RETROTECH - The Bone Fone

A look at the Bone Fone. The 'bone conduction' AM/FM Radio from 1979.

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[Techmoan]

At the end of the video I'm just reporting back on my own experiences as someone who has worn one for a day, tried wearing it either way up - adjusted the tone and volume controls, played a variety of music etc. 

They'll probably be a few "you need to replace the caps in that" tips - but even if after all these years it isn't performing perfectly (although it all seems to be working fine to me), there is one indisputable fact about the 'Bone Fone'... it doesn’t push against any bones. It rests against fleshy parts of the body, parts that can not conduct sound vibrations, even from my proper bone conducting headphones.  

Even if the intentions were more about feeling the sound - like the way you may physically feel the bass in your chest from music played though a loud and powerful speaker, the speaker drivers and the power output on the Bone Fone aren't sufficient to generate sufficient volume to replicate this.  

It really is just a portable radio in a sack. People in the early 1980s discovered this and quickly moved on. 

So just a bit of fun. Nothing to be taken too seriously.

[terribletelevision]

The entry for “bone phone” in my contacts goes to a very different company.

[Bcklm]

Bone Phone sounds like a new Tinder clone

[stevelarkin]

Excellent video takes me back to all the Ronco and K-tel adverts of the 70s people of a certain age will know what i mean well done very entertaining

[recklessroges]

Puppet sketch is 10x better than the product that was clearly reviewed. 11x thank you T.M.

[ancientflounder]

Bone Fone...Nuts....whomever named these products clearly had a ball coming up with those.

[CriticalEatsJapan]

You should have draped it over your head with the speakers pointing inwards... would have been stylish ;)

[MileyonDisney]

I bought one of those when they were $50 and I was in college. I thought I was cool to walk around with it hanging around my neck. Geez! It really did just sound like a regular transistor radio. Amazing that you found such a great-condition set. Thanks for another great review! Yes, I am very old.

[gustavefrankfurter]

I got to experience that piece of junk back in 1979 when a friend bought one and let me try it out. Then I bought a Walkman.

[magreger]

"There's a bone in there somewhere, obviously I'm holding my head up". Hahaha. that made me laugh!!!

[steadycamuk]

Great review and LOVE LOVE the puppets at the end . Keep em coming

[harrygrimley]

I had one of these as a kid. I loved it. I could ride bike and here music without drowning out the sound of the car that mowed me down.

[tommyteeth]

I used my Bone Fone in the 80's in high school.... Would wear it under a flannel all day and listen quietly. Worked great for me.

[exodous]

When you played the music I thought 'hey, that isn't 70's music' and then felt really stupid.

[Cavalier_Steve]

I don’t think that you will be getting $20 for that review 😂 cheers Matt for another great video. Steve.

[raymondkitchen]

Omg!!! My parents had one of these when I was growing up (born in 1980). I use to use it all the time. That thing was great! At some point the battery door disappeared for it, but I still used it. My parents divorced when I was 13 and when they moved it got tossed into a box of my stuff; yes, I vividly remember packing it away when we moved. That box is somewhere in my dad's attic. I know what I'm going to go get in the morning. Thank you so much for posting this! I have tried looking for them on eBay before, but I could never remember the name. :)

[leadfootpress]

I had a Bone Fone when I was a kid. It was the coolest radio ever ☺️.

[wilhobbs]

I had one of these in 1979. I used it for cycling and skiing. Worked fine, for the day.

[Wazoox]

An interesting one not yet tested is the Sony Budo-Khan. It's some sort of bass speaker from the 80s in a cushion you're suppose to lean on and that provides heavy, physiological bass frequencies. I've seen advertised in Sony brochures but I don't know how it looks or work, really. I know some walkmans appear under this brand, too.

[techiegirl]

I had a set of Bone Fones in California in the late 70's and loved it. It was amazing and the stereo output was awesome. I wish I could buy a set again.