Happy birthday Maplin

[gez]

They're one year old today!  I know this as one of the assistants did a song and dance, lit a candle then waved it in the air to put it out.

...whoops, sorry that was no candle, it was a LED he'd connected to the terminals of a battery the size of a house brick, without any series resistance, because the bloke in front of me wanted to see what it looked like when on.

Hot I'd say!  

[punkaled]

heheh, yes, although  maplin have been around for donkeys years, i remember buying stuff off them when i was in school over 10 years ago, and they've just got worse and worse since then, theyre pretty much just a glorified toyshop nowadays, and the staff are useless, heres a little conversation i had at the "helpdesk" last time i was in maplins:

me:  do you have this resistor (points to resistor in catalogue)
staff:  (looks on computer) sorry we dont have that
me:  oh, do you have the same value in a different wattage resistor
staff:  sorry, i dont know anything about resistors, let me call the manager ...
:?

[StephenGiles]

They are absolutely useless. I occasionaly go to the Croydon branch, in fact I need a new soldering iron for my holiday next week so I may call in tomorrow for a laugh. One thing you can always guarantee they have lots of - bloody awful music. The staff know nothing, which is not surprising as they are probably on minimum wages. I recommend Cricklewood Electronics in North London and SSI in Sutton (Surrey).

[The Tone God]

Sounds like the british branch of Radio Shack here in north america.

Andrew

[gez]

I recommend Cricklewood Electronics in North London and SSI in Sutton (Surrey).

I've used Cricklewood in the past and, though better than Maplin, some of the sales staff aren't that clued in.  I once bought a load of 'MOSFETs' they recommended as replacements only to find they were all JFETs when I got home.  It wasn't worth the rail fare to go back and return them.  They're a bit pricey too, though admittedly they sell old chips etc that you just can't get anywhere else.

I only use Maplin for resistors and caps (about the only thing that is well stocked) these days as there's a branch a couple of minutes away from me and it works out cheaper (no postage).

Never heard of SSI, are they in the centre of Sutton Stephen?

[Ge_Whiz]

I've probably told most of this story before, but it'll make you weep nonetheless.

In the early seventies I was a spotty schoolboy with an electronics and guitar fixation, and two guys started an electronics supply company in Westcliff, Essex, not five miles by bus from where I lived. They called it "Maplin Electronics" because the government was talking about building London's third airport at "Maplin Sands", and they thought it would make a good name for a company, given that the word was already on everyone's lips.

The shop was staffed with the two founders and a third guy who was originally part-time. They all knew their stuff - substitute components, tricks, money-saving tips - and, even better, decided to specialize in electronic music. They were also very tolerant of penniless kids hanging around the shop and reading the books - a case of "Don't worry, these kids will be paying customers one day".

On one memorable occasion, I was trying to memorize the circuit for a simple fuzz box or something from a book. I couldn't afford to buy the book and anyway, probably would have found the other circuits too complicated or expensive anyway. Realizing what I was doing, the manager came over with a pencil and paper and said, "Here son - draw it out and take some notes." What a guy!

Well, that was over thirty years ago. Now, they are owned by a conglomerate, the staff don't know a resistor from a Big Mac, their prices are stupid (but used to be stupider a few years ago) and they got my last three mail orders wrong, so bye-bye Maplin. Meanwhile, those bloody Eurocrats are now trying to stop me from enjoying my hobby by banning proper, decent solder because it has lead in it. They won't believe how much I'm gonna stockpile in the next twelve months.  :lol:

[gez]

Meanwhile, those bloody Eurocrats are now trying to stop me from enjoying my hobby by banning proper, decent solder because it has lead in it. They won't believe how much I'm gonna stockpile in the next twelve months.  :lol:

Actually, that's the other thing I sometimes buy from them, lead-free solder.  Have you tried their brand?  It's better than anything I've used in the past!  ESR sell something similar which I've used now and then.

I used to chew solder when I was a kid...explains a lot!   :lol:

[Torchy]

I use Maplin at the MetroCentre (Gateshead, Nr Newcastle) quite often becaus "oop north" theyre about the only choice. The prices are a shame, because the staff there are polite, knowledgable and the shop is a big branch so is well stocked.

When Tandy decided to just sell toys and mobile phones they had a clear-out ... I spent a bomb and am still using the stuff  :lol:

Oh, and I still chew solder when I'm debugging  :oops:

[punkaled]

One thing you can always guarantee they have lots of - bloody awful music..

I believe the staff choose the music (i overheard two of them arguing once about which cd to put on)

I used to chew solder when I was a kid...explains a lot!

chewing solder is bad for you? damn. If i give up smoking can i keep my solder habit?    

[gez]

I use Maplin at the MetroCentre (Gateshead, Nr Newcastle) quite often becaus "oop north" theyre about the only choice

I lived for five years in Newcastle.  There used to be a little shop just off the Big Market which sold electronics stuff.  This would have been nearly 20 years ago mind so it might not be that great these days.  Come to think of it, it might not have been that great in those days as I was only into guitar electronics then, but they seemed to have what I needed.

Toon army....toon army!  

