Help identifying Lafayette Tube Receiver.

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LT is Lafayette assembled.
KT is a kit.

LT-50 was stereo via simulcast (FM and AM simultaneously used for left/right channels), it was available through at least 1960.
LT-50A was stereo via the newly standardized multiplexed FM stereo system (GE-Zenith), so it supported a MPX output for an external adapter. It was introduced in early 1961.

The simulcast feature is why many tuners of the time had independent AM and FM tuners.

Next time you hear that government regulation is bad, for the counter-argument point to AM-FM simulcast and the RCA color wheel for television. Can you imagine the size of a color wheel for a 26 inch television? If that bearing seized the wheel would either explode (if glass) killing everyone in the room, or (if metal) would launch itself through the cabinet.

Plus AM stereo, where the FCC's refusal to make a decision (Regan deregulation) in favor of reliance upon the marketplace to decide actually destroyed the market. Multiple competing, and incompatible, systems were introduced, radios supported none or a few, and it never took off. This was a conspicuous failure in regulatory authority and a breach of its duty to act.

 

[Retrovert]

Forgot to mention...

Similar tuners were sold by Calrad and Olson, and given the nearly identical appearance and Lafayette's history reselling products manufactured in Japan, I strongly suspect all of these tuners rolled off the same factory floor with slightly different sheet metal and logos.

I own similar Calrad and Olson tuners which match my Calrad and Olson amplifiers, themselves similar to each other and the Lafayette models.

Some were manufactured by Trio, as it sold similar units under its own name as well as as Kenwood.

 

[peteCWA]

Forgot to mention...

Similar tuners were sold by Calrad and Olson, and given the nearly identical appearance and Lafayette's history reselling products manufactured in Japan, I strongly suspect all of these tuners rolled off the same factory floor with slightly different sheet metal and logos.

I own similar Calrad and Olson tuners which match my Calrad and Olson amplifiers, themselves similar to each other and the Lafayette models.

Some were manufactured by Trio, as it sold similar units under its own name as well as as Kenwood.

Actually, many of Lafayette's Hi-Fi products back in the late 50's and early 60's were designed in the U.S., kitted in the U.S. (if sold that way), and factory wired/manufactured in the U.S. in several locations including Lafayette in and around NY/LI.
As the 60's progressed with their catalogs, generally at the end of their specs would be the word "Imported" if it was not made in the U.S. Also, as Lafayette migrated to numerical stock numbers in their catalogs, any stock number that started with a "99-" was imported.
From my earlier posted ad picture of the KT-500A/LT-50A, if you look close you'll see "Made in U.S.A.".

 

[Retrovert]

Actually, many of Lafayette's Hi-Fi products back in the late 50's and early 60's were designed in the U.S., kitted in the U.S. (if sold that way), and factory wired/manufactured in the U.S. in several locations including Lafayette in and around NY/LI.
As the 60's progressed with their catalogs, generally at the end of their specs would be the word "Imported" if it was not made in the U.S. Also, as Lafayette migrated to numerical stock numbers in their catalogs, any stock number that started with a "99-" was imported.
From my earlier posted ad picture of the KT-500A/LT-50A, if you look close you'll see "Made in U.S.A.".

The argument devolves into "what does 'Made in USA'" actually mean.

A great deal of Lafayette's HiFi offerings came from Japan. I 100% guarantee you that if you look at a Trio amplifier or receiver and a Lafayette unit with the same faceplate they are identical down to the placement of tubes and transformers. The ham radios and transmitters, the CB radios, and a lot of the HiFi. Now, it's possible that Japan was copying a minor house brand, but I doubt it.

I would believe the explanation is that the "Made in USA" was assembled in USA of imported parts and the kits were assembled in the USA from imported parts overseas sourced. For many decades, until the Reagan administration cracked down, the US was very lax about enforcement of fraudulent claims for country of origin.

The units are just too close to be clones.

 

[peteCWA]

The argument devolves into "what does 'Made in USA'" actually mean.

A great deal of Lafayette's HiFi offerings came from Japan. I 100% guarantee you that if you look at a Trio amplifier or receiver and a Lafayette unit with the same faceplate they are identical down to the placement of tubes and transformers. The ham radios and transmitters, the CB radios, and a lot of the HiFi. Now, it's possible that Japan was copying a minor house brand, but I doubt it.

