Electronic junk stores around Minneapolis, MN?

[ExpAnonColin]

Do any other minnesota-ites have any favorite electronic junk shops around minneapolis?  The more Southern the better.

-Colin

[Gladmarr]

Colin,

I'm sure you're aware of the almighty Axeman.  Way overpriced surplus stuff, that occasionally has some gems.  That's where the Science Museum of Minnesota gets a lot of the parts for their exhibits (eek!)

There is a place by the crossing of I-35E and I-494 too.  I think it's called... okay I have no idea what it's called.  It's in some weird industrial park near Yankee Doodle rd. (I'm not making this up)... Materials Processing, that's their name http://www.materialsprocessing.com/directions.html
They have some good stuff for you to pick through.  

There's also a Unisys surplus shop down there somewhere.  You may have to call Unisys and ask them where it is.  I think it's off hwy 77 though.  When I was there last, they had some really old cubicle walls that made excellent sound traps for recording, they had oscilloscopes like crazy, and lots of tools and parts.

I also used to go to Unique Thrift all the time to get good old 70s style stereo headphones.  Too ugly for rappers to buy, too bulky for the kids to use with their cd players, but just right for use in recording.

Let me know if you have any luck with that.   :wink:

[smashinator]

There is a place by the crossing of I-35E and I-494 too.  I think it's called... okay I have no idea what it's called.  It's in some weird industrial park near Yankee Doodle rd. (I'm not making this up)... Materials Processing, that's their name http://www.materialsprocessing.com/directions.html
They have some good stuff for you to pick through.  

There's also a Unisys surplus shop down there somewhere.  You may have to call Unisys and ask them where it is.  I think it's off hwy 77 though.  When I was there last, they had some really old cubicle walls that made excellent sound traps for recording, they had oscilloscopes like crazy, and lots of tools and parts.

HA!  I used to live RIGHT THERE (just off of Yankee Doodle, on the other side of the park behind the grey Blue Cross building) before I moved down to Phoenix.  Too bad I wasn't into electronics back then!!!  

I even tried to get a job a Unisys.    

[Torchy]

crp

[SirPoonga]

Hmmm, Ax-Man's.  The one on University is across from a pawn america too

[zachary vex]

aei, slightly west on 55 at 100.  chris electronics is a good resource but you need to order and pick up.  gopher electronics and newark are here as well.  digikey delivers overnight, usually, from theif river falls.  there are tons more... most are specialized distributors of particular kinds of stuff that don't want to sell less than 500 or 1000 of anything.

[ExpAnonColin]

Cool, thanks for the suggestions.  The unisys surplus store sounds good... it looks like materials processing is over an hour and a half away, I was hoping to only have to drive for an hour (mnpls is about an hour and a half).  It looks like ax-man is too far away as well.  I've got my fingers crossed about unisys.

Zvex-is aei a store or an interjection?  You're talking about mnpls stores right?

-Colin

[Gladmarr]

Smashinator, I moved from Mpls to Phx as well.  Do you know of any gems in phx?  I've been to Circuit Specialists and Apache Reclamation, but I'm sure there are lots of other things out here worth checking out.  Do you know of any?

[smashinator]

Smashinator, I moved from Mpls to Phx as well.  Do you know of any gems in phx?  I've been to Circuit Specialists and Apache Reclamation, but I'm sure there are lots of other things out here worth checking out.  Do you know of any?

Well, there's a surplus place in Scottsdale, I think.  But I don't know the name.  I'm pretty massively impressed with Antique Electronics (www.tubesandmore.com), but they're like Circuit Specialists in that you have to know what you want when you go in, and they get everything for you.  

They're much more polite than the guys at Circuit Specialists, tho  (and only 10 minutes away from my place! ).    I'm always a little shocked after I leave C.S., though I've always been happy with what I got there.

Where are you at?  Did you hear that First Ave. closed again?

[Ry]

Well, that makes 3 of us that moved from Minneapolis to Phoenix.  Must be something about the weather...sorry, I don't have anything to add about surplus places around Minneapolis or Phoenix that haven't already been mentioned.

Ry

[Gladmarr]

Hi, me again.  I'm in Tempe, so I'm like 2 miles from Antique Elec. Supply.  If you guys haven't been there, you have to go to Apache Reclamation.  It's big fun if you like to get dirty while searching through like 20+ years of junk.  You can also have fun counting the employees teeth (hint, there's less than 20 among them).  I've only been to Circuit Specialists once, but they were more than happy to let the tech from the recording school cut in line in front of me.  If it weren't for the neat stuff and the good prices, that alone would have made me never go back.  :shock:  -if this guy was oblong, he'd look a little like Stewie.

[Gladmarr]

Oh yeah, as for the First Ave. thing; it is sad, but the place has sucked for the last several years.  I used to do sound for another club nearby, so I always had to hear about how First Ave. was so much cooler, but recently First Ave. wasn't getting good shows.  Here's a good one though, did you hear the rumor that it was painted pink inside right before it closed?  (unfortunately not true though)  I think they painted themselves into a corner and the in-fighting between ownership and (ex) management took its toll as well.  I'm sad to see it go, but that town has a strong enough music scene (UNLIKE PHOENIX!!) that something else will come up and make things better again.

Okay there's my rant.   :twisted:

[smashinator]

Here's a good one though, did you hear the rumor that it was painted pink inside right before it closed?

I shudder to think what first ave would be like if it was painted pink inside.

The music scene here definitely sucks.  There ARE some good bands (I've even been to a couple shows!), but none of the clubs have a good vibe.  If my current project turns a little more serious, we plan to just make our own gigs in warehouses or out in the middle of the desert.  Or up at Arcosanti.  

[ExpAnonColin]

Didn't you guys here first ave closed AND opened again?  I believe it's still in business as of last Friday.

-Colin

[smashinator]

Nope hadn't heard that it opened again.  I'm glad to hear that.  First Ave. is the first thing I think of when I think "Minneapolis."

I wish Savage Aural Hotbed would come to Phoenix.  

[SirPoonga]

Didn't you guys here first ave closed AND opened again?  I believe it's still in business as of last Friday.

-Colin

It's closed again, that was a temporary opening because of something that was huge that was planned for that weekend.

[ExpAnonColin]

Didn't you guys here first ave closed AND opened again?  I believe it's still in business as of last Friday.

-Colin

It's closed again, that was a temporary opening because of something that was huge that was planned for that weekend.

They reopened just for GWAR?  Sad.  

-Colin

[smashinator]

Well, GWAR does put on a pretty big show....  

[zachary vex]

oops.  i thought you said electronics stores.

aei is the old acme electronics, and they have tons of old junk, but it's hard to look at unless you set up an appointment with tom, if he's even willing to do it.

[Gladmarr]

Hey Smashy,

It'd be cool to see (hear) what your "project" is, and to talk to another mpls. expatriat.  Drop me a PM if you get a chance.  I think we've swerved this topic off course well enough.

As for Colin, I hope you find the elusive electronics junk you seek.