Sony CFM-23 I won - was my late brother's first boombox

Status
Not open for further replies.
Jul 23, 2013
383
4
18
54
Upstate New York
Some 33 or 34 years ago I was ushered to mum's bedroom to be shown the sweet gift she was giving my (now late) brother...

CFM-23 a.JPG

Oh dear.. I just noticed the counter reset button is damaged.

CFM-23 b.JPG

Oh well, I wanted this in light grey... and I do have some spare (Sanyo) tape counters.

CFM-23 c.JPG

I'll also have to change the belts. Snakes on a plane, what are you gonna do?

CFM-23 d.JPG

At least it's got a good antennae and the battery lid...

CFM-23 e.JPG

I really wasn't into music at the time so I wasn't all that jealous and he did let me use it whenever I could scrounge up a cassette to record on - ironically the one song I most remember recording was an extended remix of Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive'. He was into taping music and used his boombox pretty much to the death.

Of the machine - he lasted maybe a decade or so longer before mental issues arising from the brutal chemotherapy treatments he was obliged to endure from the mid-70s to the mid-80s. Taping music was his relief and probably a precursor to the obsessive-compulsive disorder that finally drove him to the banks of the river 19 years ago this month...

To be fair and balanced, nobody is sure if he jumped, fell or was pushed in. He had just withdrawn money from the bank and often walked along the riverbank to get to dad's house. He had also just checked out of the psychiatric center 'against medical device' - after leaving a message on mum's answering machine looking to bum a ride. Maybe a month later we got a call from the city detective saying he was missing.

He eventually turned up with the Spring thaw - the same week the management at his apartment complex chucked all his personal possessions into the dumpster. I saved a few bags of his recorded cassettes but all the music he'd bought over the years was gone. A Spanish-speaking fellow had claimed a (Sanyo?) boombox he'd bought in the 80s while I was rooting through the pile. Don't know the language so I couldn't take it from him.

Funny enough, my brother had taken such a liking to this bit of Latin music played on Seseme Street that he went and recorded it. Wish I could remember what he used...
 

Lasonic TRC-920

Moderator
Feb 16, 2010
14,125
82
48
55
Naples, Italy
That's a very touching story GLF.

These little machines help us hold on to better memories. I'm glad you have some good memories of your brother and you were able to find this little mono (in very good condition) to help honor his memory!

Thanks for sharing...
 

Northerner

Member (SA)
Apr 16, 2012
5,322
250
83
North West UK
Really sad story which makes it really nice to pick up the box he used to have.

I got a box that was very heavily damaged but the seller (not a collector) had kept for years despite the damage as it belonged to his late brother. The seller was so pleased when I said I'd restore it rather than strip it for parts. He even wanted photos of it restored and has dibs on it if I ever sell it. He was chuffed to bits when he saw it looking like new. As music is often a big part of someone's life the boxes have an emotional attachment because of the memories connected to them.

Thanks for sharing your story.
 
Jul 23, 2013
383
4
18
54
Upstate New York
*Update*

The wee beastie arrived at the Chateau Ghetteaux today and I was able to get going with just a belt change. Pretty robust machine. I bet it was designed for Third World survivability. Couldn't get at the counter to fix or change it so I left it as-is. No matter. Gives a good sound despite being a mono-box - mainly on account of the real moving coil tweeter. No pizza-electric disc here!

Here it is in operation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8Q7ok2vmwU
 

Gluecifer

Member (SA)
May 6, 2009
3,599
8
38
51
Belmont, Australia
Great to see a nice bit of closure to the story with this boombox, GLF. Really touching to see the positives your brother left behind live on with you through music.

Keep on rockin, GLF!



Rock On.
 
Jul 23, 2013
383
4
18
54
Upstate New York
Gluecifer said:
Great to see a nice bit of closure to the story with this boombox, GLF. Really touching to see the positives your brother left behind live on with you through music.

Keep on rockin, GLF!



Rock On.
Thanks! As luck would have it I was able to fix the tape counter. Found that the Record button from an EL-3302 tape recorder fits well enough - with a bit of filing - to be able to work what was left of the counter reset lever...

My Sony CFM-23.jpg

and now for my next boombox quest...
Sanyo_M7735.jpg

That was the boombox he bought to replace his Sony sometime in the mid-80s - the one that Spanish-speaking fellow retrieved from the dumpster. There's one on offer online but I won't have money to spend till maybe December. At least I know what to look for.
 

Ken

Member (SA)
Aug 30, 2009
2,327
2
0
63
Bremerton, WA, USA
Your brother had good taste. Sanyo is known for their minis. Never seen this particular one with the thumbscrews, but these six speaker models sound universally excellent. I'm diggin' the look, for sure.

Great story. I know I'm always on the lookout for the first three mono boomboxes I and my two brothers got for Christmas all those years ago.

Way to go, Fabulous.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.