Sony Walkman TPS-L2 Collector’s Edition (1979)

On July 1, 1979, Sony released a small blue-and-silver cassette player called the Walkman TPS-L2, and for the first time in human history, people could carry their own music with them wherever they went. Born from Sony co-founder Masaru Ibuka’s wish to listen to music on long flights, it even had two headphone jacks so you could share a song with a friend, and an orange “hotline” button to talk over the music. It changed how the world listens forever, and every iPod, smartphone and pair of earbuds since follows the path it opened.

This is one of the pieces our studio is most proud of. Original TPS-L2 units are getting rare, and taking one apart means working through its tiny belts, gears, tape heads and motor with extreme care. Our team disassembles it by hand, cleans every part, designs the layout and builds the deep collector’s frame in our Los Angeles workshop. Most people have never seen the inside of the machine that started portable music. We want to give it the second life it deserves.

WHAT YOU GET

• Genuine, original parts: real device components, not prints or replicas
• The cassette mechanism, tape head, capstan and flywheel, drive belt, motor, circuit board, buttons and the blue-and-silver metal shell, laid out so you can see how it all fits together
• Built-in sensor LED light that lights the piece automatically, for a true museum-display look
• Built-in battery, so no power cord is needed
• Deep 6-inch collector’s shadow box
• Collector’s Edition: our top-tier series
• Every part hand-disassembled, cleaned and mounted one by one
• Ready to hang on the wall or stand on a shelf
• Size: 17″ x 17″ x 6″ (approx. 43 x 43 x 15 cm)
• Comes in a gift box, ready to give
• Handmade by the FunBox Design studio in Los Angeles

A NOTE ON CHARACTER

Each piece is built from a real pre-owned device, so light scratches or small signs of age may show. We think they are part of its story.

PERFECT FOR

Music and tech wall art, living room, home office, studio and music room decor, and a one-of-a-kind gift for music lovers, audiophiles, vinyl and cassette collectors and Sony fans. A memorable birthday, Christmas, Father’s Day, anniversary or graduation gift.