Edit:  PS do you use ESR?  They're in your neck of the woods and are a really good company (far cheaper/better than Maplin).

www.esr.co.uk

They're based at Cullercoats.  Not sure if they're open to visitors, but even if they're not their mail order service is really efficient.  They sell cheap boxes and switches too (not everything is in the catalogue).  Just phone them and ask.  0191 2514363

[Ge_Whiz]

Well, I occasionally use my teeth as a third hand to hold the solder when soldering something difficult, but I've never been so daft as to actually chew it. The flux is probably more toxic than the lead in the short term, and tin ain't so good for you either.

A few years ago, I got stitched up by the very wonderful Mike Kenward, editor of "Everyday Electronics" magazine. For many, many years Maplin had a full-page advert on the back cover of the mag, and EE took every opportunity to tell its more gullible readers what a fantastic company they were, etc. One month Kenward announced that Maplin were in financial difficulties, could no longer afford the big expensive advert, very sad, boo hoo, bad news for the electronics hobbyist etc. I could stand no more of this blatant toadying and e-mailed a letter to Kenward detailing my experiences of inflated prices, poor service etc. etc. and that I wasn't surprised that they were struggling. In his mildly aggressive reply, he denied statements that he had made in print, refuted all my claims and told me that he had forwarded my letter to Maplin's head of customer relations (without asking my permission, which I took at least to be very bad manners indeed).

The angry and aggressive reply from Maplin was swift to follow, in which they repeated that stories about inflated prices were myths, not comparing like-with-like etc., and without hard facts they couldn't give any credence to my comments. I promptly drew up a list of about twenty common components and tools and priced them out from Maplin's website and Rapid Electronics' catalogue. To my surprise, the Maplin total came to nearly three times the Rapid price; and I pointed out that furthermore, (i) Rapid sent their catalogue free; (ii) they wouldn't charge postage for even such a modest order; and (iii) they had never failed to deliver a complete order the day after ordering.

Three years later, I eagerly await their reasoned reply. However, I note that their prices have since dropped slightly.

Sorry to take up so much off-topic space. But I am really determined to let fellow hobbyists in the UK know that they do not have to be ripped off by their local Maplin.

[Hungeryhippie]

I thought i'd join in on stories form Maplins. I agree they are so bad its entertaining or infuriating.

There is a new "superstore" in town now, and theres a special counter at the back with a big sign saying "components and cables" so i tock in a list of parts with order codes and everything. the guy behind the counter looked at the list and says " oh were a bit busy at the moment all those part will take a long time could you come back when were not so busy."  me "no i cant, hence i'm in the shop now" (the parts list was for a fuzz pedal.)

other things i've been told.

them "you cant buy single resistors any more u have to buy ten"
me "thats strange cos i could buy single resistors last weekend"
them " oh, ok then"


them " we dont stock that part its special order only"
me "isnt this a superstore?"
them "yes sir, but that part is special order only we dont stock that"
me "shouldnt it say that in the catalogue then?"
them "some shops stock it but this store doesnt"
me "whats so super about this store then?"
them "i'll have to get my manager"


them "we dont stock any more than 5 at any time"

"out of stock due in 7 days" really its 4 months

" we dont stock 1k resistors any more"

"hmmmm i dont know"

the list goes on, and then if they do manage to get all the parts then give you the worng ones when they put it in the bag, or miss some out, i now have to check every thing before i leave the shop cos they aways get it wrong. grrrrrrrr.

Its so crazy it has to be a wind up yes? no? to laugh or cry. Maplins the legend contiues...................

[Torchy]

Gez - I'm exiled Nottingham lad, so The chant is "You Reds !!"

Thanks for the ESR link. I'm pig sick of being ripped off in the UK by Maplin etc and am always looking for cheaper suppliers (in particular stomp switches, sockets, pots and boxes). Not been into diy fx for very long so still learning  :lol:

[Ge_Whiz]

Heh heh... Just got back from Maplin in Kingston in my lunch break. Well, c'mon guys, I needed some of their cheap stomp switches (poor but they'll do) and a couple of 470k log pots I forgot to order elsewhere.  :oops:

Only sell resistors in tens? I remember about ten years ago when Maplin announced that from now on they weren't going to sell resistors in less than 100 of any one value. That lost them quite a few customers in one go...

[Torchy]

Maplin Cheap stomp switches Last one I saw were £3.99 and rubbish quality ... they selling a new type ?

[Ge_Whiz]

No, you got it right. They're the ones. Rubbish, but replaceable with REALLY expensive ones for effects that I come to use a lot.

[Torchy]

Damn ... the search goes on. Im going to ask Aron for some 3pdt's soon. As soon as my credit card bill is less than my mortgage

[smoguzbenjamin]

My dad orders stuff from Maplin sometimes when he can't get it through Conrad. They usually take 3 moths to get the stuff over 100km of sea




D'ya think I should tell him about all the stories here?

[lightningfingers]

hey Ben, that aint so bad for Maplin. They usually take 3 months to get my stuff over 4km of road (im not exaggerating )

[smoguzbenjamin]

:mrgreen: