About the Company
Maestrovox was a British electronics brand, best known for its tube‑based electronic organs designed and built in Uxbridge, Middlesex, United Kingdom by Victor Harold Ward beginning in 1952. The company primarily made electronic musical instruments, not audio‑recording gear — but it did experiment briefly with reel‑to‑reel tape recorders in the late 1950s.
Reel‑to‑Reel Tape Recorder Production
Era of Production
Maestrovox’s foray into reel‑to‑reel recorders was brief, with manufacture occurring from about 1957 to 1960.
This period coincides with a booming era for reel‑to‑reel consumer decks in the UK, when many small companies used imported mechanisms and vacuum‑tube electronics to produce tape recorders for the home audio market.
Country of Manufacture
Machines were manufactured in the United Kingdom, aligning with Maestrovox’s other British‑made electronic products.
Known Tape Recorder Models
The main Maestrovox reel‑to‑reel model documented is:
Maestrovox RG50 “Majestic”
Production Years: ~1957–1960
Target Market: Consumer/home audio
Electronics: Vacuum tubes (tube‑based)
Transport: Utilized a Collaro Mk IV mechanism — a common base for small British decks of the era.
Tape Speeds: 3¾, 7½ and 15 inches per second
Track / Reel: Half‑track mono, up to 7″ reels
Features: Two heads, permalloy head construction, internal speaker and level controls — typical of a mid‑century consumer recorder.
Performance: Frequency response and wow/flutter were modest (reflecting entry‑level performance).
This model shows how Maestrovox brought tube recorder design into the home audio world, but without the breadth of product lines common to larger hi‑fi brands.
Context & Market Position
Single‑Machine Production: Maestrovox’s tape recorder output appears limited to essentially one model/series rather than a sustained lineup.
Tube Era Technology: Like many British decks of the late 1950s, Maestrovox used tube electronics — preceding the transistor revolution in audio gear.
Consumer Orientation: These machines were intended for home recording and playback rather than professional studio use; performance and reliability were modest compared with dedicated audio brands.
End of Production & Legacy
After about 1960, Maestrovox ceased producing reel‑to‑reel recorders and ultimately wound down its electronics lines by 1970, with the company best remembered for its electronic organs rather than reel tape products.
Consequently, Maestrovox tape recorders are rare today and primarily of interest to vintage audio collectors of obscure British brands.