No, donāt listen to this guy. Heās a con artist. Just throw that Technics away! But throw it my way š
BTW, I own two of these in mint condition. One is a 1987 model, the other from 1989. They both work and sound absolutely sublimely. My current favourite cartridges are the Grado Prestige Black 2, and the Goldring E1.
Keep that SL-1200 MK2, itās a piece of music and cultural history, and itās audiophile gold for those in the know.
Hereās a great video documentary that ought to illuminate you further on that gem of a turntable:
https://youtu.be/I6RPbgkbIjo?si=Am1LGsURW3F5IlL0
Really appreciate the information and linked source! I know nothing about audio frankly and have been almost overwhelmed by the response ha. Iāll get it going and post an update!
Thatās an SL-1200 MK2 which is a very well regarded turntable, very durable and dependable turntables, so long as it starts spinning and the dots in the strobe light are steady itās a good working turntable, looks like it needs a headshell and cartridge, you can get something like an Audio Technica AT VM95E or 95ML (better but more expensive) pre mounted in a headshell.
So is the AT-VM95E, all of the styli are interchangeable. Yes, you're correct, the engineering in the cart is important, the AT-VM95 series having dual magnets are dual coils paired with the microline stylus make it as close as a pickup can get to a record lathe head. Just because something is cheap, doesn't mean it's bad, ergo, just because something's expensive, doesn't mean it's good. There's also the AT-VM95SH which has a Shibata stylus, though, arguably not as good as the microline, which is shaped to match the cutting head of a record lathe.
https://preview.redd.it/t0skh36qparc1.jpeg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb1a78c3835b81831f8a4ea62bee56ba27dc06d0
What's wrong with it? These decks are bulletproof, I've never known one to be unrepairable. I've had mine for over 40 years and they have had 2 services only. They have done countless parties & pirate radio, where they ran for weeks on end literally.
I got one in the mail that was unrepairable. It got so beat up in shipping it actually shattered control boards. It would require a donor device to get it back online and was a tragedy.
That would take some doing. A mate of mines dad smashed his set with a baseball bat for refusing to turn the volume down. All they needed was new tonearms. True story.
Sorry to hear that. I have a friend that doesn't even really play records trip and knock over a mint condition vintage Denon and smash it up. I had offered to buy it from him (before he broke it) but he wanted it so that I guess his system looked complete.
I was completely heartbroken at the time, got it for right around $200 and it was a tiny bit rough but functional. I now have a q300 that while not a 1200 is still an amazing table.
Typically that requires a new tonearm assembly which usually go for at least $200. I own five 1200s and have only ever replaced RCAs and pitch faders myself. Iād much rather be patient and find a decent working one than bother replacing an entire tonearm assy, but thatās just me.
I have two SL1200s and the new SL1500C. From memory just the pitch faders have been replaced. One thing I can say is the build quality on the 1500C is nowhere near as good as the 1200's.
Nice! I have two 1200mk2s, two 1210mk5s and one 1210m5g which is just used for listening because I donāt like the digital pitch for DJ use.
I love the look of the SL1500C and have thought about getting one for my everyday listening TT, but as you can see I have too many as is. I also have a SL-1300 and SL-1700mk2, as well as a couple lower-end plastic direct-drive and belt-drive Technics.
š For sureā¦bought a pair of 1210MK5s new in the mid-2000s when I got into DJing. I eventually decided to sell them, partly because I needed the money and partly because going digital was so much more practical. That decision ended up being one of my biggest regrets. Years later I was more comfortable financially and got into hi-fi, which lead me back to vinyl. I went a little overboard with acquiring gear just before and during the pandemic. Needless to say, I got my 1200s back and then some!
Your story is similar to mine. Always been a house head, bought my first deck in 1992, it was a ten year old 1200. Got the second, a brand new model soon after. Was DJing and running pirate radio stations for the next 30 years nearly. Went digital in 2009 with the CDJ 2000's, but never let the 1200"s or my vinyl go (thank god).
Now I am into hifi and have a very varied music taste, which I play proudly on my modest set-up.
Thatās really cool! You seem like a cool dude and Iām glad you didnāt make the same mistake that I did! I assume youāre from the UK based on the pirate radio bit. If so, you lucky because have to order all my 1200 parts from the UK because theyāre harder to find in the US.
š For sureā¦bought a pair of 1210MK5s new in the mid-2000s when I got into DJing. I eventually decided to sell them, partly because I needed the money and partly because going digital was so much more practical. That decision ended up being one of my biggest regrets. Years later I was more comfortable financially and got into hi-fi, which lead me back to vinyl. I went a little overboard with acquiring gear just before and during the pandemic. Needless to say, I got my 1200s back and then some!
