Toot-A-Loop: Panasonic’s wearable radio that turned heads in the 70s
The Toot-A-Loop, officially known as Model R-72, came in bold colors like red, yellow, white and blue. It was AM-only, ran on a 9-volt battery, and had a mono earphone jack. Panasonic included stick-on decals so kids could customize their radios. With its curved body and twisting feature, it wrapped around your wrist or hung from a belt loop, so even when it wasn’t playing music, it still made a statement.
This was part of Panasonic’s “Crazy Color Portable” line, a collection of radios with unusual shapes and designs meant to stand out. Alongside the Toot-A-Loop were models like the Panapet, a round radio with a chain, and the Take ’n’ Tape cassette recorder in eye-popping shades, all designed with younger audiences in mind.
The Toot-A-Loop was a blend of form and function, though style definitely led the way. Tuning and volume were controlled by turning ridged rollers along the side. It had a built-in ferrite antenna and a 2¼-inch dynamic speaker. While sound quality wasn’t its strong suit, it was light and portable and had enough personality to make up for it.
Below, we’ve gathered original ads and photos of the Toot-A-Loop and the rest of Panasonic’s colorful 70s radio lineup. Check out how these oddball gadgets brought a playful twist to portable sound.
The crazy color portables. They even play music.
You’ve never ever seen portables like these Panasonics. In crazy colors and shapes that will really turn you on. In red, white, blue, yellow and green to name just five. There’s a “Crazy Color Portable” that’s sure to be your “thing.”
They make the most colorful gifts for your mate, too. Keep tuned in this summer with your very own Panasonic radio.
1. The Toot-A-Loop Panasonic’s Wildest Radio Yet! Portable AM Bracelet Radio. Available in fire engine red, bright white, deep sea blue and banana yellow. R-72 Suggested Retail Price… $14.95
2. The Newhall Neat Mini-Portable AM Radio with easy-see prism dial window. Available in midnight black, antique white, fire engine red and canary yellow. R-1029 Suggested Retail Price… $10.95
3. The Cranford Groovy Pocket-Size AM Portable with 21/4 ” PM dynamic speaker. Available in midnight black, bright white, fire engine red, deep sea blue, avocado green and ultra-violet. R-1032 Suggested Retail Price… $12.95
4. The Clarinda Compact Horizontal Styled AM Port-able Radio in midnight black, antique white and harvest gold. Pebble grain cab net with silver trim. R-1241 Suggested Retail Price… $14.95
5. The Panapet Popular Ball ‘n Chain AM Radio with personal earphone. Available in fire engine red, bright white, deep sea blue, avocado green and banana yellow. R-70 Suggested Retail Price… $11.95
6. The Auburn Full Size AC/Battery AM Portable Radio. Unique arched slide rule tuning dial, AC/Battery selector switch, 4″ PM dynamic speaker. R-1551 Suggested Retail Price..$22.95
7. The Columbus Classy Pocket-Size FM/AM Portable Radio complete with battery, earphone and carrying strap. In midnight black, antique white and harvest gold. RF-511 Suggested Retail Price… $19.95
8. The Hoskin “Heavy” FM/AM Portable Radio with 700 mW power output. Built-in FM whip and AM ferrite core antennas. 31/2″ PM dynamic speaker. In midnight black with silver highlights. RF-552 Suggested Retail Price… $27.95
The Take ‘n’ Tape cassette recorder: Crazy color portable cassette recorder features sensitive condenser microphone. Operates on house current or batteries. Easy-Matic circuitry regulates level of incoming signals. Pushbutton controls. Volume control. Fast Forward/ Rewind. Earphone monitor. Solid-state Complete with Panasonic batteries. AC cord, and erase plug. Available in various bright colors.
The crazy color portables. Even when they’re off, they’re on. (1971)
Because when our Crazy Color Portables aren’t playing, they’re still broadcasting. In red, white, blue, yellow, green, black and violet. And when they’re on, they sound a lot bigger than they are. Thanks to their over-sized speakers.
For listening in the privacy of your own head, we include earphones. As well as Panasonic Hi-Top batteries. The crazy color portables. At your nearest Panasonic dealer. When they’re off, they’re on. And when they’re on, they’re incredible.
- AM portable cased in leatherette
- Lightweight FM/AM portable for heavies
- Puts AM and FM in your pocket
- Portable Am radio that turns into a desk model
- Lean and low FM portable
- AM pocket portable
- “Ball ‘n Chain” AM radio
- A handful of AM
Toot-A-Loop: Panasonic’s craziest color radio & what to do with it (1972)
- Wind the Toot-A-Loop around your wrist, and be the first on your block to have a bracelet that plays music.
- Twist it open to make the world’s craziest hearing device. Hear rock & roll. And music.
- Use the Toot-A-Loop to feel a little more secure when your mother takes away your baby blanket.
- Share the Toot-A-Loop with a friend. After all, half a radio is better than half a crayon.
- Or just sit back and listen. Because the Toot-A-Loop (Model R-72) is also a terrific AM radio. And like all our other crazy color portables, the Toot-A-Loop is as much fun to look at as to listen to.
AM crazy color portable: The Toot-A-Loop
Our Wildest Radio Yet! Portable AM Bracelet Radio Comes in 4 Crazy Colors.
Hear it — Wear it! Who but Panasonic could make a radio you wear as a bracelet? A twist and it sits on table or desktop. Lightweight for easy bracelet carrying.
Battery operation. Built-in ferrite core antenna. 21″ PM dynamic speaker. Easy-grip roll disc tuning and volume controls. Earphone/external speaker jack. Available in red, white, blue and yellow. Solid-state engineered. Complete with Panasonic 9-volt battery, personal earphone, stick-on decals sheet, and gift box.
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4 Responses
I remember when I was working in the 70’s I bought my dad a red ball panasonic radio and myself a blue one. He loved that radio and I wish I had both of them. Don’t know what happened to them.
I had a bright yellow Toot-A-Loop. Loved that radio. Went everywhere with me on the handle of my bike.
Me too, I was the shizzlie de nizzle with that yellow Toot-a-Loop AM radio hanging on my handlebars of a royal blue with a white banana seat Schwinn Stingray – I rode with my own soundtrack all over town. LoL Good times.
In the early 70s the Toot-a-Loop and Ball n Chain radios were all the rage. All my friends got one or the other one Christmas. I never had one myself, but I had a more conventional radio that at least picked up FM… and that’s where all the good music was moving to at that time. I might be misremembering, but I thought that Sony had a line of brightly colored, fun-shaped radios as well.