I agree that many of Lafayette's Hi-Fi products, amateur radio products, CB transceivers were imported as they moved through the 60's and beyond. There were several Japanese companies that OEM'd many of Lafayettte's products (Trio was one) from design, through parts usage, assembly, testing, and shipment to the U.S. However, many of Lafayette's finished goods Hi-Fi products from the late 50's through the early 60's were not. Same can be said for a number of their amateur radio and CB products.
Actually, if you go back far enough in Lafayette's history to Wholesale Radio, some of Lafayette's products were made in the upper floors at 100 6th Ave. NYC.

I would believe the explanation is that the "Made in USA" was assembled in USA of imported parts and the kits were assembled in the USA from imported parts overseas sourced. For many decades, until the Reagan administration cracked down, the US was very lax about enforcement of fraudulent claims for country of origin.

The units are just too close to be clones.

I have no doubt that through the late 50's into the early 60's, many parts for all their Hi-Fi, amateur radio, CB, models were probably sourced from both domestic and foreign manufacturers even though the final product was kitted here in the U.S. for sale or assembled/tested in the U.S. for sale. Lafayette's ads never claimed all parts used in a particular model were U.S. made.

Having been there from the early 60's, I got to touch and play with many of their products.

 

[Retrovert]

I agree that many of Lafayette's Hi-Fi products, amateur radio products, CB transceivers were imported as they moved through the 60's and beyond. There were several Japanese companies that OEM'd many of Lafayettte's products (Trio was one) from design, through parts usage, assembly, testing, and shipment to the U.S. However, many of Lafayette's finished goods Hi-Fi products from the late 50's through the early 60's were not. Same can be said for a number of their amateur radio and CB products.

The 1959 Lafayette Catalog No 590 lists the KT-500 without a country of origin. (I just looked.) Ok, it's a kit so it could be thrown in a box from Japanese parts and still be "Made" in the USA. But, in fact, none of the Lafayette equipment lists country of origin.

Another example. If you have that catalog, on page 56 it lists the Lafayette HW-7 tweeter. I now for a fact that was MADE IN JAPAN by Pioneer. (I know this because I own a pair and it says "Made in Japan" on the case.) Yet the catalog listing does not cite any specific country of origin. All of the speakers on that page are, I think, Pioneer and made in Japan. I recognize the dual tweeter bracket as the same one Pioneer coaxials.

Actually, if you go back far enough in Lafayette's history to Wholesale Radio, some of Lafayette's products were made in the upper floors at 100 6th Ave. NYC.

Ahhhh, but that was a long, long time ago. The building at 100 Sixth Ave. is now filled with "luxury" condos for the wealthy. I routinely go to Long Island City where Jewel had its manufacturing facility. Now housing for the rich. Karlson's shop in Williamsburg is also luxury housing. So are all of the brick & mortar locations for the 1950s and 1960s HiFi companies advertising in Audio Magazine, Popular Electronics, etc. All gone, just like radio row and Canal Street.

I've had to explain to out of town visitors from AK who ask me where to go for HiFi gear that, nope, you need a time machine for that. Set it to, oh, say, 1970. And whatever you do, don't take the subway. No no no no no.

Having been there from the early 60's, I got to touch and play with many of their products.

Since you were there, do you know how Lafayette purchased its units from Trio? Just buy a bunch of parts, including sheet metal, from Japan and package it here for kits or build it here for assembled? I'm amazed given the disparity in labor costs that Lafayette assembled anything in the USA. Did it really do that? Or was this a nudge-nudge, wink-wink situation. Like USSR tubes labelled as "Made In Germany" or "Made in England".

 

[peteCWA]

The 1959 Lafayette Catalog No 590 lists the KT-500 without a country of origin. (I just looked.) Ok, it's a kit so it could be thrown in a box from Japanese parts and still be "Made" in the USA. But, in fact, none of the Lafayette equipment lists country of origin.

Another example. If you have that catalog, on page 56 it lists the Lafayette HW-7 tweeter. I now for a fact that was MADE IN JAPAN by Pioneer. (I know this because I own a pair and it says "Made in Japan" on the case.) Yet the catalog listing does not cite any specific country of origin. All of the speakers on that page are, I think, Pioneer and made in Japan. I recognize the dual tweeter bracket as the same one Pioneer coaxials.