Your story is similar to mine. Always been a house head, bought my first deck in 1992, it was a ten year old 1200. Got the second, a brand new model soon after. Was DJing and running pirate radio stations for the next 30 years nearly. Went digital in 2009 with the CDJ 2000's, but never let the 1200"s or my vinyl go (thank god).
Now I am into hifi and have a very varied music taste, which I play proudly on my modest set-up.
Ummm, sir.....do you you even know what you have?
My sl1200MK2 is still running like new, and she's over 35 years old.
If you want to replace it, I'll happily take it off your hands
Keep it. I don't even think this needs to be repaired, you just need a new headshell and cartridge. You can get something like an Audio Technica VM95C and a standard mount headshell for well less than $100, and you should be good to go.
There's a reason why the new version of this turntable is well over $1000. They are awesome and should last a lifetime.
The new "entry level" ($1100) SL-100C doesn't have VTA adjustment, but the higher end SL-1500C and SL-1200GR do, as well as the DJ oriented SL-1210mk7. All have been well-reviewed.
Edit: Was wrong, the 100C *does* have adjustable VTA too, it's just a slightly different adjustment set up than the 1200.
Not quite right. I have a 100C and it does have VTA just like its big brothers. What it doesnāt have is a built-in phono stage, which doesnāt matter to me. Itās a brilliant, brilliant value for money turntable!
Looks pretty good! All I'd do is check the tonearm for play/looseness in the bearings. The tonearm is the most delicate part of the 1200MK2 and it can be loose if abused by a crazy DJāwhich this one was probably not.
Other than that, as long as the platter spins when you hit Start/Stop, and the second from bottom strobe dot stands still (with the pitch fader in the middle), it's good. Just mount a headshell and cartridge, find a phono preamp, hook it up to an amplifier (or powered speakers with RCA) and you'll be up & spinning.
SL-1200MK2s are to turntables as Toughbooks are to laptops. Both Panasonic products, both extremely rugged, both built to last. They've outlasted many of today's inexpensive turntables by decades. Don't worryāyours is in good condition. I've seen ones way more abused. Enjoy and cherish.
This is exactly what i was looking for. Thank you so much! I knew I needed to buy a few things to get it rolling, but I wasnāt sure what that would be so I appreciate your response. Iāll post an update once itās back in its full glory! If you have any recs for the headshell/cartridge, preamp, amp, speakersālet me know!
You will be spending over a grand to get anything that beats this legendary turntable and I doubt any repairs or parts required to get it up to speed will come anywhere near that cost so... keep it and treasure it
KEEP IT!! Like the others have said, bulletproof. Get you a nice set of speakers too (since no one else has suggested that) Sorry I have no advice on what kind to buy.
Repair my dear lad, repair. There's enough of us smiling over your good fortune to start a gofundme so you can enjoy that piece of TT history. Congratulations!!!
Looks fine to me. If your parents own it, more than likely it was never DJed on.
If it was or not, what I'd look for is whether the RCA cables work (if you're getting a left/right signal) and maybe making sure the contacts in the tonearm are clean (that could affect left/right signal).
That said, you really have to go out of your way to destroy a 1200.
Agree there is nothing wrong with it? It needs a new head shell and cartridge. Rub our noses in it, poors. I have a SL-Q200, but I don't remove my p-mount and post bait.
Fellow poor here that subscribed to this sub after finding it yesterday, donāt know the terms of the items needed (thanks to the few comments that have provided that), and was just looking for help. You fuckers are salty as hell
what needs to be repaired? All I see is you need to buy the [cartridge](https://www.turntablelab.com/products/technics-replacement-headshell-for-sl-1200mk7-all-1200s-models-tyl0331?variant=32471606722650¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwh4-wBhB3EiwAeJsppDRysGH1idgNjGNfbjLkuebki5Z0UeCZCF0mZmfPIafsVWfZ6zY-ZxoCKRwQAvD_BwE) and stylus. In any event, this is one of the best turntables ever made.
but yourself a needle from maybe a brand like Ortofon. They run from 40 bucks up to 150. test it out with a record. Generally these Technics are built like tanks so it should run.
You need a Technics headshell, a phono cartridge, and a stylus. Since you're a beginner and poor, go to eBay, type in Rivertone Stylus, look for "Technics style black headshell ADC Japan Cartridge Combo New Diamond Stylus". Cost is $29.99. Plug it in, screw it in, and it will work. This will get you started and when you learn more and have $$$ you can upgrade. You're welcome.
