Uploaded February 2024 | Updated September 2026, 23 hours ago
Crestline, Jupiter, Personna Vulcan, Minute Man, Barlow, Imperial, Windsor, Sabre, Jaguar, and Zephyr--what do these brand names have in common?
They are all names that appear on transistor radios made by Constant. Yes, some of the most beautiful radios from the transistor radio's golden age came from Constant. Today we're looking at their 6T-180 model, this one appearing with the Crestline name on it. The gold on the box here would have been much brighter when this was new, I suppose. I know I was a lot brighter when I was new.
Inside the box is the radio in its carrying case, and the accompanying earphone in its carrying case. There's a label underneath the radio that reads "The battery is not connected to the set. Remove plastic bag from battery before connecting." Yet we see no place where a battery would have been included in the box. We can only conclude that the radio did indeed come with a battery--and that that battery was already inside of the radio, but not connected.
Now, about those brands I mentioned: There are Constant radios with all these brands on them, but not ALL radios with these brands on them are Constants. The transistor radio manufacturers and the importers played it pretty fast and loose with names. Viewers on this channel have seen plenty of blatant and often-amusing evidence of that. But after awhile, the collector gets to recognize when a radio with one of these brands is a genuine Constant. And this Crestline is most definitely that.
Constant. It's a good name. And they used that actual name on some radios. But most of the Constants you'll see bear one of the other names I mentioned. Oh and I like this corporate name too, the very impressive sounding "Fuji High Frequency Radio Laboratory Co., Ltd." I've got a couple of ads to show you from July and August 1957. This first one shows their 6T-120 model and their 6T-100. In the specifications on these, under Transistor, it says "Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Co., Ltd's 6 transistors." So that's the maker of the transistors in these radios. Now where have we heard that name before, Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Ltd? Oh yeah, So these ads list--as a feature--the fact that these radios have Sony transistors in them. And over here we see a "Coil Kit." Now, I've seen these from other makers too, like this Monarch coil kit. Were these really intended for the consumer market? Did people really get out their soldering irons and build transistor radios from scratch with these antennas and coils? Isn't that sort of like getting a few pistons and a bumper and building a car? Or were these kits for replacing those parts in crummier transistor radios people already owned? Let's see what sort of explanation this text here offers for just what these coil kits are for. And I quote: "This coil kit is being exported with favorable reputation to every corner of the globe. As the design changes according to transistors to be used, it is desirable that transistors necessary for adjustment will be supplied when ordering." Okay. THAT was as clear as mud.
This attractive dial area is a clear panel about an eighth of an inch above a fluted white panel. Numbers, letters, and lines are underpainted on the clear panel, casting shadows on the white panel below. Contrary to what we usually see with underpainting, there aren't any areas of solid painted color here, but rather the dial is mostly clear. Some of the other radio makers did this "clear" thing successfully too, such as Sony, all the way back with their 1956 TR-6 model. And Global's GR-900 is another excellent example. In America, Emerson excelled at underpainting that also incorporated large clear areas. If you've seen my video on underpainting then you've seen a lot of great examples of these techniques and learned of their place in product design. The particular variation of the technique where large areas are left clear--well, there was one practicioner of THAT technique--one specialist--that did it most often and to greatest effect. And that was Constant.
Here's the Barlow version of the 6T-180 which I'm showing you because I forgot to show the inside of the Crestline. Both examples have Toshiba transistors inside. The claim in those ads I showed you earlier listing Sony transistors as a feature of Constant radios was apparently by this time.. no longer true. I think there's a philosophical point to be made here about that. I sometimes get pushback in the comments on this channel from people with conservative points of view. One of conservatism's basic precepts is that what was once true should always be true. We all like to believe and find comfort in that kind of certainty. But as much as we might expect Constant to keep using Sony transistors in their radios as they once said that they did, these radios contain Toshibas. Do we consider that an affront to us? Is Constant to be condemned for this breach of promise, this break with tradition? Or can we accept that... things change?
