17.07.2022, 20:56
Hi! I have also stumbled across these Scotch Dynarange with SKM-shaped shells and Made in USA imprint, and I support the theory that 3M or a US-based sub-contractor ordered C-0 shells from Korea to load them with tape, label and package them in the USA. Why am I thinking so? Because this was common practice among some American tape companies during the early-mid 1980's.
A similar case that comes to my mind are late Memorex HB II, those with screws. It's the same SKM shell (just for type II of course), loaded with a tape that looks like the original Memorex HB II, put in a Norelco box that comes from either Memorex themselves or from Radio Shack, and it also has the Made in USA imprint.
Additionally, you have several Audio Magnetics cassettes, partly from their sub-brand "Tracs", partly from their Canadian branch, that come in SKM and Saehan shells, but all the packaging is completely American, not sure about the tape though.
Back to the early 80's Scotch series. Most likely, the line-up in this design was marketed with the new names in Europe from the beginning, and with all tapes being OEM products:
BX from Hong Kong
CX from SKM
XS I, XS II and XSM IV from Denon
All these were probably also available in the US at a later point, because you can find them quite frequently in American eBay offers (not only from the big flippers who have tapes from everywhere...). But in the beginning, the US market received their own series, which was quite short-lived, and provided the last cassettes made by 3M themselves:
Highlander - in old blue shell
Dynarange - SKM shell, maybe 3M's own tape or Memorex tape
Master I, Master II - in new, black 3M shells which only existed for a short time, and for these two models
Here you can find them all:
http://agfabasf.com/catalog/scotch/scotch-1982-useur/
Now I have a hope to one fine day find a Metafine in the same design. I don't know if it exists.
Cheers
Martin
A similar case that comes to my mind are late Memorex HB II, those with screws. It's the same SKM shell (just for type II of course), loaded with a tape that looks like the original Memorex HB II, put in a Norelco box that comes from either Memorex themselves or from Radio Shack, and it also has the Made in USA imprint.
Additionally, you have several Audio Magnetics cassettes, partly from their sub-brand "Tracs", partly from their Canadian branch, that come in SKM and Saehan shells, but all the packaging is completely American, not sure about the tape though.
Back to the early 80's Scotch series. Most likely, the line-up in this design was marketed with the new names in Europe from the beginning, and with all tapes being OEM products:
BX from Hong Kong
CX from SKM
XS I, XS II and XSM IV from Denon
All these were probably also available in the US at a later point, because you can find them quite frequently in American eBay offers (not only from the big flippers who have tapes from everywhere...). But in the beginning, the US market received their own series, which was quite short-lived, and provided the last cassettes made by 3M themselves:
Highlander - in old blue shell
Dynarange - SKM shell, maybe 3M's own tape or Memorex tape
Master I, Master II - in new, black 3M shells which only existed for a short time, and for these two models
Here you can find them all:
http://agfabasf.com/catalog/scotch/scotch-1982-useur/
Now I have a hope to one fine day find a Metafine in the same design. I don't know if it exists.
Cheers
Martin