I think prior to the early 60's catalogs, Lafayette did little to identify what was "Made in U.S.A." and what was"Imported". However, in looking in my 1963 Lafayette catalog that I had handy here, it says the HW-7 was "Imported".



With the 1964 catalog and going forward, Lafayette was far more consistent with identifying stuff that was imported.

Since you were there, do you know how Lafayette purchased its units from Trio? Just buy a bunch of parts, including sheet metal, from Japan and package it here for kits or build it here for assembled? I'm amazed given the disparity in labor costs that Lafayette assembled anything in the USA. Did it really do that? Or was this a nudge-nudge, wink-wink situation. Like USSR tubes labelled as "Made In Germany" or "Made in England".

Products that were sold as kits and/or as finished goods and identified to be "Made in U.S.A." in most cases were done by U.S. manufacturers. Part procurement, sheet metal work, etc. was done by them. They knew what costs they had to stay under. Products (kitted and factory wired) imported into the U.S. were generally kitted by the foreign manufacturer and/or factory wired and tested by them.
As the 60's progressed, it probably became very obvious to them that manufacturing costs (labor and load) were much more attractive with much higher markups if products were built in Japan.

 

[Retrovert]

I just checked my 1960 catalog. It, too, doesn't list country of origin.

I see a lot of court cases from 1960 enforcing the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. §1304). A number of domestic manufacturers of electronics were having problems competing, so this may have been the result of court cases or requests of elected officials to enforce the law.

 

[Ziradog]

My LA-236 (since sold) clearly said "Made in USA" and appeared to be so. My later LA-224A (also gone) was labelled "Made in Japan ", used Japanese components (those damn grey capacitors that always fail in particular), and was the twin of a Trio amp. I don't think they were playing any worse games with country if origin than most folks.

 

[Retrovert]

My LA-236 (since sold) clearly said "Made in USA" and appeared to be so. My later LA-224A (also gone) was labelled "Made in Japan ", used Japanese components (those damn grey capacitors that always fail in particular), and was the twin of a Trio amp.

It may have been assembled in the USA, but the components, particularly transformers, were often sourced from Japan. I have output transformers removed from a purportedly USA Lafayette receiver but which appear to have identical bells and internal construction to the made-in-Japan transformers in my Radio Shack and Olson units.

I don't think they were playing any worse games with country if origin than most folks.

Ok, but it's not a question of being more or less honest about country of origin. I agree that American businesses typically misrepresented country of origin; this is why we have laws requiring clear markings. The fact that such laws were historically honored more in the breach is indicative of the widespread deception.

My point, insteaqd, was that the Lafayette tuners of that period often closely resemble the Japan-made Calrad and Olson units, and I proposed a common origin for the designs, chassis, and components. It makes sense that even the "Made in USA" units were soldered together in the USA from foreign parts.

 

[peteCWA]

It may have been assembled in the USA, but the components, particularly transformers, were often sourced from Japan. I have output transformers removed from a purportedly USA Lafayette receiver but which appear to have identical bells and internal construction to the made-in-Japan transformers in my Radio Shack and Olson units.

I guess a lot depends on what the Federal Trade Commission rules were back in the late 50's and early 60's as to what percentage of assembled parts were actually from the U.S.A. to legally used the "Made in U.S.A." label. I believe Lafayette even had some receivers/amplifiers that had transformers from Europe.
Which Lafayette receiver are you referring to?

Ok, but it's not a question of being more or less honest about country of origin. I agree that American businesses typically misrepresented country of origin; this is why we have laws requiring clear markings. The fact that such laws were historically honored more in the breach is indicative of the widespread deception.

My point, insteaqd, was that the Lafayette tuners of that period often closely resemble the Japan-made Calrad and Olson units, and I proposed a common origin for the designs, chassis, and components. It makes sense that even the "Made in USA" units were soldered together in the USA from foreign parts.

Which particular Lafayette tuners are you referring to?
There were several Japanese companies whose names were not well known, that specifically designed all types of Hi-Fi equipment for companies selling in the U.S. and foreign markets. In many cases the physical designs were very similar with maybe some minor changes in features, functions, and circuitry. Design engineers who moved from one company to another took their design ideas and styles with them. They were also very quick to adapt to style changes especially in the outward physical design (i.e. from metal cabinets to wood style cabinets, from painted front panels to brushed aluminum front panels, etc.)