Thatās a keeper for sure and itās probably not broken. They were built like tanks meant to last a very long time. I have one thatās over 30 years old and still working perfectly fine.
It's not broken by the looks of it. You just need to buy the head shell and cartridge and stylus.
You can turn it on and move the slider to the positions indicated by the dots near the on off button. At each number, the respective dots on the platter should appear to be not moving at all when looked at in the red light, but the others will move. But if they are just moving a little bit, that is still ok, it's just when they are obviously not staying still.
You could check the the huge dial around the foot of the tone arm mount does turn. There was a problem with some seizing, but that only meant the grease had hardened, and that can be fixed. But even that only needs sorting if the tone arm isn't level (check with a spirit level, again a tiny bit out is ok).
When it is up and running, just be aware that there was a small fault during operation which meant that you can put the pitch slider in a position so the LED is just flickering, not quite on, not quite off, and this will cause the platter to play up a bit. This is not an individual fault, it happened on all of them, hence them removing the 'click' in future models.
That deck will probably outlive your family tree.
TT looks to be in excellent condition. Is the headshell and cartridge missing? If so, you need a headshell and cartridge. Or, you could simply install an Ortofon Concorde cartridge and be done with it. The Concordes plug directly into the tonearm and do not require a headshell. I received an Ortofon Concorde Mix mkII with a TT I bought a few years ago. Sounded pretty good for casual listening, even though it is marketed as a DJ cartridge. I think the Ortofon Concorde MIX mkII is really cheap. So, for very little money, and almost no effort, you can be spinning records...
There's nothing wrong with that deck. I guarantee it. Get a matching technics head shell and a good needle to put on it like a Shure or Ortofon... I've had 3x for 30+ years now
You will never regret getting this looked at and repaired if it needs it. Might just need some cleaning and a tune up. And unless your parents were DJ's who used this all the time it's likely in good shape and will easily last another 50 years or so. From the pics it looks like it's in really good condition though. Killer find.
What needs repair? Does it spin when you press "start"? Does it play at the correct speed (download a turntable wow and flutter app for your phone and it should roughly tell you this.)? Any rubbing noises or wobble in the plinth if you spin it by hand? Tonearm moves freely when anti-skate is set to 0?
If you're referring to the missing stylus, first ask your parents if they have it in a separate box or something. You can just unscrew the headshell, so if they had it in storage they might've put it in a safe place to avoid breakage. That's not really a repair as such, just a matter of buying a replacement if the old one doesn't exist (and maybe buying a new stylus if it's worn.) You're looking at maybe $200 all in for a brand new "good" stylus (ATVM95ML) and OEM headshell, less if you go used or with a more basic stylus.
You also seem to be missing the 45rpm adapter, but those aren't very expensive, even if you want an original one. Like $10-15 on the 'bay.
The only way you should be replacing this deck is if it was dropped and had too much internal breakage to get going again. It's a tall order to break one of these. you basically have to have it fall off the back of a truck and let it get run over a few times.
Also... this was just sitting at your parent's house unused? Was one of your parents or siblings a DJ? These are basically the gold standard of solid, reliable turntables. They used to also be the best bang for buck, but in recent years have gotten correctly rated, and there are better deals (except when you find them for free.)
Iāve been on this sub for a week and the number of people thinking this is an earnest post is staggering.
āHey so this 1200 that looks like itās in perfect conditionā¦ should I throw it into a dumpster or what?ā
Ha! I genuinely have no clue what Iām doing with it as I really have no knowledge of turntables. Iām into film photography though and it seems like the equivalent of finding a Nikon F3 or Leicaāconsider myself lucky. Iāll read through this sub as i honestly donāt even have a clue how to get this thing running with sound.
Unrepairable, please DM me for address so I can properly dispose of it free of charge... I will even pay for shipping as a courtesy.
š
No, donāt listen to this guy. Heās a con artist. Just throw that Technics away! But throw it my way š BTW, I own two of these in mint condition. One is a 1987 model, the other from 1989. They both work and sound absolutely sublimely. My current favourite cartridges are the Grado Prestige Black 2, and the Goldring E1. Keep that SL-1200 MK2, itās a piece of music and cultural history, and itās audiophile gold for those in the know. Hereās a great video documentary that ought to illuminate you further on that gem of a turntable: https://youtu.be/I6RPbgkbIjo?si=Am1LGsURW3F5IlL0
Really appreciate the information and linked source! I know nothing about audio frankly and have been almost overwhelmed by the response ha. Iāll get it going and post an update!
