COMMANDER: Voice of Music VM Model 382 -1, Dual Speaker Stereo Portable, 1966

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The Commander line by the V-M Corporation was a series of entirely transistorized, high-end portable phonographs which debuted in late July 1963 at the National Association of Music Merchants Trade Show in Chicago. The theme of that meeting: “Move More Music from Store to Home”. With sales as the ultimate goal, all makers were concerned about getting so much as potential customers to become engaged with more music. By that time, the use of transistors to make a solid state amplifier gave new possibilities for the portability of such defined stereo sound.

Enter the Commander. With the first Ebony model 380 -1, you got amp controls with the range modulation that the best tube units could achieve then. Another rare feature for portables, it features Output leads that permit recording directly from a spinning disc. Unlike the component stereos for which they were modeled after, they all have lids to muffle changer action and protect from dust.

Three years later in 1966, emerged a second generation Commander, VM Model 381. Though practically identical to its black predecessor, they shaved a few centimeters off the height by mounting the amp on the side, and using a brown build of the VM Model 1297 changer which is pictured.

Later in the same year, the third Commander Model 382 -1 (as seen in this video) received an entire facelift. Bound in rich Cream leatherette, and wood panels with nickel chrome trim, it screams fashion forward for the rest of the decade. A smoky translucent lid from the Modern Plastics Corporation adds a new dimension of the view.

This unit was a parts unit, purchasing it on eBay for $40. The process of bringing it back to life started by completely disassembling the changer. All old grease was completely stripped off every part and re-greased. A new power switch was required to replace a cracked one. After replacing some of the biggest and oldest paper capacitors in the amp, the outputs tested fine. Since there was no mat that came with the platter I received, I got a new one with chrome trim. The Tetrad cartridge was replaced after cleaning the harness leads. The detachable lid was compounded and polished in a series of sets with a rotary buffer.

The single biggest accomplishment for the vanity of this unit was the speaker grills. Dirtied from smoke and dust in Texas, they were visibly matted. I undertook a complete speaker case disassembly and for both cases, removed 60 heavy duty staples. The delicate acrylic speaker grills were hand washed in a full sink with Woolite, and they leaked filth like a tea bag in hot water. When they were completely clean, they fluffed up like waffle batter. So we cannot call the thing mint, but it is a great example of how you can make some trash your own special treasure.