Widgets Magazine
Results 1 to 19 of 19

Thread: JB's Analog

  1. #1

    Northwest OKC JB's Analog

    From the Oklahoma Gazette:

    *******************

    Analog flashback
    JB's Analog is a treasure trove of vintage electronics.
    BY PETER BRZYCKI


    JB’s Analog started at a flea market and now sells vintage electronics and VHS and cassette tapes from its storefront at 5850 NW 50th St.

    John Lewis had always loved vintage audiovisual equipment and analog music formats. Five years ago, he finally gave in to his desire and bought a Pioneer 707 reel-to-reel tape player from Charlie’s Records in the Donnay Building on Classen Circle. He was hooked.

    “Uncompressed music on albums and tapes just sounds better than the digitized versions,” Lewis said.

    Soon he was collecting all types of equipment and music from the ’80s and ’90s that started to pile up in his northwest Oklahoma City home. In an effort to offload some of it, Lewis opened a booth at a local flea market.

    As his obsession grew, even 14 booths would not contain his swelling inventory and he had built a strong reputation and following. He considered that perhaps it could be a full-time business rather than just a weekend passion project.

    Lewis is still a public insurance adjuster, but due to demand for his products and because he finds it fun, JB’s Analog was born; the store at NW 50th Street and N. MacArthur Boulevard opened for business in early July.

    JB’s is a treasure trove of vintage electronics, books, magazines and cassette tapes, along with some furniture and home décor items.

    But the main draw is the shelves lined with vintage receivers from Marantz, Pioneer, Harmon Kardon and many others as well as stacks of old-school speaker systems, turntables and cassette decks. For those old enough to remember, it’s like walking into a 1980s Soundtrak, albeit without Linda.

    It also sells VCRs, laser disc players, mixers, personal stereos (Walkman and Discman), game consoles, walkie-talkies, transistor radios, boomboxes and all sorts of cables, tubes and knobs.

    Lewis said that while he gets lots of customers who remember growing up staring at a glowing receiver while reading liner notes on LP covers, there are also a healthy number of millennials drawn by the vintage charm — or perhaps memories of growing up with their parents’ system they were never allowed to touch. The movie Risky Business spawned an entire generation that not only wanted to joyride in dad’s Porsche 928, but also couldn’t wait to crank up the forbidden mega stereo system.

    In the earlier days of collecting, Lewis and his keen eye would comb through thrift stores and garage sales, and then he learned to fix and spruce up many electronic treasures. Now, the equipment mainly finds him, with people from all over Oklahoma bringing him items, resulting in plenty of gems on his newly opened showroom floor.

    JB’s Analog is located at 5850 NW 50th St. in Warr Acres. It is open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.

    Visit jbsanalog.com.




  2. #2

    Default Re: JB's Analog











  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    6,697
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: JB's Analog

    at the very bottom of their website they have what I'm guessing is their old address still on the page (though the new address is also listed above that)

  4. #4

    Default Re: JB's Analog

    Pretty cool, I wish him luck because some of those things are kinda useless. No more cassettes being made, nor laser discs or videotapes. Receivers/amps (probably) won't have anything more than stereo (some may have quad, though ). But if he has good-quality turntables and speakers, those will always be somewhat in demand. I'm still using Yamaha 3-way speakers I've had for a few decades now and they still do the job, have added a small center and sub to it, need to get wireless back ones, though, to complete the 5.1 setup. Still have tons of vinyl, and have a new-ish Numark turntable, and vinyl's still being produced, so there's still a viable market for some of his stuff. Can't see anybody using one of those calculators or transistor radios, but they're still cool to look at.

  5. #5

    Default Re: JB's Analog

    They are still releasing music on cassettes and it's become kind of a big thing.

  6. #6

    Default Re: JB's Analog

    Quote Originally Posted by Pete View Post
    They are still releasing music on cassettes and it's become kind of a big thing.
    Really? I tend to keep up with music and have seen a few cassette releases, but no more than a few each year. Is it for RSD or some other special thing (I gave up on RSD a few years ago, it got ridiculous with re-releases on colored vinyl, incredibly small amounts pressed, way-too-high prices and just in general got co-opted by the major record labels)?