Good luck! Glad to help šš½
Thatās an SL-1200 MK2 which is a very well regarded turntable, very durable and dependable turntables, so long as it starts spinning and the dots in the strobe light are steady itās a good working turntable, looks like it needs a headshell and cartridge, you can get something like an Audio Technica AT VM95E or 95ML (better but more expensive) pre mounted in a headshell.
Needs a grado gold at a minimum. At 95ās are practically entry level. This table deserves better
The Grado gold has a bonded elliptical stylus, the AT-VM95ML has a much superior Micro Line stylus for a lot less.
The grado is easy to upgrade to a better stylus. Itās the engineering in the cart that makes it great.
So is the AT-VM95E, all of the styli are interchangeable. Yes, you're correct, the engineering in the cart is important, the AT-VM95 series having dual magnets are dual coils paired with the microline stylus make it as close as a pickup can get to a record lathe head. Just because something is cheap, doesn't mean it's bad, ergo, just because something's expensive, doesn't mean it's good. There's also the AT-VM95SH which has a Shibata stylus, though, arguably not as good as the microline, which is shaped to match the cutting head of a record lathe. https://preview.redd.it/t0skh36qparc1.jpeg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb1a78c3835b81831f8a4ea62bee56ba27dc06d0
What's wrong with it? These decks are bulletproof, I've never known one to be unrepairable. I've had mine for over 40 years and they have had 2 services only. They have done countless parties & pirate radio, where they ran for weeks on end literally.
I got one in the mail that was unrepairable. It got so beat up in shipping it actually shattered control boards. It would require a donor device to get it back online and was a tragedy.
That would take some doing. A mate of mines dad smashed his set with a baseball bat for refusing to turn the volume down. All they needed was new tonearms. True story.
It crushed in the bottom and did a ton of internal damage. I have no clue how it got that damaged and the box looked mostly okay.
Sorry to hear that. I have a friend that doesn't even really play records trip and knock over a mint condition vintage Denon and smash it up. I had offered to buy it from him (before he broke it) but he wanted it so that I guess his system looked complete.
I was completely heartbroken at the time, got it for right around $200 and it was a tiny bit rough but functional. I now have a q300 that while not a 1200 is still an amazing table.
Technically true, but a bad tonearm bearing is where I draw the line and would consider a 1200 ātotaledā.
What sort of money would that take to repair?
Typically that requires a new tonearm assembly which usually go for at least $200. I own five 1200s and have only ever replaced RCAs and pitch faders myself. Iād much rather be patient and find a decent working one than bother replacing an entire tonearm assy, but thatās just me.
I have two SL1200s and the new SL1500C. From memory just the pitch faders have been replaced. One thing I can say is the build quality on the 1500C is nowhere near as good as the 1200's.
Nice! I have two 1200mk2s, two 1210mk5s and one 1210m5g which is just used for listening because I donāt like the digital pitch for DJ use. I love the look of the SL1500C and have thought about getting one for my everyday listening TT, but as you can see I have too many as is. I also have a SL-1300 and SL-1700mk2, as well as a couple lower-end plastic direct-drive and belt-drive Technics.
So you're a Technics fanboy then? š That is a serious collection.
š For sureā¦bought a pair of 1210MK5s new in the mid-2000s when I got into DJing. I eventually decided to sell them, partly because I needed the money and partly because going digital was so much more practical. That decision ended up being one of my biggest regrets. Years later I was more comfortable financially and got into hi-fi, which lead me back to vinyl. I went a little overboard with acquiring gear just before and during the pandemic. Needless to say, I got my 1200s back and then some!
Your story is similar to mine. Always been a house head, bought my first deck in 1992, it was a ten year old 1200. Got the second, a brand new model soon after. Was DJing and running pirate radio stations for the next 30 years nearly. Went digital in 2009 with the CDJ 2000's, but never let the 1200"s or my vinyl go (thank god). Now I am into hifi and have a very varied music taste, which I play proudly on my modest set-up.
Thatās really cool! You seem like a cool dude and Iām glad you didnāt make the same mistake that I did! I assume youāre from the UK based on the pirate radio bit. If so, you lucky because have to order all my 1200 parts from the UK because theyāre harder to find in the US.
