may be an aftermarket replacement?

Hmmm.... So it does! I hadn't noticed.

[Beechwoods]

It may be worth asking if the ribbon is intact... it may be tuned all the way to the left of the 'dial' and it's just that the orange isn't visible... or it's broken... or 'fixed' - tbh I'd sorely miss the glow of the orange ribbon display if mine was missing

[Mike]

Good idea!....

I might not bid at all TBH, but then again! Oh I dunno, I might just stick with the Troughline and it's 'Magic Eye'. Hmmm, I used to be indecisive but now I'm not so sure.

Is the R21 a valve or SS tuner?

[Beechwoods]

Solid state... no tubes here!