About the Company
Company Identity: National was the consumer electronics brand of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., founded in 1918 in Japan.
Parent Company: Matsushita later became Panasonic, with National used mainly for domestic Japanese markets until the 1980s.
Specialty: Radios, audio equipment, and eventually reel‑to‑reel tape recorders for home and semi-professional use.
Production History
Early Years: 1950s – Early 1960s
National began producing consumer reel‑to‑reel tape recorders in the late 1950s, following global trends after the introduction of affordable magnetic tape.
Early models were generally tube (valve) based, mono, and intended for home recording and playback, not professional studios.
Tape speeds: 3¾ ips and 7½ ips, typical of consumer decks of the era.
1960s – 1970s: Solid-State and Consumer Expansion
By the mid-1960s, National introduced transistorized reel‑to‑reel recorders, improving portability, reliability, and power efficiency.
Consumer-oriented decks often included:
Two-track stereo playback
Multi-speed capability (3¾ / 7½ ips)
Compact or integrated amplifier and speaker unitsNational machines competed with Sony, Teac, and Toshiba for the home audio market in Japan.
Some models were exported under National or Panasonic branding for overseas markets.
Late 1970s – 1980s: High-End Consumer Models
National’s higher-end decks included four-track and full-feature stereo decks with advanced tape transport.
Focus shifted to compact cassette decks as reel‑to‑reel demand declined.
By the mid-1980s, National largely discontinued reel‑to‑reel production, concentrating on cassettes, audio systems, and other consumer electronics under the Panasonic brand.
Known Models (Examples)
National RE-300 Late 1950s Tube-based, mono, 3¾ ips
National RE-700 Early 1960s Stereo, 3¾ & 7½ ips
National RQ-220 Mid-1960s Transistorized, stereo, portable
National RQ-770 1970s Full stereo, multi-speed, advanced tape transport