Fran Ashcroft: Am I being Realistic?

Whatever happened to Tandy? The one stop shop for emergency guitar leads, shite cassette players, inflatable motorised robots and occasionally useful PZM mics? It was just the place to go when you needed a plug.

They must have gone out of business here when I was in exile. But are still going strong in the USA – as Radio Shack. I bought lots of stuff from them over the years. The Microphone That Looks Like A Bug, a massive stereo amp which I was amazed to find rated at 500w, and a number of rebranded casio/yamaha keyboards, some of which had more sounds and functions than the originals. They also did a nice reel to reel tape deck – the TEAC X3 with a Realistic sticker on. But mainly I shopped there as it was the only place in a one horse town to buy phono cables. Now of course some of their inimitable electronics are quasi collectors items – hi-ball mics, minimus 7 speakers, some odd EQ unit they made years ago…all with the added allure of Cheap and Nasty.

In this country (UK) we had Eagle Electronics at one time, who took the concept of Shoddy Goods From Hong Kong to new heights. A mate of mine bought one of their crystal mics for a pound; it actually melted the first time he sang into it.

But somehow it’s comforting to know you can still buy a mic for a quid, isn’t it?

Fran Ashcroft’s website