Lafayette Function Generators

[RicharD]

Is that what these thangs are?
http://www.silverapples.com/simeon%20from%20side.jpg



Silver Apples were a trip.  This guy pieced his rig together with function generators and telegraph keys.

[PRR]

I'd say EICO, but every radio catalog had a low-price audio oscillator (not function generator) in the 1960s. All based on H-P 200AB: R-C-R-C tuning and lamp stabilization, but with a less beefy output stage, and often a square-wave tossed on.

I say based on 200AB, but some used non-Wien RC. Heath used a bridge-Tee, at least in their later transistor whiner.

[RicharD]

Oscillator.... or course.  I see Lafayette written on one of them.  These cats were from Hoboken.  I think Lafayette was like Radio Shack back then (speaking of rat shack of old) but just in NYC.

[PRR]

> Lafayette was like Radio Shack

Lafayette grew from two stores to dozens nation-wide, and then down to one and none.

For a short time mid-1970s the world was FULL of Lafayette-brand home stereo. The company and managers went for volume over profit; it was stupid to buy anywhere else (unless you wanted something good). CB radio gave a big boost; allegedly the change from 27-channel to 40 channel CB was the beginning of the end (they were contracted to take a bazillion 27-ch units which would not sell).

[Frankenamp]

Lafayette was a step above the regular run of the mill RS of the times, especially in the HiFi dept. Once Radio shack and Allied Electronics merged for a while, their catalog was killer! Times change, and Allied is still King Catalog, but RS is hanging on by it's finger nails!