1959 General Electric P-806A transistor radio (Utica NY, USA)

Did you notice the screw that was installed in the wrong place? I was very tired when I finished putting this set back together and I didn't notice it until after I had finished editing the video. Thankfully it didn't damage the IF transformer and putting the screw in the right place improved the set's sensitivity.

[@mjordan812]

Getting old. I got one of these for my 8th grade graduation in '59. We spent many happy hours together that summer. Light blue with the decoration on the grille.

[@50sTransistorRadios]

These sets would definitely have made a great gift for a kid, since they were sturdy and inexpensive (and they sound great too).

[@DizJakeOG]

Just found your station. Subscribed. This is literally exactly what I was looking for. Just listening to different radios. Please don't stop making videos. I'm literally going to start watching your entire library of videos. Can't wait to start the journey. Thank you for making these videos. 👍👍👍

[@50sTransistorRadios]

I'm glad you've been enjoying my videos, and I hope you have fun watching through my "back catalog"!

[@timjones2750]

This radio represents an era when trapezoidal designs were incorporated into many products.

[@50sTransistorRadios]

tim jones Yep, I have several sets with similar designs. It seems the random line covered grill design was only popular for a few years (maybe 1957-1959) but several American makers came out with sets that have it.

[@techguy9023]

I have a beige one. I thought it would need re capping but it worked when I found it.

[@AMStationEngineer]

Another great radio, Matt! At least the "Southern Tier" has real radio to listen to, we're down to two stations in Central PA, and when you get down to the facts, one is about ready to become "automated". I know that I've stated this before, GE had some great designs, such as this radio, while many others were real "winners". This makes me wish that I had accepted the collection of around fifteen GE radios, and a late '50 portable GE television, which my aunt and uncle had offered me back in the late '70s. My hindsight was far from 20/20!

[@50sTransistorRadios]

***** Thanks Tim! Well AM 680 is just a re-broadcaster for 96.9FM now (with the exception of the Don Giovanni show), but at least they play music, even if it is country music (not one of my preferred genres). I agree that GE had plenty of great looking radios, particularly in their 1959 and 1960 model years. To bad you didn't snag those radios, but most GE sets are cheap online still, this one included (although it didn't work when I got it).

[@ChadQuick270W]

That’s a neat radio. I like the “space age” style of it. So much “in tune” with the times of the late 1950’s 😎

[@50sTransistorRadios]

Me too, this is probably the most attractive of the various case options for this model.

[@jeffking291]

I got mine back from the shop. Not bad for a Basic 5 transistor radio. Your Gold/Silver on the grille is much better than on mine. ( mine was converted to modern 9-Volt). Cool little radio. 📻🙂

[@valtat8423]

Strong and beatyful sound .

[@RestoreOldRadios]

Matt - a great looking GE radio. I noticed the speaker grille design is unique and I'm assuming this was by design? Best, Don

[@50sTransistorRadios]

RestoreOldRadios Yes it was by design, it seems to have been a fad in 1958/1959; Emerson, Arvin, Silvertone (Sears) and Regency each released at least one set with a grill like this one in that time frame.

[@peterlorimer3552]

Thanks very much for that Matt, yes I did enjoy that video very much. I was surprised to hear the quality of sound that was coming from such an unassuming, fairly small , primarily plastic radio. Its a bit of a wolf in sheep's clothing that one. Other than one or two advertised on eBay I've not seen or heard of that radio over here. I suspect therefore they didn't much bother shipping them across the pond lol. The videos are great I really look forward to watching them. Take care bye for now... Peter L.

[@50sTransistorRadios]

Peter Lorimer Thanks Peter, GE definitely hit a home run with this one! According to an ad from 1961, this set's (nearly identical) successor, the P-807, was the best selling American made portable at that time, and I see quite a few of those sets for sale, although the earlier P-805/P-806 seems to be less common. -Matt

[@jeffking4176]

I finally got mine in the “shop”.🙂

[@VintageElectronicsGeek]

Nice radio(s), it sounds fantastic! Wished my area would play music....all I get is talk, sports and spanish....what incentive to have a great radio if you really can't enjoy it!

[@jeffking4176]

Vintage Electronics Geek Sounds like here in Jacksonville Florida. No music stations on am. Plenty of news, sports, talk, preaching, Spanish. So I do most of my am listening at night.

[@TREEHUGGAH1]

Yours is super nice. I just picked up a P807 for 7bucks.happy collecting😀😁😀😁

[@50sTransistorRadios]

Thanks! You got a good deal, enjoy the radio!

[@jeffking4176]

I’ve got one of these,too . Needs work.

[@stevesus3295]

I put a 6 aaa holder in the 266 box.

[@50sTransistorRadios]

+SteveS us That will work fine too, although it will not run for as long as 6 AA cells.

[@stevesus3295]

That's true, but they won't fit in the old battery carton. I'm kind of a purest. Also, the AAA battery setup last a lot longer than the original 266 batteries. I guess one could use the connector from the old 266 battery and fit it it to the AA battery holder thereby keeping the original connector.

[@50sTransistorRadios]

+SteveS us You are right that a 6 AA holder is too big to fit inside the original battery shell. I generally do try to use the original battery holder/connector if possible (I always at least save it), and I now have an original 266 battery that I could restuff at some point.