Hi, Peter,

I remember going with my father to Lafayette Radio -- and later my mom 
took me -- when they were still in Jamaica, NY. They had a multi-story 
old factory-type building there--I remember an old wood water tower on 
it, but I could be mis-remembering. Later they moved to Syosset and 
expanded into a multi-store chain and then collapsed.

For the Washington's Birthday Sale in 1968, they were selling the 
machine for $99.88 "Save Over $30".

http://fultonhistory.com/newspaper%2010/Yonkers%20NY%20Herald%20Statesman/Yonkers%20NY%20Herald%20Statesman%201968%20%20Grayscale/Yonkers%20NY%20Herald%20Statesman%201968%20%20Grayscale%20-%201619.pdf

Later, on May 1, 1968 they were advertising their Gala 47th Anniversary 
with this machine at $99.95 "Save $30".

http://fultonhistory.com/newspaper%2010/Yonkers%20NY%20Herald%20Statesman/Yonkers%20NY%20Herald%20Statesman%201968%20%20Grayscale/Yonkers%20NY%20Herald%20Statesman%201968%20%20Grayscale%20-%201619.pdf

It was a three-speed machine 1.88, 3.75, 7.5.

The Sams Photofact is now available. I'm glad to see Sams has gotten 
with the program and is selling these as downloads...they would have had 
many fewer pirated versions out there if they had done this on day one!
https://www.samswebsite.com/en/photofact/details/index/id/92447

COMMENTARY: I do not know who made this stuff for Lafayette, but the 
quality of most of their store-brand products was on the low end IMnsHO.

The original "falling apart" is not a surprise. I doubt (m)any survive 
that will also not "fall apart" today.

Sorry for the red herring of it being European--it felt that way, but 
yes, the 1/4-inch jacks mounted that way did feel wrong.

So, what do the buttons do below? I think that triggered my thoughts as 
I don't think the Lafayette is an electrically remotable deck.

If you are rebuilding the display, can you leave the broken machine 
visually (and maybe even get the reels to turn and do the actual audio 
in a solid state recorder behind the scenes?

Cheers,

Richard

On 2013-07-03 1:30 PM, Peter Oleksik wrote:
> Hi Richard,
>      Good sleuthing! It is from the Juan Downey piece. The original deck
> fell apart and I am trying to track down a replacement or something
> comparable. Thanks to Shai's Lafayette tip, I've been able to confirm that
> it's a Lafayette RK815. Also, thanks to everyone who chimed in!
>       If anyone knows how I may be able to track down another RK815, please
> let me know. It can be in any condition.
>
> Thanks!
> Peter
>
>
-- 
Richard L. Hess                   email: [log in to unmask]
Aurora, Ontario, Canada                             647 479 2800
http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm
Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes.