Uploaded March 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Making sure these videos are full of facts and interesting history, I do research. And this is the fun part for me, because I like to learn things. And since you're here, I'm assuming you do too. Well, what do you call the kind of knobs we see on this Craig radio where just the edge shows?
In the world of knobs there are fluted knobs, lobe knobs, T-handle, push-pull, and grip knobs. There are ball knobs, knurled knobs, wing, thumbscrew, prong, and tapered knobs. But what about these? Does this style of knob not have a name? Well, if it does, I can't find it. I think because knobs like this aren't going to be off-the-shelf items sold by a parts supplier, and thus needing a name,.. but are going to be custom designed for a particular product where the control to which the knob is attached is mounted not flat to the chassis, but perpendicular to it. And that is of course what makes these knobs so special here on this quirky, roundy, rechargeable Craig 1107 Personal AM Radio.
This period piece boasts on the front that it has "Integrated Circuits." Service literature says this radio does indeed have an integrated circuit,.. one, and three transistors. The parts list shows that you can buy a replacement for that IC for $3.60. It's the most expensive part inside the radio, beating out even the Ni-Cd battery assembly which would set you back $2.70.
I mention that I consider this radio a period piece, but from what period I have a hard time determining an actual date. The roundy, bulbous look has appeared briefly at various times in the history of product design. This Craig catalog, on which I did an entire video and which is from 1969 or 1970, does not feature the radio. I can usually tell from a product's look whether it preceeded other products or came later. But as I look at these other Craig transistor radios, I just can't tell. I've heard two guesses as to the date of this radio, presented as fact but probably just guesses, and they are 1971 and 1980. I can't say either of those is wrong so, as the saying goes, your guess is as good as mine. Craig did not do us the favor of including a date on that catalog, the radio's service literature, the radio itself, or its box.
These unique knobs for both tuning and volume appear to be a Craig..thing. We see them also on this Craig transistor radio from the catalog,.. and on this spectacular Stereo Receiver System model 1504. And even in their catalog for these items, Craig can't think of a better way to describe these controls than "unique." Thinking about it a bit, I realize that unusual knobs, or controls WAS a Craig thing and I can think of another example. Not a volume or tuning knob, but a motion control knob for tape recorders. Remember these gear-shift-like controls? We saw these first on small Craig reel-to-reel tape recorders and then later on some of their portable cassette recorders.
We've talked about Sanyo in recent videos quite a bit, as they relate to Channel Master. And this Craig radio is another Sanyo--made by them in Japan, for Craig. This is also true of the tape recorders we just saw, the stereo receiver, and most if not all of the transistor radio models we saw in the catalog.
I'm lucky to have the box with this radio and it's lucky to have survived being as thin as it is. I notice on the parts list shown earlier--that very detailed parts list--they even mention packing parts and list two different pads or cushions that the box here is lacking. Too bad. I'd willingly pay the eighty cents to get replacements of those.
On the back of this radio are prongs to plug it DIRECTLY into a wall socket. Now that's rechargeable. The text on the back reads: "AC, 120 volts. 60Hz. 3 Watts." And under that it says "For location of nearest authorized service station, call Western Union by number and ask for Operator 25." Really. Then it continues with "Craig Corporation, Los Angeles, California, Manufactured by Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd, Japan."
A couple of screws hold the back on, and once inside we see the power transformer inside the back, and a pair of AA-size NiCd batteries. The Integrated Circuit, Sanyo part number LD1020A is right there.
The Craig Integrated Circuit rechargeable radio. Why don't I plug it in and see what happens? I don't think so. Why not? Because, though I have proven to myself over and over that foretelling the future is something I am quite terrible at, nevertheless I have such a strong image in my mind of what might happen if I plugged this radio in, that I'm just not going to do it. I don't want to hear ZZZZZt! I don't want to see fireworks in my face. And I don't want to reduce this nice little collectible radio to a hot lump of smoldering plastic.
