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Abstract
The EICO Story, by Richard Post, KB8TAD
This article chronicles the history, business model, product evolution, and ultimate decline of the Electronic Instrument Company (EICO). Founded in 1945 by Harry R. Ashley with a $1,500 investment, EICO emerged alongside market disruptors like Heathkit to meet the post-World War II demand for affordable electronics among hobbyists and repair technicians. Unlike Heathkit's direct-to-consumer model, EICO distributed its products exclusively through established electronic parts jobbers and retailers.
Initially focusing on service test equipment—such as VTVMs, oscilloscopes, and signal generators—EICO expanded its lineup in the mid-1950s and 1960s to include high-fidelity audio equipment, amateur radio gear, CB radios, and beginner-level "Eicocraft" kits. Over its peak years, the company sold millions of units. However, the rise of integrated circuits, overseas manufacturing, pre-assembled offshore consumer electronics, and complex solid-state technologies led to the decline of the electronic kit industry in the 1970s and 1980s. EICO shifted toward wired security devices and commercial property management before liquidating and dissolving in 1999. Today, EICO's tube audio equipment and test gear remain collectable and functional relics of the kit-building era.
