New addition - Sharp GF-8585

[Retro Addict]

I bought this GF-8585X from the local market this morning. I spent around 2 and a half hours cleaning the scratchy controls and cleaning the outer case, and it's fully working and sounds really good now. I used brasso to clean up and polish the tuner window, as it was heavily scratched and scuffed. Cosmetically the box is OK but not brilliant. It has the original APLD sticker on the door which I'm very happy about. I'm really pleased with it, and love the special woofer covers/grilles. The sound is superb, as the box has bass and treble controls and a loudness switch. I compared to sound with my Sanyo M9990, the Sanyo was better, but the Sharp wasn't all that far behind. Here's a few pics I took with my phone...

 

[Fatdog]

The lighted APLD and speaker grilles are top notch! The grilles sort of remind me of the "rotary-phone look" on some of the Panasonic monos. Very cool. And I guess I'm gonna have to find myself a Sanyo M9990. Everybody keeps raving about them.

Great score, RA!

 

[Retro Addict]

Thanks Bobby!

The lighted APLD and speaker grilles are top notch!

Yeah, the green APLD light is one of my favourite features.

The grilles sort of remind me of the "rotary-phone look" on some of the Panasonic monos.

Yeah! They actually remind me of a "pepper pot".

And I guess I'm gonna have to find myself a Sanyo M9990. Everybody keeps raving about them.

They are really, really good boxes, with very good sound. They will give 90% of midsize boxes a run for their money in the sound department.

 

[MasterBlaster84]

Nice Retro, the 8585 has a great classic box look to it and your right that APLD sticker is a great bonus.

 

[SHARP GF-9292]

nice box!
looks like it has the same tapedoor as the gf 9292

 

[Retro Addict]

nice box!
looks like it has the same tapedoor as the gf 9292

Thanks, and yes it is the same door that the GF-9292 has.

 

[Old school Scott]

Sweet box for sure, good find.
I have the one that looks like this...

Cheers OSS

 

[monchito]

both are goos looking

 

[oldskool69]

Gre at find Retro! Diggin' the grilles too!

 

[Retro Addict]

That's a nice looking one, OSS. I like the 'exposed' woofers.

Thanks everyone for your replies!

 

[devol-toni]

Congrats RA,

that is a very good looking 1 piecer

the speaker grilles is very similar to my N/P RF-5310

 

[Eddy]

Sweet , very sweet. Both of them

 

[Gluecifer]

Killer find, Luke!
Great to see you're still finding them in the wild.



Rock On.

 

[jaetee]

Congrats on your find! Nice looking box!

Question: Is there really a tweeter behind that narrow slit at the top?

I've always liked the Sharp one-piece boxes.... Sound is usually pretty good for the size and they look fantastic.

 

[Ghettoboom767]

I've always liked the Sharp one-piece boxes.... Sound is usually pretty good for the size and they look fantastic.

Amen to that Jaetee!! They are almost my very favorites-especially when I bought a brand new Sharp GF-8989II in 1981'
I still remember opening the box and smelling that new electronics smell!! Plus the bright shiny chrome and grey plastic and the new demo tape-man I wish I would have known about keeping the box!
I have kept all new boxes from 1995' & up though!
Yes those 8585's are cool! I love almost all of the GF line!
Have a super week guys-GB.

 

[Retro Addict]

Killer find, Luke!
Great to see you're still finding them in the wild.



Rock On.

Hey Rick, great to hear from you!! And thanks, yeah I was really surprised when I saw it at the market, it's the first boombox I've bought since my Sanyo M9990, that must be not far off a year ago now. The 8585 has such a good sound!

Congrats on your find! Nice looking box!

Question: Is there really a tweeter behind that narrow slit at the top?

Thanks! No, they're not proper tweeters, I think they're piezos. Though it has plenty of treble and doesn't need tweeters IMO.

 

[Jovie]

The boxes I've seen with very narrow horns has usually meant they are facades.My CEC is that way.I've never actually found a sharp myself.You have such good luck !

 

[nz boom]

i like gfs i want them all some one throw me a 777 that would make me happy

 

[ozone]

That's bad! How do you find such nice boxes?

 

[Retro Addict]

That's bad! How do you find such nice boxes?

I visited my local flea market looking for boomboxes, and stumbled across this GF-8585! Believe me, it wasn't nice when I found it, it was filthy. But a good few hours of cleaning and use of contact cleaner etc resurrected it! It's a lovely sounding box too. I'm still looking for a pair of replacement antennas for it, and a battery cover.