1981 Radio Shack Catalog Ads

[braxus]

This could also go in the reel to reel forum, but I'll post them all here to keep it neat. I'd thought I'd show some scans from the 1981 Radio Shack catalog of some decks and supplies. It really makes me miss those old days of that store. Here in Canada we don't even have a Radio Shack anymore. Its now The Source. Anyway here's a trip down memory lane. Take a look. The first scan is of Rad Shacks best tape deck ever. Next ones is of probably one of their last reel to reel decks.

[Web Police]

Cool ads. I have some of those Low Noise and ConcertTape Cassettes. :)

[NAD613]

This could also go in the reel to reel forum, but I'll post them all here to keep it neat. I'd thought I'd show some scans from the 1981 Radio Shack catalog of some decks and supplies. It really makes me miss those old days of that store. Here in Canada we don't even have a Radio Shack anymore. Its not The Source. Anyway here's a trip down memory lane. Take a look. Thr first scan is of Rad Shacks best tape deck ever. Next ones is of probably one of their last reel to reel decks.

More scans, please! How about ALL the RTR & cassette decks they offered, included portables? Maybe even some amps & receivers, too. Thanks for posting!

[braxus]

Cool ads. I have some of those Low Noise and ConcertTape Cassettes. :)

I too have some of those Concertapes. I used to record space shuttle missions on them on a portable Rad Shack recorder sitting in front of the tv speaker. Those were the days!

More scans, please! How about ALL the RTR & cassette decks they offered, included portables? Maybe even some amps & receivers, too. Thanks for posting!

Wow I'd be here all night! :P Maybe I'll scan some more in the future, as I even have a 1984 catalog too. But I've done what I can for tonight.

[Web Police]

I too have some of those Concertapes. I used to record space shuttle missions on them on a portable Rad Shack recorder sitting in front of the tv speaker. Those were the days!


I recorded radio programs over and over on the Concerttapes.

Here are the Low noise Tapes. I bought them at a Freight Salvage place when I was in college and used them for music at the time. Neither they nor the concert tapes were any good though. Low noises best describes the recorded signal that you put on these tapes. :rolleyes:

http://home.earthlink.net/~palisadespark/Realistic%20Tapes.jpg

[braxus]

Wow I'd love to have one of those low noise tapes to add to my collection. I already have the Gold and Chrome tapes. All I'd need then is the metal one.

[Web Police]

I can send you one of the Low Noise tapes. However tapes are opened and have been used and the J cards are not perfect and have writing on the their backs. I guess a used one for a display is better than no tape at all.

If you want one PM me with your address and I can send one in the mail

I will also send a Type II Triad for your collection as well.

http://home.earthlink.net/~palisadespark/Triad1.jpg

http://home.earthlink.net/~palisadespark/T2.jpg

[braxus]

Again thanks Web Police for sending one of those red color Rad Shack tapes. Still looking for a metal version of those years, plus the earlier mid 70s silver colored Supertape cassette. I only saw those once in an auction and they were with other tapes.

[Web Police]

No problem. You really don't see many Rad Shack tapes on ebay period. I would think more of them would show up.:-?

[retrokeeper]

Yep...I miss the good old days of Radio Shack too,I at least had the pleasure of working at two separate Radio Shack stores parttime when I was younger,in 1974 and 1977.Those were the great days of RS,and I was also lucky enough to score just about every catalog from about 1969 and on,until they got too cheap-ass and stopped printing catalogs,and the whole store/company went to hell then!!*fit**fit* Rob

[NAD613]

Yep...I miss the good old days of Radio Shack too,I at least had the pleasure of working at two separate Radio Shack stores parttime when I was younger,in 1974 and 1977.Those were the great days of RS,and I was also lucky enough to score just about every catalog from about 1969 and on,until they got too cheap-ass and stopped printing catalogs,and the whole store/company went to hell then!!*fit**fit* Rob

I read something online awhile back from a guy who worked at Radio Shack around the time they cut way back on audio tapes & accessories, I guess about 6-7 years ago. He told his boss that was an awful idea because 60% of there regular customers were folks who came in to buy those products along with any other electronic device/part they needed, such as batteries, portable radios, etc... The store manager said that cell phones & mp3 players would more than make up for it.

Sure enough, the regulars quit coming in because RS no longer carried the merchandise they wanted. Business dropped of severely & the guy quit. About 6 months later, the store closed. It turns out, at least at that store, that cell phones & mp3 players weren't quite the money makers the audio tape supplies were.

It wasn't that the tape supplies accounted for all that lost money, but it would draw in the regular customers that bought them & they'd spend money on other stuff & also refer their friends there. When you don't give them a reason to go back to Radio Shack, that's when they go to Best Buy or order online.

I heard about something similar happening at some audio store out east, I think in Philadelphia, except in this case, the tape companies quit making the product. A store owner was saying how, even after CD-R's came out, he was still doing brisk business selling blank audio tapes & accessories. Then the audio tape companies quit making metal & TOTL high bias cassettes and business dropped off a bit. I don't think it closed, but the owner was pissed that the big tape companies quit making some of his best selling merchandise.