Crestline, Jupiter, Personna Vulcan, Minute Man, Barlow, Imperial, Windsor, Sabre, Jaguar, and Zephyr--what do these brand names have in common?
They are all names that appear on transistor radios made by Constant. Yes, some of the most beautiful radios from the transistor radio's golden age came from Constant. Today we're looking at their 6T-180 model, this one appearing with the Crestline name on it. The gold on the box here would have been much brighter when this was new, I suppose. I know I was a lot brighter when I was new.
Inside the box is the radio in its carrying case, and the accompanying earphone in its carrying case. There's a label underneath the radio that reads "The battery is not connected to the set. Remove plastic bag from battery before connecting." Yet we see no place where a battery would have been included in the box. We can only conclude that the radio did indeed come with a battery--and that that battery was already inside of the radio, but not connected.
Now, about those brands I mentioned: There are Constant radios with all these brands on them, but not ALL radios with these brands on them are Constants. The transistor radio manufacturers and the importers played it pretty fast and loose with names. Viewers on this channel have seen plenty of blatant and often-amusing evidence of that. But after awhile, the collector gets to recognize when a radio with one of these brands is a genuine Constant. And this Crestline is most definitely that.
Constant. It's a good name. And they used that actual name on some radios. But most of the Constants you'll see bear one of the other names I mentioned. Oh and I like this corporate name too, the very impressive sounding "Fuji High Frequency Radio Laboratory Co., Ltd." I've got a couple of ads to show you from July and August 1957. This first one shows their 6T-120 model and their 6T-100. In the specifications on these, under Transistor, it says "Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Co., Ltd's 6 transistors." So that's the maker of the transistors in these radios. Now where have we heard that name before, Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Ltd? Oh yeah, So these ads list--as a feature--the fact that these radios have Sony transistors in them. And over here we see a "Coil Kit." Now, I've seen these from other makers too, like this Monarch coil kit. Were these really intended for the consumer market? Did people really get out their soldering irons and build transistor radios from scratch with these antennas and coils? Isn't that sort of like getting a few pistons and a bumper and building a car? Or were these kits for replacing those parts in crummier transistor radios people already owned? Let's see what sort of explanation this text here offers for just what these coil kits are for. And I quote: "This coil kit is being exported with favorable reputation to every corner of the globe. As the design changes according to transistors to be used, it is desirable that transistors necessary for adjustment will be supplied when ordering." Okay. THAT was as clear as mud.
This attractive dial area is a clear panel about an eighth of an inch above a fluted white panel. Numbers, letters, and lines are underpainted on the clear panel, casting shadows on the white panel below. Contrary to what we usually see with underpainting, there aren't any areas of solid painted color here, but rather the dial is mostly clear. Some of the other radio makers did this "clear" thing successfully too, such as Sony, all the way back with their 1956 TR-6 model. And Global's GR-900 is another excellent example. In America, Emerson excelled at underpainting that also incorporated large clear areas. If you've seen my video on underpainting then you've seen a lot of great examples of these techniques and learned of their place in product design. The particular variation of the technique where large areas are left clear--well, there was one practicioner of THAT technique--one specialist--that did it most often and to greatest effect. And that was Constant.
Here's the Barlow version of the 6T-180 which I'm showing you because I forgot to show the inside of the Crestline. Both examples have Toshiba transistors inside. The claim in those ads I showed you earlier listing Sony transistors as a feature of Constant radios was apparently by this time.. no longer true. I think there's a philosophical point to be made here about that. I sometimes get pushback in the comments on this channel from people with conservative points of view. One of conservatism's basic precepts is that what was once true should always be true. We all like to believe and find comfort in that kind of certainty. But as much as we might expect Constant to keep using Sony transistors in their radios as they once said that they did, these radios contain Toshibas. Do we consider that an affront to us? Is Constant to be condemned for this breach of promise, this break with tradition? Or can we accept that... things change?
