About the Company
Gemark was a brand used by General Magnetics and Electronics, Inc. of West Hempstead, New York (USA), a company that appears to have marketed consumer magnetic tape recorders (and other audio goods) during the early 1960s.
Manufacturer/Brand: Gemark (General Magnetics and Electronics, Inc.)
Country of Origin: United States
Production Era: Approximately 1960–1963 for reel‑to‑reel tape recorders
Market: Consumer/home audio segment (affordable tape recorders)
The company isn’t well documented in broad hi‑fi histories, and it seems not to have evolved the brand beyond a small range of machines in a short time.
Production Timeline & Models
Though Gemark’s lineup was limited, several models are known from period directories and collector references:
Gemark 101
One of the earliest documented Gemark machines (c. 1961).
Type: Two‑track mono open‑reel tape recorder.
Electronics: Vacuum‑tube circuitry (e.g., 12AX7, 6BM8 in some units).
Speeds: Typically 3¾ and 7½ ips.
Commonly seen as a tabletop or portable domestic recorder from the early 1960s.
Gemark 207
A budget‑oriented mono deck.
Supported 3¾ and 7½ ips speeds.
Positioned at a lower price point (e.g., ~$99.95 in its era).
Gemark 430 / 430W
Gemark 430: Solid‑state machine with stereo capability and higher performance than the earlier models.
Gemark 430W: Similar to the 430 but featured external speakers (a more complete hi‑fi package), and was one of the higher‑end consumer products the brand offered.
Both supported standard 3¾ and 7½ ips tape speeds.
Technology & Market Position
Gemark’s tape decks were typical of entry‑level consumer recorders of the early 1960s rather than high‑end studio or broadcast machines:
Electronics: Early models used tube circuitry (e.g., Gemark 101), while later units like the 430 series appear to have been solid‑state (transistorized).
Record formats: Mostly 2‑track mono or stereo quarter‑track standard open‑reel formats.
Target audience: Home users and hobbyists who wanted simple record/playback machines for music or voice.
Competition: Entered a crowded consumer market dominated by larger brands from the U.S. and Japan.
It’s not clear if Gemark manufactured all components itself — many small brands at the time sourced mechanisms or chassis from OEM Japanese or U.S. suppliers and built custom electronics and cabinetry around them.
Decline & End of Production
Gemark’s reel‑to‑reel tape decks have a short documented production span (c. 1960–1963), after which the brand disappears from major collector and enthusiast records. A combination of factors likely contributed:
Market competition: Many larger, better‑financed companies (e.g., Sony, Teac, Akai) dominated consumer tape decks offering superior features and broader distribution.
Format shift: The emergence of compact cassette in the mid‑1960s began drawing consumer attention away from traditional open‑reel machines before this market fully matured in some segments.
Gemark appears not to have expanded beyond the small range of models it did produce.
Because of the limited production run and modest market impact, Gemark tape decks today are rare collector pieces rather than widely documented machines.
Summary
Gemark reel‑to‑reel tape deck history in brief:
Brand: Gemark (General Magnetics & Electronics, Inc.), USA.
Era: ~1960–1963 production of consumer tape recorders.
Products: A small line including Gemark 101 (tube mono), 207 (budget mono), and 430/430W (solid‑state stereo).
Target market: Home users and hobbyists.
Legacy: Short‑lived entry in the early consumer tape recorder market; units are relatively rare today.