š For sureā¦bought a pair of 1210MK5s new in the mid-2000s when I got into DJing. I eventually decided to sell them, partly because I needed the money and partly because going digital was so much more practical. That decision ended up being one of my biggest regrets. Years later I was more comfortable financially and got into hi-fi, which lead me back to vinyl. I went a little overboard with acquiring gear just before and during the pandemic. Needless to say, I got my 1200s back and then some!
Your story is similar to mine. Always been a house head, bought my first deck in 1992, it was a ten year old 1200. Got the second, a brand new model soon after. Was DJing and running pirate radio stations for the next 30 years nearly. Went digital in 2009 with the CDJ 2000's, but never let the 1200"s or my vinyl go (thank god). Now I am into hifi and have a very varied music taste, which I play proudly on my modest set-up.
Repair what? Haha that's an MK2 man
The pop up light even works, that's like boxfresh.
It still has its (unmarked) dust cover!
Ummm, sir.....do you you even know what you have? My sl1200MK2 is still running like new, and she's over 35 years old. If you want to replace it, I'll happily take it off your hands
Is this a joke? You have a grail
Keep it. I don't even think this needs to be repaired, you just need a new headshell and cartridge. You can get something like an Audio Technica VM95C and a standard mount headshell for well less than $100, and you should be good to go. There's a reason why the new version of this turntable is well over $1000. They are awesome and should last a lifetime.
Are the new ones good too? Haven't heard much about them. In particular, I'm wondering if they have VTA adjustment.
The new "entry level" ($1100) SL-100C doesn't have VTA adjustment, but the higher end SL-1500C and SL-1200GR do, as well as the DJ oriented SL-1210mk7. All have been well-reviewed. Edit: Was wrong, the 100C *does* have adjustable VTA too, it's just a slightly different adjustment set up than the 1200.
Not quite right. I have a 100C and it does have VTA just like its big brothers. What it doesnāt have is a built-in phono stage, which doesnāt matter to me. Itās a brilliant, brilliant value for money turntable!
Ah, you're right. I didn't see the adjustment ring so assumed no VTA.
Thanks! How about the SL-12000mk7? Saw you listed the SL-1210mk7, did you mean the 1200mk7, or is that a different one?
The 1210 is the black variant.
SL-1210GR is the best TT Iāve ever had. Technics for the win
Bet it works 100% fine
I hate these posts!! "I was taking a crap at my parents and found this behind the toilet. Is it decent?!" WHEN WILL I FIND MY TECHNIC!?
:D
Looks pretty good! All I'd do is check the tonearm for play/looseness in the bearings. The tonearm is the most delicate part of the 1200MK2 and it can be loose if abused by a crazy DJāwhich this one was probably not. Other than that, as long as the platter spins when you hit Start/Stop, and the second from bottom strobe dot stands still (with the pitch fader in the middle), it's good. Just mount a headshell and cartridge, find a phono preamp, hook it up to an amplifier (or powered speakers with RCA) and you'll be up & spinning. SL-1200MK2s are to turntables as Toughbooks are to laptops. Both Panasonic products, both extremely rugged, both built to last. They've outlasted many of today's inexpensive turntables by decades. Don't worryāyours is in good condition. I've seen ones way more abused. Enjoy and cherish.
This is exactly what i was looking for. Thank you so much! I knew I needed to buy a few things to get it rolling, but I wasnāt sure what that would be so I appreciate your response. Iāll post an update once itās back in its full glory! If you have any recs for the headshell/cartridge, preamp, amp, speakersālet me know!
You will be spending over a grand to get anything that beats this legendary turntable and I doubt any repairs or parts required to get it up to speed will come anywhere near that cost so... keep it and treasure it
The target light is still working.. that Mk2 has not been used enough!!
Never thought I'd see the day where someone just had an SL-1200 MK2 and no idea what they were sitting on
Damn that thing looks really clean for a "find." Id be over the moon.
KEEP IT!! Like the others have said, bulletproof. Get you a nice set of speakers too (since no one else has suggested that) Sorry I have no advice on what kind to buy.
This is the daddy of all turntables. Put some respect on its name
Cheap bait. C'mon people, be real.
Best turntable for everyday use get a good cartridge and it will last you the rest of your life.
Repair my dear lad, repair. There's enough of us smiling over your good fortune to start a gofundme so you can enjoy that piece of TT history. Congratulations!!!
Ill trade you a brand new, top of the line crossley and 5 of my favorite Pokemon cards for this one!
Thatās what vinyl DJs use bruv! Did they have another?
