Crosley Radio, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of entry-level turntables, has announced a special new piece of hardware that will excite Luke Skywalker fans the world over.
A Star Wars-themed turntable will be coming to select independent record stores this Record Store Day, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the first film in the beloved sci-fi franchise, A New Hope.
The Star Wars-themed turntable will be a special edition of Crosley’s vintage-styled suitcase device, an affordable and portable all-in-one model which often serves as a vinyl newcomer’s first piece of gear. Images from the film will appear on both the inside and outside of the turntable, including elements of the iconic poster art from the May 1977 release.
This isn’t the first time that Crosley has collaborated with Disney to create a special turntable for Record Store Day. Last year, the company created a limited-edition Mickey Mouse-themed version of the same device.
“Record Store Day and Crosley work together to create special turntables designed to be fun, collectible and appealing to a variety of demographics, including children (and adults who still connect to the children they were),” said Record Store Day co-founder Michael Kurtz in a press release, “These collaborations have proven to be a great way to introduce physical media, especially vinyl, to a variety of generations.”
Given Record Store Day’s longstanding mission to bring vinyl to as many people as possible, Star Wars seems an obvious choice as a theme for its only turntable collaboration this year — the film franchise is among the most universally beloved in history.
“Star Wars has been and will continue to be a staple in the entertainment industry that all generations love, making it an obvious choice for the theme of this year’s only turntable,” said Crosley Radio marketing director Jason Menard. “We’re excited to see this unique turntable resonate with vinyl fans of all ages.”
Record Store Day will take place on Saturday, April 22. For more information about releases, participating records stores, and more, we recommend taking a look at the official website.