Magnavox is set to return to Greeneville in the form of the Magnavox Showcase sometime this summer, and the Magnavox Historical Preservation Association is working to get units ready for the permanent exhibit at 113 East Depot Street.
The company located in Greeneville in 1947 and employed thousands of people over nearly six decades, and thousands of televisions, record players, tape decks and more were manufactured in Greeneville over the years.
Progress on the showcase, including preparing the showcase spaces and the units to place in the space, has been going well according to George Collins who serves as the president of the preservation association.
Magnavox is Latin for “Great Voice,” and the company’s presence in Greene County could not be showcased properly without restoring that voice.
That’s where Frank Cutlip and his local business, Recycled Sound Repair, come in.
The association has enlisted the local business’s help to restore several Magnavox units to working condition.
Cutlip purchased the business from John Brown in 2024, who still helps with repairs and restorations.
The pair have been working each week at a storage facility in the Skynight building at the Greeneville Municipal Airport to get units back in working order.
Cutlip could be found last week working on a 1974 Magnavox Queen Ann Chest Console, which sounds just as good as the day it came off the assembly line in Greeneville thanks in part to Cutlip’s restoration efforts.
The unit, which includes a record player, tape deck and radio, was built as a part of the “Spirit of ’76” collection to mark the Bicentennial. Collins said he felt it was appropriate that the unit be one of the first to be restored as America marks its 250th anniversary this summer.
Cutlip said the unit was built well, and mainly just required some disassembly to grease and clean components after years of little use. Cutlip and his team at Recycled Sound Repair can tackle electronic circuity and mechanical components in vintage units such as the Queen Ann Chest, and they also are equipped to work on amps, keyboards, guitars, set up sound systems and more. The local business also does warranty work for companies such as Yamaha, Fender & Korg, and Roland.
However, Cutlip said that restoring vintage units presents unique challenges. He noted that finding mechanical components to replace some in some old units can be a challenge.
Cutlip said he enjoys working on each new piece that comes in his shop on Ripley Island Road, whether it be a vintage piece or a guitar amp in need of repair.
A Gibson guitar owned by famous songwriter Arthur Q. Smith is one of the historic pieces that the shop has worked on.
Cutlip said it was “awesome” to be a part of helping get pieces ready for the Magnavox Showcase. In a way, Cutlip is following in the footsteps of his grandfather who worked as a maintenance tech on Magnavox systems, and built his own stereo.
While the world becomes more digital by the day, Cutlip said there is no substitute for the sound produced through a vacuum tube amplifier.
Several older Magnavox pieces include vacuum tubes. The technology began to fall out of use in the 1970s in favor of solid state transistors.
Cutlip said that he could use some extra help in his shop these days from a tech, and encouraged anyone with a technical background and interest to reach out to him.
Recycled Sound Repair is located at 226 Ripley Island Road and can be contacted by phone at 423-639-3977.
Those looking to donate to the Magnavox Historical Preservation Association or volunteer can contact Collins at 423-525-0240.
The showcase, set to open this summer, will feature radios, televisions, record players and other electronic units produced by Magnavox throughout the decades.
