The Rat Shack way back machine

[bitman]

http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/catalog_directory.html

 

[kato]

I'm going straight to '77 to check out the 8-tracks. Then maybe 1980 to price a trash 80.

It's interesting that for 3 years they were "Allied Radio Shack." I'll have to investigate that connection...

 

[thermionic]

RCA 6386 @ $7.40 (seems pricey for 1964!) and RCA 6550 @ $4.95

I'll take a hundred of each  ;D

It's kind of depressing that RS has gone backwards! What would you rather have access to, 1963 or 2013?  ;D

 

[buildafriend]

RCA 6386 @ $7.40 (seems pricey for 1964!) and RCA 6550 @ $4.95

I'll take a hundred of each  ;D

It's kind of depressing that RS has gone backwards! What would you rather have access to, 1963 or 2013?  ;D

ha! me too!

 

[PRR]

> for 3 years they were "Allied Radio Shack."

Newark and Allied were long-term players in electronics distribution.

Allied was not doing great. "Stale" may be a good word.

Radio Shack thought they wanted to branch-out from the consumer side.

IIRC, RS bought Allied, didn't do much to turn it around, and cut it loose.
_________

> 1964... RCA 6550 @ $4.95

Gasoline was $0.29/gallon.

 

[JohnRoberts]

_________

> 1964... RCA 6550 @ $4.95

Gasoline was $0.29/gallon.

And a 12ax7 was like $2.50

JR

 

[thermionic]

http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

According to the above link, the 6550 would be $36.60 and 6386 $54.81

I'll still take a hundred if you're offering  ;D

Interestingly enough, Svetlana 12AX7 sell for virtually the same inflation-adjusted price today.

 

[leswatts]

In 1971 I worked at a radio shack. I counted flashlight batteries a lot.
10 year later (after a bit more education) I was designing their stuff.

Realistic Phono cartridges.

Realistic...almost like the real thing!!!

Actually I used top quality components in them.

Les
L M Watts Technology

 

[PRR]

> 6550 would be $36.60

A few years back, I was buying Sovtek 6550 for $35 a pop. Abused them against vintage Dyna (Tung-Sol) 6550 and a last-batch-from-Kentucky NOS G.E. 6550. At 35-43 Watts and 560V-630V, the only difference I noticed was that the Dyna would creak as it cooled, the others didn't. (Obviously the creak was only audible on dummy resistor, not speaker.)

Generally tube prices have not changed since I was a pup, when adjusted for shrinking dollars.

OTOH my last cell-phone cost $39 (outright, no contract). What kind of cell-phone did $39 buy in 1971 or 1964? A brick? A suitcase? $3,900?? Or lease-only? No address book, no to-do list app? Possibly a DIAL?

 

[keefaz]

In 1971 I worked at a radio shack. I counted flashlight batteries a lot.
10 year later (after a bit more education) I was designing their stuff.

Realistic Phono cartridges.

Realistic...almost like the real thing!!!

Actually I used top quality components in them.

Les
L M Watts Technology

Lol I recall this Realistic stuff, in France it was sold at Tandy stores