Fake Amstrads

[lambrettadave]

Right troops, Heres a wee post to illustrate the difference between genuine amstrads & fakes. Top image is the fake board, No component markings and note the four (Arrowed) unshielded plastic inductors. Another issue with these is a weak squelch which i'm in the process of investigating.

Bottom image is a genuine amstrad 900 board, Note that the same inductors are the shielded metal toko type.

Far as i'm lead to believe all 900 models are made in japan and use genuine boards. Fakes are badged as made in hong kong, But there is also genuine made in hong kong versions as well. But the workmanship on these versions isn't as good as japan versions.

All spinneytronic & harvard versions that i have seen are made in hong kong and use the so called fake (Pirate) board

Just opened my Amstrad hong kong version and it has the unmarked dark colored board but all the cans are shielded inside unlike your own.

My serial number is 716390

[Buick Mackane]

Just opened my Amstrad hong kong version and it has the unmarked dark colored board but all the cans are shielded inside unlike your own.

My serial number is 716390

The mystery deepens. Cheers for the info dave, Just out of curiosity does anyone know how long the production run was ? Or any other useful amstrad info, Post it here


BTW If anybody is wondering what the square box is on the 900 squelch control its a push/pull switch that puts me on to mids,

[paulears]

amstrad never had factories with a strand over the door. Alan sugar made his money by being clever with production. PCBs then were all manually populated in limited run products. Almost all this style equipment was only a little better than diy!

[LeakyFeeder]

Tbh the 900-901 radios wernt all that bad... Yes they looked different but that apart they performed ok..
CB icon of the 80's?

[Buick Mackane]

Tbh the 900-901 radios wernt all that bad... Yes they looked different but that apart they performed ok..
CB icon of the 80's?

Defo an 80's classic. I thought they looked modern back in the day compared with other rigs, And they still do, But being an amstrad anorak i would say that

[Admiral]

I'm a bit old fashioned, don't like fairy lights at all, nor LCD bar graphs, love a big-assed analogue meter.

[Dragonfly]

If its a siggy meter you need then a Fidelity 2001 or Harvard H407 homebase will give you that Amstrad Fuzz or should that be buzz .

[Buick Mackane]

I think one of the nato rigs used an amstrad PCB, You can tell by the blue HI/low power switch on the back panel

[astradyne]

Wasn't there also a Mustang branded rig with the Amstrad PCB?

[Buick Mackane]

Wasn't there also a Mustang branded rig with the Amstrad PCB?

yeah forgot about that

[lambrettadave]

Don't forget about transcom 4000 either

[Coppernob]

I have an original Amstrad 900,and a mustang 2000 I think and the good old Fidelity 2001..
they all shared the same inners.
my brother had a original 901...got it outta the catalogue..Kays I believe where you could pay over 38 weeks or so.
I loved the looks of the Amstrad and still do .

[Buick Mackane]

I loved the looks of the Amstrad and still do .

A fellow amstrad anorak, Yer badge is in the post

[Buick Mackane]

Its time for a make over me thinks
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x5x7mm-Thru- ... j8PaQLO80A

[lambrettadave]

my first Amstrad was a lone rig and i use to like to use it late on a night where its black front and bright leds came into there own.
I did get another Amstrad of big pimp but I havn't used it yet as I dont have the right power lead but i do believe that the Mustang that's on its way dose have the power lead so both will getting some graft.