  7. #7

    Default Re: JB's Analog


  8. #8

    Default Re: JB's Analog

    Quote Originally Posted by Pete View Post
    Wow, that slipped under my radar, had no idea, probably because it started in the UK, and by the time it got over here, I was done with RSD, interesting. I might actually still have some cassettes in one of the 25 moving boxes of CDs I have in my garage, I think I kept some of them that haven't ever come out on vinyl or CD. Still have a yellow sport Walkman to play them on too, I believe.

  9. Default Re: JB's Analog

    Does he buy cassettes?

    I have a huge box full of them I had considered transferring to CD but most cars don't even have CD players these days and I can listen to all of them on Amazon now if the urge hits.

    Doubt I'll ever go back to listening to cassettes but I'm still expanding my vinyl collection and I still have a few 8-Tracks I would listen to if I had a way to play them.... Can you still find matchbooks to cram between the tape and the deck to get an 8 Track to play correctly?

  10. #10

    Default Re: JB's Analog

    Yes, he'll buy cassettes.

    I'm going to give him my old film camera and lens which I haven't used in years.


    It's really an interesting place and John (the owner) is a super nice dude.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    6,697
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: JB's Analog

    Finally somewhere to offload my yellow sony walkman

  12. Default Re: JB's Analog

    Quote Originally Posted by Pete View Post
    Yes, he'll buy cassettes.
    Or maybe I could work out a trade with him if he has any Atari 2600 games I'm looking for. That would be even better!

  13. #13

    Default Re: JB's Analog

    You guys should just go in there and talk to John.

    He lives and breathes this stuff.


    And I know for a fact that he's been moving a lot of his inventory because I had my eye on a few items that all sold really quickly. There is really a lot of fun stuff in there.

  14. #14

    Default Re: JB's Analog

    This weekend we were browsing what's on Peacock and came across this:

    https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-onli...7-8721ed370fc8

  15. #15

    Default Re: JB's Analog

    Quote Originally Posted by Roger S View Post
    Does he buy cassettes?

    I have a huge box full of them I had considered transferring to CD but most cars don't even have CD players these days and I can listen to all of them on Amazon now if the urge hits.

    Doubt I'll ever go back to listening to cassettes but I'm still expanding my vinyl collection and I still have a few 8-Tracks I would listen to if I had a way to play them.... Can you still find matchbooks to cram between the tape and the deck to get an 8 Track to play correctly?
    I have a Craig 8-track player with AM/FM radio. I know the radio part still works but don't have any 8-tracks to test it. Been trying to see if I can something for it on FB Marketplace but no bites yet.

  16. #16

    Default Re: JB's Analog

    Quote Originally Posted by TheTravellers View Post
    This weekend we were browsing what's on Peacock and came across this:

    https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-onli...7-8721ed370fc8
    Also on Peacock (probably available anywhere else too), just finished watching it, brought back lots of memories of taking my lunch hour and walking over to Tower in Chicago's Loop and giving them half my paycheck.

    All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records

  17. #17

    Default Re: JB's Analog

    Quote Originally Posted by TheTravellers View Post
    Really? I tend to keep up with music and have seen a few cassette releases, but no more than a few each year. Is it for RSD or some other special thing (I gave up on RSD a few years ago, it got ridiculous with re-releases on colored vinyl, incredibly small amounts pressed, way-too-high prices and just in general got co-opted by the major record labels)?
    A lot of the DIY bands in OKC and elsewhere (the ones playing most of their shows in someone's backyard or living room during non-pandemic times) will release their stuff on cassettes.

  18. #18

    Default Re: JB's Analog

    Quote Originally Posted by TheTravellers View Post
    Can't see anybody using one of those calculators or transistor radios, but they're still cool to look at.
    Yes, there’s still a few of us that still collect things like that. Also, I’ve found some really great stuff on his cassette wall.

  19. #19

    Default Re: JB's Analog

    I've been in there with a friend. The woman who works there told us that the amount of stuff that's in the store is just a little bit of what the owner has at home.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Analog Phone System Providers
    By Jeepnokc in forum Retail & Services
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 01-20-2014, 01:54 PM
  2. KAUT analog tower demo
    By drum4no1 in forum Current Events & Open Topic
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 09-26-2011, 10:38 AM
  3. Well, KWTV's analog is now off...
    By Joe Kimball in forum Arts & Entertainment
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 02-17-2009, 05:51 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Single Sign On provided by vBSSO