Akigawa AD-901 digital multimeter

[dgonner]

Hello all,

I have this old multimeter, a Akigawa AD-901, that I recently replaced with a Fluke 17B+.
I got it from my dad some 20 years ago. The only thing I can find online about this multimeter
is a german article in Computerwoche (Computer week) from 1983 that does a quick review.
The multimeter is apparently from 1983, it's digital 3.5digit display and auto ranging. At the
time of introduction it was sold in Germany for 215 DMark.

here's the article: http://www.computerwoche.de/a/akigawa-ad-901-stellt-sich-selbst-ein,1181429

My question is this: Is this multimeter anything special and of interest to a collector or is it just
a piece of old junk I should throw out?

The one i have is in working condition, except the plastic bushing inside that  holds the case together broke
off. Can be fixed with some glue.

I would love to know if anyone knows anything more about this meter.

ciao!
Dave

[retiredcaps]

My question is this: Is this multimeter anything special and of interest to a collector or is it just
a piece of old junk I should throw out?

Do NOT, I repeat DO NOT, throw this away.  Why?

It is the likely the older brother of Dave's Soar ME-533.  The ME-533 was Dave's first digital multimeter.  He might appreciate as a collector's item?

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/for-dave-soar-multimeter-the-high-cost-of-cheap-meters-fluke-ad/

Is yours made in Japan?  I have seen similar ones to yours labelled as Beckman.  I think the OEM is Yokogawa.

Dave's teardown of his beloved ME-533 (25:45 into video).

[Wytnucls]

Akigawa Electronic Corporation (Tokyo) was making meters of their own design in the 80s. Masahiro Tanabe was the designer, with at least one US patent and a possible commercial link to Amprobe.

[Wytnucls]

The SOAR ME-530 is virtually identical:
(Sold for 18$ recently)
SOAR was a Japanese company selling relabeled meters from other manufacturers.

[dgonner]

Thank you guys for shedding some light on this. Mine was indeed made in Japan,
see the picture of the backside.

I quess it may be special to some people, but it's not special in general.
Maybe I'll send it to Dave for a teardown.

[ModemHead]

I have seen similar ones to yours labelled as Beckman.

Not exactly the same model, but the internals are remarkably similar to this Beckman CircuitMate DM77.

[retiredcaps]

Maybe I'll send it to Dave for a teardown.

+1.