Whanganui's Hakeke St Library to introduce vinyl collection

Alister Ramsay from Retro Radios and Becky Stanley posing with one of the radiograms for sale. Photo / Lewis Gardner

The Whanganui District Library and a small Dannevirke business are tipping their hat to music of the past to celebrate this year's Vintage Weekend.

Retro Radios has made the short trip over to collaborate with the library to create a "pop-up sound lounge", where restored radiograms and radios and a teaser of the Hakeke St library's soon to be introduced vinyl collection.

Retro Radios, which is making its debut in this year's Caboodle, brings old radios and radiograms into the 21st century by fitting them with Bluetooth receivers and AUX inputs.

Owner Alister Ramsay says it started five years ago as a hobby.

"There was no work and my kids were home schooled so I started talking to the council in Dannevirke and they were really supportive," he said.

"I ended up doing the Innovate competition in Manawatu and got through to the finals of that, and that helped develop this into a business."

The collaboration with the library came about after Mainstreet events manager Kelly Scarrow met Ramsay.

"She asked if I was interested and I contacted the library and it went from there," he said.

Ramsay said the collaboration was a "match that worked".

"I do sound and audio and they were getting into records so it just went from there."

Library performance manager Sonny Tamihana said it was a great time to tease the vinyl collection it started a number of years ago.

"We noticed that there was a lot of chatter about [records] in Whanganui," he said.

The collection will feature 300 to 400 titles, ranging from 60s to contemporary music, Tamihana said.

The plan is to put the "special collection" at one of the smaller library branches, like Hakeke Street in Whanganui East.

"Just so it is its own special thing in a single place."

The collection is set to be ready in a couple of weeks.

"It's just a taster so people know it's out there. It's taking a couple of years to assemble so we aren't going to rush it now."

Alister Ramsay has been restoring radiograms and radios for the last five years. Photo / Lewis Gardner

There has been quite a resurgence of old music technologies, Tamihana said.

"They just love listening to records, flicking through them. We just don't get that sort of cover art any more."

Ramsay tries to use as much of the original hardware as possible when restoring old sets, using the old valves as the amplifiers whenever possible.

"It's all about utilising and embracing [the old], because you get a particular sound with valve.

"It's got a bit of oomph; it sorts the style of music being played."

Ramsay loves the process of restoring old, faulty radios into working masterpieces.

"The thing I like the most is seeing the end product, going from getting them when they are really manky looking and got bird poo on them to what they look like after.

"That's what gets me every time."

Ramsay says people love the finished products.

"People love the woodwork, love the cabinetry, the old aesthetic but they can use their phone and play their music and they get blown away."

Tamihana is excited to be a part of the Caboodle, despite not being on Victoria Ave.

"Really grateful that Mainstreet Whanganui included us, they have always been supportive of the library."

Retro Radios will be set up in the old camera building on the corner of Victoria Ave and Guyton St from 10am to 4pm today.