Uploaded August 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This portable Arthur Fulmer 8 Track player (and Elvis eight-track set) was purchased for a very reasonable price. It dates from the early 1970s. The cheap-looking plastic exterior hides a surprisingly solid tape transport mechanism.
The 2-box device allows stereo separation, and can be powered by AC or DC. Like most 8 track players, the only playback control is a track-change button. There are also knobs for each speaker volume and tone. It's not a particularly impressive piece of hardware, but it gets the job done.
When you think of audio equipment, the name "Arthur Fulmer" is not as well known as say, "Henry Kloss" in the audio world, but it has a special significance for me. Way back in the early 1980s, most of the kids in our neighborhood played a bunch on his land. (In the 1980s, we weren't glued to our screens as much....) The Fulmer property was where where we rode bikes, built treehouses, and explored the woods all day.
"Mr. Fulmer" was a very nice man and didn't mind us running all over his land. I had no idea he even had a company, until I started seeing branded 8 track players show up on eBay and thought "Hey that name sounds familiar..." Thanks for accompanying me on this trip down memory lane...
0:00 Intro
0:20 A Big Name in Audio?
0:40 Call it Boom Box...Or Not!
1:33 Cicadas are a Good Audience
1:45 A Neighborhood Playground
2:15 Arthur Fulmer Audio Products
2:47 Automatic Radio SEP 9800
3:02 GC Electronics Rockford Illinois
3:49 Disassembly
4:09 Track changer
4:30 Slow Start with the Original Belt
5:06 Ready to Rock with a New Belt!
5:37 A Peek inside the second speaker
6:05 Conclusion
This portable Arthur Fulmer 8 Track player (and Elvis eight-track set) was purchased for a very reasonable price. It dates from the early 1970s. The cheap-looking plastic exterior hides a surprisingly solid tape transport mechanism.
The 2-box device allows stereo separation, and can be powered by AC or DC. Like most 8 track players, the only playback control is a track-change button. There are also knobs for each speaker volume and tone. It's not a particularly impressive piece of hardware, but it gets the job done.
When you think of audio equipment, the name "Arthur Fulmer" is not as well known as say, "Henry Kloss" in the audio world, but it has a special significance for me. Way back in the early 1980s, most of the kids in our neighborhood played a bunch on his land. (In the 1980s, we weren't glued to our screens as much....) The Fulmer property was where where we rode bikes, built treehouses, and explored the woods all day.
"Mr. Fulmer" was a very nice man and didn't mind us running all over his land. I had no idea he even had a company, until I started seeing branded 8 track players show up on eBay and thought "Hey that name sounds familiar..." Thanks for accompanying me on this trip down memory lane...
0:00 Intro
0:20 A Big Name in Audio?
0:40 Call it Boom Box...Or Not!
1:33 Cicadas are a Good Audience
1:45 A Neighborhood Playground
2:15 Arthur Fulmer Audio Products
2:47 Automatic Radio SEP 9800
3:02 GC Electronics Rockford Illinois
3:49 Disassembly
4:09 Track changer
4:30 Slow Start with the Original Belt
5:06 Ready to Rock with a New Belt!
5:37 A Peek inside the second speaker
6:05 Conclusion
