Professional SCUBA Repair in North Hollywood

[Creed]

I just picked up a Mistral with a green label which reads
Serviced by
Professional SCUBA Repair
5725 Cahuenga BLVD.
North Hollywood, Calif.

This is the 3rd or 4th regulator I've gotten with a similar label. Did they specifically service vintage equipment for a while, or is it just random chance that I've gotten a few? Has anyone else seen them?

[ScubaLawyer]

That was my go-to place for double-hose parts back in the mid to late 70's. I remember driving to North Hollywood from Orange County to buy a banjo fitting and a hooka port adaptor for a LP hose. Mark

[antique diver]

I think they serviced just about anything that provided air underwater.

[luis]

I don’t know anything about them, but I looked in Google maps at the location and the sign on the building says “Rehearsal Studio” . The sign looks faded so even that business looks like it has been gone for a while.

[Creed]

The thing that struck me a most odd was the fact that these regs came from all over the country. This latest one was from North Carolina.

[ScubaLawyer]

The thing that struck me a most odd was the fact that these regs came from all over the country. This latest one was from North Carolina.

Gosh, I've never heard of a guy who does regulator repairs that gets them in from all over the country, fixes them, and then ships them back out. Anyone ever heard of such a thing. Anyone? Anyone? (Borrowing from Ferris Bueller's Day Off). Mark

[Bryan]

The thing that struck me a most odd was the fact that these regs came from all over the country. This latest one was from North Carolina.

Gosh, I've never heard of a guy who does regulator repairs that gets them in from all over the country, fixes them, and then ships them back out. Anyone ever heard of such a thing. Anyone? Anyone? (Borrowing from Ferris Bueller's Day Off). Mark

Lol...Thanks Mark.......I remember them when I worked at San Diego Divers Supply and when I lived on the same street as they were on in west hollyweird in the 80s.
VDH has run across dozens of the labels on double hosers through the years. SDM magazines has some of their ads.

[Creed]

Gosh, I've never heard of a guy who dies regulator repairs that gets them in from all over the country, fixes them, and then ships them back out. Anyone ever heard of such a thing. Anyone? Anyone? (Borrowing from Ferris Bueller's Day Off). Mark

Precisely my point. I'm curious if this shop was a major repair center for vintage gear prior to Bryan's work.
If so, it's an interesting historical note for vintage gear.

[ScubaLawyer]

They were the only ones I knew about back in that time period. Although later I did get my AquaMaster serviced at a place in Huntington Beach, CA on Gothard Street. Can't recall the name but they had an old timer who knew where to order parts from. Mark

[Creed]

VDH has run across dozens of the labels on double hosers through the years. SDM magazines has some of their ads.

Interesting. I might try to find an ad and save one of the labels.

[swimjim]

A few years ago I bought a couple tanks off ebay that had that sticker on them. They had come out of an estate sale in Hollyweird or so the seller said. Both tanks had Urich written on them. I've wondered if they belonged to the actor. Both of those tanks were used during Sand Dog this year. Treat it nice and a steel 72 will last forever!

[captain]

Back in the late 70's after USD had dis-continued the double hoses I needed some duckbills, Professional Scuba Repair was the only place I could easily get them. I bought a couple of dozen and kept them in the freezer. Those duckbills were at the first Sand Dog. Any old Skin Diver magazine from the 60's and 70's should have their ad.

[Creed]

I think that the reason I'm most interested is because I haven't seen much documentation on this time in DH diving history. I was not yet active in SCUBA(being born in '75), so I don't have any first hand experience, and I haven't seen a lot of work done on documenting the period between the industry migrating away from DH regs and the resurgence that I witnessed when the work of individuals like Bryan really turned the tide in terms of parts availability, collaboration and information sharing. Of course, it's likely that I've missed some documentation and articles on that time period and the people involved in keeping DH regs alive, so I'd welcome pointers to more info.
Thanks!

[ovalis]

Professional Scuba Repair was run by Al Thompson which he started in the late 50's until he retired in the late 80's. The other company mentioned on Gothard St in Huntington Beach was National Scuba Repair. When the Navy went to US Divers to get more double hose parts for their regs, they were directed to Professional Scuba Repair after USD stopped producing parts. Professional Scuba would normally buy out the remaining inventory of parts when the manufacturers would stop making parts for older regulators. The Navy ended up buying most of the USD double hose parts that were left in Pro Scuba's inventory. A few years later, I ended up buying out the remaining inventory of everything from Pro Scuba. It wasn't the Holy Grail, but it sure put a smile on my face loading all those parts into a U-Haul. This reminds me I have a Professional Scuba Repair coffee mug somewhere that I need to dig up.

[SeaHuntJerry]

Hi Mike,
Did you work for Nat'l scuba repair or New england divers/
I just bought a final filter for my dive compressor fill line that was sold by National scuba repair.wanted to know if you had any info on it?
Thanks,Jerry Mn Cow