[Boatanchors] Nassau solder now valuable?

[Albert LaFrance]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "JOE" <k1ike at snet.net>
To: <Boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 7:37 PM
Subject: [Boatanchors] Nassau solder now valuable?


> I was talking to a friend of mine who, years ago, worked with me at the
> local telephone company.  He told me that he was snooping around an
auction
> sites for old Western Electric junk and found that "Nassau Pedigreed
> Products" solder was selling for up to $580 for a 5 pound spool?  I
> probably had 5 rolls of this years ago and only have 1/2 a spool
> left.  Anyone know what makes this rosin core solder worth so much?  My
> curiosity is getting the best of me.
>
> 73, Joe, K1ike

Joe,

Welcome to the world of audiophiles, or more accurately audiophools, who
have beliefs about electronics which are a bit out of the mainstream to say
the least.  For example, many are convinced that speaker cables are
directional, taking a "set" after beng used for a while, so that switching a
cable end-for-end alters the sound.

Anyway, to answer your question, Nassau Smelting and Refining Company was a
division of Western Electric.  A certain segment of the audiophile
community, especially in Japan, worships anything made by WE, probably due
to the company's early work in movie-theatre sound systems.  Apparently the
WE aura now extends to such commodity items as solder and hookup wire.

Albert LaFrance