Ditto. Had a BSR in'72. Had a Lafayette amp - soldered it myself. Had Criterion 100B loudspeakers. Actually, one to start with, then another one the next Christmas. Still had them up to a couple years ago. They were absolutely dreadful. -----Original Message----- From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tom Fine Sent: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 3:42 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Need helping identifying a reel to reel deck Hey -- Lafayette -- my first "stereo system" was from there. 10th birthday present. A little transistor amp, a BSR record-wrecker with a ceramic cartridge and two little particle-board with wood veneer speakers. This is the system on which I discovered the Beatles and Beethoven. -- Tom Fine ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Biel" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 2:44 PM Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Need helping identifying a reel to reel deck > My set of Lafayette catalogs and flyers (complete 1957-end, with a few > from the late 30s to early 50s) are in my warehouse so I am glad Richard > found these ads. Especially glad since it is great to find a suburban > NYC paper on-line. I've needed access to ads like this for my research! > Like Richard I was a regular at Lafayette, but at the Route 17 Paramus > NJ store. I'd fill out a blank for parts I needed and turn it in to the > counter and they NEVER had all of what I needed and I had to do a mail > order anyway! My first ten reels of tape are Lafayette brand, bought in > the Paramus store in Jan 1960 and STILL in fine playable condition. > 1-1/2 mil acetate 1200 feet in a blue box. I have one Lafayette orange > box 1 mil mylar 1800 feet and it also is in great playable condition. > Lots of Jack Paar shows including his final Tonight Show. > > > Mike Biel [log in to unmask] > > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Need helping identifying a reel to reel deck > From: "Richard L. Hess" <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Wed, July 03, 2013 2:21 pm > To: [log in to unmask] > > 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. > >