Sunday, April 30, 2006

Powered

Today was theme day at the yahoo group. The theme was "sentimental", and it was a struggle. Here’s my entry, and the "required" story…. .



OK, Sentimental theme….. get ready for a long story:
When I was getting ready to go to college, back in 1978, I took my summer job money, and invested in a “real” stereo system, components vs “all-in-one”. A real rite-of—passage back then, probably like getting your first iPod today!! The heart of the system was a JVC Receiver, with the coolest blue display!! My older brother and I both had the same receiver, though I bought mine as a floor model, saved a few precious bucks.


I loved that receiver. Maybe it’s a “guy thing”, but love it I did….

During the summer between Junior and Senior year, my apartment got hit by lightning, and my dear JVC was one of the casualties. A buddy of mine worked at the tech service department, I was a budding electrical engineer, we decided to try to fix that sucker. We spent days and days, pulling transistors, testing them, finding them bad, and replacing them. Eventually, we got it so that at full volume, you could hear the music… IF (and only if) you put your ear right next to the speaker. Alas, a lost cause.

Through the years, I’ve had several other music systems, none of which captured my fancy. And every time I’d visit my brother, there was his old workhorse, still cranking out the tunes. Then I discovered the joys of eBay, and one day found another same-vintage JVC receiver! Not an exact match, but close enough. And it now sits proudly in my “study”, still hooked to a turntable, ready to do my bidding. And just looking at it brings a smile….

4 comments:

Sherry Pasquarello said...

have an old fisher, blue display, has an 8 track and a turn table. the 8 track still works!

the sound from my old fisher is great and i cherished it when we got it many, many years ago. first really nice system i ever had.
my very "first" being a plaid suitcase deal with a needle that looked like a fat pencil lead.

LSqrd said...

That's super Sherry, I remember the brand name Fisher....

I wish I still had a working 8-track, but not quite enough to scrounge one up on eBay! I'd have to replace all my tapes, which are LONG gone.

Sherry Pasquarello said...

i have some 8 tracks in a box somewhere. they still work, but i can't remember who the artists are, except 1 i know that i have by billy joel.
every once in awhile,when no one's around, i'll go down in the gameroom and play an old album.
wow,that is an experience, really brings back memories. nothing sounds like an album on a turntable. i wrote a poem about it once, put it on the blog. it really does transport me back in time. ; )

LSqrd said...

I was just listening to a real live (vinyl) album Sunday! The Bangles, "All Over The Place".

Good stuff.

There's just something organic about vinyl....