LARG'S AND SMITHS ADS - 1966

Continuing with the adverts in the 1966 Bridge Souvenir Supplement - here's another 2.

I reckon Larg's missed a good opportunity to have a bit of fun with the wording in their caption, and could have related more appropriately with the images of the musical instruments.

They opted to say "The new bridge is another link in our chain of contacts...". To me, that makes them sound like ironmongers!

How about something like "Larg's - in tune with progress". Much better, and I won't charge a fee for that one!

Smith Brothers department store, on Murraygate/Commercial St corner, saw themselves as a city attraction that would get everyone flocking across the bridge to visit them!

They did have the Globe Restaurant I suppose.

Can anyone remember what their Mannequin Parades were like?

You'll need to click onto the Smiths ad to read the large version.

SCOTLAND - 1974 WORLD CUP - #2

Remember Larg's in Whitehall Street used to sell sheet music downstairs? Well here's 2 from 1974.

The Scotland World Cup Squad with "Easy! Easy!" and "Scotland! Scotland!".

Words and music by Bill Martin & Phil Coulter, who composed quite a few hits for the Bay City Rollers around this period.

SONY TA-2650 - R.I.P.

Earlier this year, my hi-fi amplifier blew up! Yes, sadly, it has finally died. I say finally because I have actually been using this same stereo since the mid 70's.

I bought it from Larg's in Whitehall Street. The first major purchase off my own wages. It took me 2 years to pay it up mind you!

The sound quality was brilliant, so I didn't feel the need to get a new one over the following 34 years, although I did add to it over time with a cd player, cassette deck, mini disc player, tuner, the usual gubbins.

It does mean though, I won't be able to convert my old records into mp3 format now, until I get another one.

Anyway, you probably won't be surprised to find out that I kept my original Owners Instruction Manuals that came with it, dated 1976. So if there are any old audio boffins out there, here's a couple of pages from the manuals that may interest you.

The top one shows the front of the Sony TA-2650 amp, and the middle one is the back panel.

It came with 2 large wooden cabinet speakers (Sony 5300) which were made in Norway.

The turntable deck, Sony PS-1700, still works fine. The rubber slip mat has suction cups to help the vinyl grip better.

If I was told when I bought it that it would last 3 & a half decades, I wouldn't have believed them!!

Click images to enlarge.

LARG'S - WHITEHALL STREET - 1977

I used to really like going to Larg's in Whitehall Street. I always made a beeline for the basement to gape at all the guitars hanging up on the wall, the drum kits on the floor and the amps in their wee room. Always ended up buying more plectrums than I could use when schoolboy age.

Another room in the basement area sold racks of sheet music.

Upstairs there was a roomful of electric organs and another area that sold electrical goods & records.

Underneath the photos is a reminder of the record dept.'s carrier bag with a keyboard design on it.

Below that is an advert for the shops range of amplifiers.

The reason they were highlighting the fact that The Beatles used Vox was because the ad was published in the local press on the night the Fab 4 were playing at the Caird Hall in October 1963.

In 1976, I made quite a major purchase now that I was a wage-earner. I bought a very expensive hi-fi. Huge wooden speakers made in Norway with a very powerful amp and top quality turntable. The amazing thing is, it's the same one I still use today. I have of course added lots of modern extras to the stack since but over 3 decades later, the Larg's hi-fi still gets played on a daily basis!