About the Company
Electra was an American consumer electronics brand (Electra Radio Corp., later acquired by Japanese importer Kanematsu‑Gosho) that offered portable reel‑to‑reel tape recorders in the 1960s, primarily rebadged Japanese OEM designs for the budget market.
Company background
Electra Radio Corp. (ERC) operated from Bayonne, NJ, importing and marketing audio products including radios, phonos and tape recorders; acquired by Kanematsu‑Gosho USA in 1974.
Electra recorders were solid‑state, 2‑track, battery‑operated portables aimed at home and travel use rather than hi‑fi or studio applications.
Known models
Electra TP‑500 (“Electra 2, TP‑500”): Solid‑state 4‑track open‑reel recorder with mic input, external AC, made in Japan.
Electra TC‑501: Portable 5‑transistor reel‑to‑reel with remote control microphone, emphasizing compact dictation and casual recording.
Production era and scope
Active in reel‑to‑reel during the 1960s portable boom, with models appearing around 1965–1968 before cassette dominance.
No evidence of hi‑fi decks, multitrack or professional machines; Electra’s tape activity was limited to low‑cost, Japanese‑manufactured consumer portables.
Electra’s reel‑to‑reel output represents typical 1960s American rebadging of Asian OEMs for mass‑market sales, with no independent manufacturing or lasting hi‑fi legacy.