Suppliers eh? What are they like?

[Ken Stone]

> I just hope their demise doesn't indicate a general down turn in electronics
> as a hobby - 

It's been that way in Australia for a while. We have three main choices,
all of them "supermarket chains", all of them with the same pathetic
range of basic parts. No doubt there are some serious industrial
suppliers, but the hobby market is pretty much restricted to these
inadequate shops. There are a few "lone wolf" hobby suppliers, but they
are invariably as bad if not worse.

Ken


"Fraser, Colin J" wrote:
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Tony Allgood [mailto:oakley at techrepairs.freeserve.co.uk]
> > Sent: Monday, September 04, 2000 1:31 PM
> > To: Synth DIY
> > Subject: Suppliers eh? What are they like?
> >
> > The new Maplin catalogue came through my letter box this morning. This
> > really is bad news, the once great supplier of electronic stuff of all
> > sorts, actually has a catalogue so small it fits through my
> > tiny letter
> > box. The semiconductor section is a hoot. As an example; it
> > has only two
> > analogue switches for sale. Maplin seem to be more interested
> > in selling
> > the computer hardware side of things, and most of those have no price
> > attached.
> 
> Everything I have tried to buy from Maplin in the last few months has either
> been on back order, or more often discontinued.
> I have been buying the vast majority of the parts I use there since I first
> picked up a soldering iron.
> Now it has come to the point where I won't even waste my time trying.
> 
> It's truly sad to see them reduced to being a second rate Dixons wannabee,
> in the name of profitability.
> I just hope their demise doesn't indicate a general down turn in electronics
> as a hobby - if Farnell, Rapid etc. start introducing large minimum order
> quantities, it could get very hard for the home constructor.
> 
> Colin f

-- 
_____________________________________________________________

                Ken Stone  sasami at blaze.net.au
                   ** Catgirl Paradise **
               <http://www.anime.net/~kens/>
                    ** Modular Synth **
            <http://kato.sai.com.au/catgirl/synth/>
         ** Australian Miniature Horses and ponies **
             <http://www.blaze.net.au/~sasami/>
_____________________________________________________________