Russ Fletcher's HiFi, audio and beyond...: March 2010

Tuesday, 23 March 2010

Some more gig dates for your diary

The Shrinking Violets

My good friends Al and Verite have sent me some new gig details, which I shall pass on:-

The Star Inn, St Just - 27th March.

The Star Inn, St Just - 17th April

The Harbour Pool Club, St Ives 1st May

The Star Inn, St Just - 19th May

O'Flanigans, Penzance 29th May

Al Horton on guitar, Verite Alexander on vocals and a little Japanese guy called Sony on backing. He's very good, he plays bass, keys, percussion and more, all at the same time too! But seriously, all the backing tracks are put together by Verite, they're not "bought in".

The style of music these guys play is pop-rock / rock, the sort of stuff that usually goes down well anywhere. Al is quite an acomplished guitarist and very adaptable. Verite's vocals are just mind bogglingly dynamic.

May well see you at some of these.

Disclaimer - Important Safety Note

This blog will, from time to time, contain articles relating to the repair and modification of electronic apparatus. The information provided is 'as-is' for private study only. While every attempt is made to be accurate, the information is not guaranteed to be free from errors or applicable to all examples of the model concerned. Dismantling, servicing or modifying your electronic equipment carries several risks - the most serious hazards are the dangerous mains voltages, and sometimes (as with valve amplifiers) potentially lethal HT voltages present inside the unit. These can cause injury or even death. Be aware that these voltages may be present even after the unit has been unplugged from the mains. Whilst assembly of components is generally safe and straightforward, once the equipment has been switched on it becomes potentially dangerous and remains so until the mains has been disconnected and any power capacitors have been fully discharged. Be sure that you know how to be safe around high voltages and that you know how to discharge electricity stored in capacitors before attempting to work on equipment. Servicing or modifying equipment may result in damage to the item itself or other products used with it. Do not attempt to repair, modify, or work on any equipment unless you are absolutely certain that you know what you are doing. If you have any doubt about your abilities to work on electrical appliances, please find a qualified technician to do the work for you. The author disclaims all responsibility for any loss or damage and reading further implies agreement with this disclaimer.

About Russ - A Brief History

Russ’ career in electronics began well before leaving school in 1974. A keen interest was built-up whilst constructing many hobby projects and later finding out how things worked with a “no fear” approach to repairing many items belonging to friends and family. Further development took place with an increasing passion for music and live performance, when it seemed obvious to Russ that there was better value to be had by building your own amps and speakers, etc. This also appealed to a small select group of friends who took advantage of the cost effective approach! A good number of those items are still working and in use today, more than 30 years later.

During the ensuing years, Russ developed a career using this thirst for knowledge. Russ worked for industrial, commercial and mining companies testing, calibrating, servicing, repairing and generally maintaining all manner of electronic equipment and systems - Mainframe computer systems and peripherals, digital remote control systems, telecommunications and radio equipment, measurement and control, to mention just a few.

It was whilst working at Wheal Jane mine, as Industrial Electronics Engineer, that the workforce discovered that Russ could repair domestic TV’s, videos and Hi-Fi equipment and in 1989, when the mine closed, Russ decided to go-it-alone and become self employed. After all, there was a wealth of experience to be drawn from, so many markets could be covered.

Moving in this direction proved fruitful again, there was more to learn from this aspect of the industry - what started as a small repair business with added sales of refurbished TV and Hi-Fi equipment and accessories now blossomed into a thriving enterprise offering one of the UK’s most unique and diverse range of audio-visual related products and services - specialist Hi-Fi & Home Cinema equipment, including Plasma, Projection & LCD screens, PA, DJ & Recording equipment, Theatre & Stage Lighting, Musical Instruments & Amplification, Headphones & Media, plus Cables & Accessories for all areas.

Sadly with the advent of recession in recent times, it is now time to redress that business. The high street supermarkets and internet have, to a large degree, destroyed much of the trade with cheap electronic products, that have poor performance and reliability. Using the knowledge gained over the years and turning that into USPs (Unique Selling Points), it’s time to restructure and promote a new business - RussTrading. Russ because so many people know Russ as, well, “Russ”! And Trading because by using the internet, there’s a big market out there (and there are some “hobbies” that need to be tested as a business opportunity!)