Laskys staff

Phil Bishop

Wammer
Wammer
Dec 19, 2015
234
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Ha ha, not staff but Laskys in Wolverhampton was the first hi fi shop I went into in the 1970's. Lots of classic Japanese electronics. Fond memories. I bought my first system (Trio turntable and amp) from Comet though ;)
 
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audio_PHIL_e

audioPHILe
Wammer
Jul 21, 2020
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The wrong planet
soundcloud.com
AKA
Phil
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
A chap who was a mate when I was a student told me about "Louse-sky's" ... and mentioned that while he was in there (presumably waiting for something) he (at least) twice heard the counter-bloke tell a customer "Don't worry, they all do it, Sir" ...

There was a branch in the town where my folks lived: at said branch they kept trying to sell me Mission speakers, but I preferred the sound of the KEFs so I bought those instead (and never regretted it) much to the disgust of the salesmen.
 

JezR

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Wammer
Nov 3, 2009
823
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Brighton, UK
AKA
Jez
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I worked at the Brighton branch to help out with the busy Christmas period 82 but stayed on till mid 83 sometime, the manager was called Ken Quantic.

My position was in the SMU (Systems Make Up) department, any product that went on to the shop floor had to have an alarm lead installed to plug into the alarm system to stop those pesky robbers robbing stuff, I also took in deliveries in, sent faulty items back to suppliers, went out to install gear with my supervisor, general donkey work and tea boy, it was a good time.

They had one of those speaker comparators that I believe didn't do anything for sound quality but that wasn't a priority then.

Notable products at that time were, Sony CDP 101, Quad ESL 57, Philips laserdisc player, Mission power amp with the MISSION front plate, Luxman vacuum platter turntable.

Things were changing at that time as shortly before I left they started to stock fridges and washing machines that I thought was odd, the world changes.
 
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I.D.S.

Wammer
Wammer
Nov 14, 2021
393
572
113
All my gear throughout the 70's came from them,Yamaha,JVC,Trio even my Ariston deck and Quad amps. Then another hifi shop opened up and they started to gleen my business in the 80's.
 

TIU

Artist and daft as a brush
Wammer Plus
Dec 17, 2005
13,656
7,755
208
Birmingham
AKA
Gary
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Things were changing at that time as shortly before I left they started to stock fridges and washing machines that I thought was odd, the world changes.
Why the hell would folk want to have those items in their home? Crazy.
 
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Laskys Whitgift centre

Newbie
New Wammer
Dec 7, 2022
4
5
3
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I worked at the Brighton branch to help out with the busy Christmas period 82 but stayed on till mid 83 sometime, the manager was called Ken Quantic.

My position was in the SMU (Systems Make Up) department, any product that went on to the shop floor had to have an alarm lead installed to plug into the alarm system to stop those pesky robbers robbing stuff, I also took in deliveries in, sent faulty items back to suppliers, went out to install gear with my supervisor, general donkey work and tea boy, it was a good time.

They had one of those speaker comparators that I believe didn't do anything for sound quality but that wasn't a priority then.

Notable products at that time were, Sony CDP 101, Quad ESL 57, Philips laserdisc player, Mission power amp with the MISSION front plate, Luxman vacuum platter turntable.

Things were changing at that time as shortly before I left they started to stock fridges and washing machines that I thought was odd, the world changes.
I remember Ken Quantick! he was manager of the large Laskys on Croydon High street circa 1983
 
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audio_PHIL_e

audioPHILe
Wammer
Jul 21, 2020
13,379
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The wrong planet
soundcloud.com
AKA
Phil
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
All my gear throughout the 70's came from them,Yamaha,JVC,Trio even my Ariston deck and Quad amps. Then another hifi shop opened up and they started to gleen my business in the 80's.
would that have been because the other HiFi shop was specialising in HiFi not just any electrical (including white) goods?
 

TIU

Artist and daft as a brush
Wammer Plus
Dec 17, 2005
13,656
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208
Birmingham
AKA
Gary
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Joe Public does want white goods but Mr HiFi Freak doesn't want to buy from someone who sells"HiFi" as an afterthought to white goods.
That depends on what's selling and what is not. They had a business to run not simply pamper to hifi nerds.
 

audio_PHIL_e

audioPHILe
Wammer
Jul 21, 2020
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The wrong planet
soundcloud.com
AKA
Phil
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
That depends on what's selling and what is not. They had a business to run not simply pamper to hifi nerds.
That makes sense. If you can sell more Ferguson Music Centres along with your fridges and washing machines and make more from it than selling Quad or Beograms then why wouldn't you? OTOH Mr HiFi Nerd is likely to pass by your shop.
 

TIU

Artist and daft as a brush
Wammer Plus
Dec 17, 2005
13,656
7,755
208
Birmingham
AKA
Gary
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
That makes sense. If you can sell more Ferguson Music Centres along with your fridges and washing machines and make more from it than selling Quad or Beograms then why wouldn't you? OTOH Mr HiFi Nerd is likely to pass by your shop.
Someone missed a trick - a fridge that converts to a tt. :)
 

lazycat

Wammer Plus
Wammer Plus
Dec 20, 2007
3,559
6,660
193
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Why the hell would folk want to have those items in their home? Crazy.
I would imagine quite a few audiophiles in the'80s would be in need of a washing machine.

Or, indeed, a wash. Myself excepted - and all you Wammers naturally.
 

Gray

Wammer
Wammer
Oct 24, 2019
626
698
113
Southend-On-Sea Laskys, wish it was still there.
Bought my Quad FM4 tuner in 1984, was listening to it just the other day (as the backup battery needs a top up at least every 5 years 🙂).
Then a Pioneer CTF-850 cassette deck - took it home on the bus - the box was bigger than me (surprised I didn't get charged double fare).
Still got the 850 too.

Bring back Laskys.
 

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