About the Company
Griffin was a **reel‑to‑reel tape recorder brand active briefly around 1960–1961 that marketed consumer‑oriented tape decks built in Japan, not a long‑established independent manufacturer with its own large product line.
Brand: Griffin
Country of Manufacture: Japan (machines produced there for the Griffin label)
Era of Production: Approximately 1960–1961
Market: Consumer home audio, tube‑based reels targeted mainly at North American buyers
Possible Manufacturer Partner: Griffin Boeki in Tokyo (likely a branding/marketing company), with actual machines likely built by Denon for the Griffin label, a common practice at the time for US import brands working with Japanese OEMs.
These decks appear to have been part of the very early period of Japanese consumer reel recorder exports, where smaller US/overseas brands contracted Japanese builders to produce tube‑based recorders for the growing home audio market just before solid‑state models fully took over in the mid‑1960s.
Production Timeline
c. 1960–1961: Consumer Tape Deck Introduction
Griffin’s reel‑to‑reel recorders were produced mainly from about 1960 through 1961 — a very narrow window in the market when many small brands briefly offered reel recorders before cassette and transistor machines overshadowed them.
The machines used vacuum‑tube electronics, typical of the era’s early consumer decks, rather than later solid‑state transistor circuits.
Units were marketed primarily for home recording and playback (e.g., music, radio or personal audio) as affordable alternatives to higher‑end brands.
Known Model: Griffin 707A
The Griffin 707A is the only widely documented model from this brand, representing the typical design and technology mix of its short production run:
Griffin 707A (c. 1960–1961)
Category: Consumer reel‑to‑reel tape recorder
Electronics: Tube‑based
Track Format: Quarter‑track stereo (1/4 Rec/PB)
Speeds: 3¾ and 7½ ips (typical tape speeds for music and voice recording)
Max Reel Size: 7″
Head Count: 3 heads (record, playback, erase)
Electronics Specs: Permalloy heads, approx. 40 Hz–15 kHz frequency response at 7½ ips, ~45 dB SNR (tube consumer performance)
Voltage: 110–120 V mains (North American standard)
Outputs: RCA connectors for external amplification/speakers
Build Details: Approx. 22 lbs, typical cabinet size for portable consumer units of the era
This model looks mechanically similar to contemporary Japanese builds (e.g., by Denon), with tailored preamp/electronics branding for Griffin — a common arrangement where smaller labels sourced machines from larger OEM makers.
Market Position and Context
Griffin tape decks fit into a very specific early‑1960s niche:
Short‑Lived Entry: They were produced for a narrow period and didn’t evolve into a sustained brand presence.
OEM Relationship: Likely tied to Denon’s manufacturing as the backbone transport and mechanism, with Griffin handling branding/marketing.
Consumer Focus: Aimed at home audience at a time when reel‑to‑reel was just maturing before solid‑state, transistorized models took over and then cassette formats emerged.
Limited Documentation: Because production was brief and sales relatively small, Griffin recorders remain rare today and not extensively referenced in mainstream hi‑fi histories.
Decline & Legacy
After 1961, the Griffin brand disappears from reel‑to‑reel listings in enthusiast directories, suggesting the company either stopped making these machines or shifted focus.
Market shifts: By the mid‑1960s, solid‑state and compact cassette technologies were rapidly overtaking tube‑based consumer tape decks, reducing demand for early all‑tube models like those sold under the Griffin name.
Collector Status: Today, Griffin reel recorders are very rare and typically of interest to vintage tape enthusiasts rather than representing a large or influential brand line.
Summary — Griffin Reel‑to‑Reel History
Brand & Origin: Griffin; consumer reel‑to‑reel label built in Japan.
Production Years: Approx. 1960–1961.
Technology: Tube‑based open‑reel recorders with 3¾/7½ ips speeds.
Key Model: Griffin 707A.
Market Position: Short‑lived consumer deck before solid‑state and cassette formats dominated.
Legacy: Rare collector item built via Japanese OEMs (likely Denon) for export markets.