Saba Reel to Reel Tape Recorders

Company Description

Saba produced reel to reel tape recorders from 1960 to 1976 which were manufactured in Germany. These tape recorders targeted the consumer market. The early models of Saba tape recorders used tube electronics and later on they transitioned to solid-state tape recorders. The company produced both 2 and 4 track machines available in 220-240v, 110-120v & Multi voltages.

1835 SABA began as a clock-maker in Triberg, Germany, in 1835 by Benedikt Schwer.

1918 The workshop moved to Villingen and manufactured headphones, radio parts, and receivers

1931 SABA produced more than 100,000 units of the SABA Radio Type S-35 and introduced dynamic loudspeakers

1939 Saba introduced an automatic radio where the user does not have to “tune in” the station

WW2 1945  April 19 the Allies dropped two bombs on Saba destroying the recently built factory buildings & the administration building lost its roof

1949  SABA rebuilds and now has over a thousand people employed, similar to prewar, with sales of approximately 21 million DM

1956 Saba begins making tape recorders that were fully automatic with push button controls

1961  SABA offers “line-free television” branded “Sabavision”, which for the time being was patented and is now one of the most significant TV providers and is now one of the most significant TV providers in Germany employing 4500. However the company is not looking financially very good at this point

1963 Saba introduced the Sabafone TK 125-4 dictating machine, able to record 12 hours of audio on a single reel-to-reel

1964 “SABAmobil” is introduced, a tape-radio combination for cars, but the the recently introduced Philips cassette would make the future for this format limited. It ran at 3 3/4 ips on 3″ reels and the 1/4″ tapes could be removed from the cartridge and played on regular recorders

Releases the Sabafone TK 125-S and TK 220-S, promising high quality recording and the ability to do “trick” recording with easy push button controls

1968 The best R-R Recorder Saba built, the 600 SH is released, which would be sold in small quantities for 2 years

SABA sold the majority of the company to GTE, an American telephone company

1971  The Hi Fi-TG543 tape recorder was introduced by SABA. It was a 4 track 2 channel recorder with a built in loudspeakers

1976  Last R-R Recorders are produced TG574 & TG674,  but would be still marketed for a few more years with the remaining inventory

1980 GTE left consumer electronic distribution and Thomson-Brandt purchased SABA

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General Information

Manufacturer: Saba

Years in Business: 1835 To Present

Country: Germany

Years making R-R Tape Recorders: 1950 To 1977

Saba Forum in German  Translaste In Chrome

Here’s a list of the tape recorder models that were available through the various years

1956/57  TG75 (= TK75), TC75  (TC= Without case)
1957/58  TK75 / TC75
1958/59  TK75 / TC75
1959/60  TK75 / TC75, TK84 / TC84
1960/61  TK84 / TC84, TK85 / TC85, TK86 / TC86
1961/62  TK125-4, TK 125-S, TK85, TK86 / TC86
1962/63  TK125-4, TK 125-S, TK220-S / TK220-SH, TK86
1963/64  TK125-4, TK 125-S, TK220-S / TK220-SH
1964 / 65  TK125-4, TK220-S, Sabamobil
1965/66  TK300 S / TK300 SH, Sabamobil TK-R 15
1966/67  TK300 S / TK300 SH, 600 SH, Sabamobil
1967/68  300 S / 300 SH, 305 S / 305 SH, 600 SH
1968/69  TG420, TG440, 600 SH
1969/70  TG 420, TG 440, 300 S / SH, 305 S / SH, 600 SH, MF 6, MD 4, MD 4 S, MD 4 SP, 600 SH-1, 600 SH-1S, MS 2-38, 320 (Cassette Recorder , Perhaps their first?)
1970/71  TG423, TG443, TG446, TG 543
1971/72  TG424, TG444, TG448, TG524, TG544, TG546
1972/73  TG424, TG454, TG464, TG524, TG544, TG546, TG554
1973/74  TG454, TG464, TG554, TG564, TG664
1974/75  TG454 , TG564, TG664
1975/76  TG564, TG674
1976/77  TG574, TG674