About the Company
Vernon was a United States-based brand that appeared briefly in the consumer reel-to-reel tape recorder market in the early 1960s. Machines under the Vernon name were manufactured in the USA and aimed at the home audio enthusiast segment rather than professional or broadcast users. The brand is obscure and limited in historical documentation, with only a small number of models recorded in vintage tape recorder directories.
The best-known Vernon machine is the Vernon 47/26, a solid-state stereo reel-to-reel recorder marketed around 1963. The designation “47/26” reportedly referred to the unit’s 47 transistors and 26 diodes used in its circuitry, which for the time represented a modern solid-state design compared with many competitors still using tubes. It featured a three-head transport, two speeds (3 3/4 and 7 1/2 inches per second), a standard 7-inch reel capacity, and separate record/playback amplification with built-in monitoring speakers. The deck was sold by Vernon Audio Division, located in Mt. Vernon, New York, and advertised as a self-contained stereo recorder and audio center with performance aimed above basic portable decks.
In terms of market positioning, the Vernon 47/26 and any related models were consumer-grade reels that provided richer features and transistorized operation at a time when the consumer tape deck market was transitioning from tubes to solid-state electronics. However, unlike larger Japanese and European brands that established broad product lines, Vernon’s reel-to-reel presence appears to have been limited to only a few models and a narrow timeframe. The company did not become a long-running or widely recognized reel-to-reel manufacturer comparable to more prolific names such as Sony, TEAC, Uher, or Wollensak.
Because documentation on Vernon’s full catalog and corporate history is sparse, its production history is best summarized as a brief early 1960s US consumer tape recorder venture, with the Vernon 47/26 standing as a notable representative of the brand’s tape deck efforts.