Making sure these videos are full of facts and interesting history, I do research. And this is the fun part for me, because I like to learn things. And since you're here, I'm assuming you do too. Well, what do you call the kind of knobs we see on this Craig radio where just the edge shows?
In the world of knobs there are fluted knobs, lobe knobs, T-handle, push-pull, and grip knobs. There are ball knobs, knurled knobs, wing, thumbscrew, prong, and tapered knobs. But what about these? Does this style of knob not have a name? Well, if it does, I can't find it. I think because knobs like this aren't going to be off-the-shelf items sold by a parts supplier, and thus needing a name,.. but are going to be custom designed for a particular product where the control to which the knob is attached is mounted not flat to the chassis, but perpendicular to it. And that is of course what makes these knobs so special here on this quirky, roundy, rechargeable Craig 1107 Personal AM Radio.
This period piece boasts on the front that it has "Integrated Circuits." Service literature says this radio does indeed have an integrated circuit,.. one, and three transistors. The parts list shows that you can buy a replacement for that IC for $3.60. It's the most expensive part inside the radio, beating out even the Ni-Cd battery assembly which would set you back $2.70.
I mention that I consider this radio a period piece, but from what period I have a hard time determining an actual date. The roundy, bulbous look has appeared briefly at various times in the history of product design. This Craig catalog, on which I did an entire video and which is from 1969 or 1970, does not feature the radio. I can usually tell from a product's look whether it preceeded other products or came later. But as I look at these other Craig transistor radios, I just can't tell. I've heard two guesses as to the date of this radio, presented as fact but probably just guesses, and they are 1971 and 1980. I can't say either of those is wrong so, as the saying goes, your guess is as good as mine. Craig did not do us the favor of including a date on that catalog, the radio's service literature, the radio itself, or its box.
These unique knobs for both tuning and volume appear to be a Craig..thing. We see them also on this Craig transistor radio from the catalog,.. and on this spectacular Stereo Receiver System model 1504. And even in their catalog for these items, Craig can't think of a better way to describe these controls than "unique." Thinking about it a bit, I realize that unusual knobs, or controls WAS a Craig thing and I can think of another example. Not a volume or tuning knob, but a motion control knob for tape recorders. Remember these gear-shift-like controls? We saw these first on small Craig reel-to-reel tape recorders and then later on some of their portable cassette recorders.
We've talked about Sanyo in recent videos quite a bit, as they relate to Channel Master. And this Craig radio is another Sanyo--made by them in Japan, for Craig. This is also true of the tape recorders we just saw, the stereo receiver, and most if not all of the transistor radio models we saw in the catalog.
I'm lucky to have the box with this radio and it's lucky to have survived being as thin as it is. I notice on the parts list shown earlier--that very detailed parts list--they even mention packing parts and list two different pads or cushions that the box here is lacking. Too bad. I'd willingly pay the eighty cents to get replacements of those.
On the back of this radio are prongs to plug it DIRECTLY into a wall socket. Now that's rechargeable. The text on the back reads: "AC, 120 volts. 60Hz. 3 Watts." And under that it says "For location of nearest authorized service station, call Western Union by number and ask for Operator 25." Really. Then it continues with "Craig Corporation, Los Angeles, California, Manufactured by Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd, Japan."
A couple of screws hold the back on, and once inside we see the power transformer inside the back, and a pair of AA-size NiCd batteries. The Integrated Circuit, Sanyo part number LD1020A is right there.
The Craig Integrated Circuit rechargeable radio. Why don't I plug it in and see what happens? I don't think so. Why not? Because, though I have proven to myself over and over that foretelling the future is something I am quite terrible at, nevertheless I have such a strong image in my mind of what might happen if I plugged this radio in, that I'm just not going to do it. I don't want to hear ZZZZZt! I don't want to see fireworks in my face. And I don't want to reduce this nice little collectible radio to a hot lump of smoldering plastic.