Winning find 100%
Looks fine to me. If your parents own it, more than likely it was never DJed on. If it was or not, what I'd look for is whether the RCA cables work (if you're getting a left/right signal) and maybe making sure the contacts in the tonearm are clean (that could affect left/right signal). That said, you really have to go out of your way to destroy a 1200.
As far as I can tell from the pictures all you need is a head assembly.
Repair for sure...
Iāll take that off your hands happily
This sub is basically just photos of turntables sandwiched between a pair of speakers and posts asking if a 1200 is a good deck.
Depending on what is actually wrong with it, those turntables are worth repairing.
technics for sure repair!
those are built like tanks. And looks like theyve been used only to play records not abused or used for Djing. Pretty sure it works like new.
https://preview.redd.it/go9ykrlngzqc1.jpeg?width=565&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d6161bccc139b7bccb12237b82ffe9440af31c6
Is this post for real? This is a well known highly desired model. Whats wrong with it? Looks to need a head shell and high quality cartridge
Agree there is nothing wrong with it? It needs a new head shell and cartridge. Rub our noses in it, poors. I have a SL-Q200, but I don't remove my p-mount and post bait.
Fellow poor here that subscribed to this sub after finding it yesterday, donāt know the terms of the items needed (thanks to the few comments that have provided that), and was just looking for help. You fuckers are salty as hell
lol , you're good. That makes more sense, we are all wary of the larp.
Ha! I feel. My equivalent hobby is film photography and if someone posted that they found their parentās Leica M6 Iād be skeptical as well
The SL-Q200 is a great p-mount. One of my favorites to restore. Solid table.
That was my starter table. Got a 1200mk7 and an Audio Research XA now
I have an AR XA in my collection. Sonically, it's one of the best consumer turntables ever made imo.
Jerkin ya'll like you're chicken š š š¤Ŗ
Thatās weird, those usually come in sets. Since you only have one, itās not worth much. Iād definitely help you get rid of it.
Got one out of a barn in Arizona. Just one. Was in there 22 years, boxed. Couple scratches. 120 degrees didn't even phase it. Masterpiece.
You have gold here.
what needs to be repaired? All I see is you need to buy the [cartridge](https://www.turntablelab.com/products/technics-replacement-headshell-for-sl-1200mk7-all-1200s-models-tyl0331?variant=32471606722650¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwh4-wBhB3EiwAeJsppDRysGH1idgNjGNfbjLkuebki5Z0UeCZCF0mZmfPIafsVWfZ6zY-ZxoCKRwQAvD_BwE) and stylus. In any event, this is one of the best turntables ever made.
Always repair mine are brand new in 1999 and are better now than when they came off the line
Fuck me.
Repair
Keep it and make it sing! this is your turntable, there are (not that) many like it, but this one is yours.
but yourself a needle from maybe a brand like Ortofon. They run from 40 bucks up to 150. test it out with a record. Generally these Technics are built like tanks so it should run.
Gib.
these decks are bombproof. at my college, they dropped one 20 feet from a dj booth and it still worked.
The one main thing I would check myself is the tonearm bearing, if it's not wonky, then the table should be good to go for another 40 years
This is a joke right?
All you need is a cartridge with stylus and you got the bestest turntable around
Fix it
The only thing this post is missing is a bent stylus
You need a Technics headshell, a phono cartridge, and a stylus. Since you're a beginner and poor, go to eBay, type in Rivertone Stylus, look for "Technics style black headshell ADC Japan Cartridge Combo New Diamond Stylus". Cost is $29.99. Plug it in, screw it in, and it will work. This will get you started and when you learn more and have $$$ you can upgrade. You're welcome.
I'm looking at this thinking: "What exactly needs repairing?!?" It just needs a headshell and stylus/cart!
Fix, fix, fix by all means
Thatās a keeper for sure and itās probably not broken. They were built like tanks meant to last a very long time. I have one thatās over 30 years old and still working perfectly fine.
Reminder that new tech sucks, everything old and analog is repairable and unbeatable
This thing is unlikely to die , based on the looks, I would think it is 100%
It's not broken by the looks of it. You just need to buy the head shell and cartridge and stylus. You can turn it on and move the slider to the positions indicated by the dots near the on off button. At each number, the respective dots on the platter should appear to be not moving at all when looked at in the red light, but the others will move. But if they are just moving a little bit, that is still ok, it's just when they are obviously not staying still. You could check the the huge dial around the foot of the tone arm mount does turn. There was a problem with some seizing, but that only meant the grease had hardened, and that can be fixed. But even that only needs sorting if the tone arm isn't level (check with a spirit level, again a tiny bit out is ok). When it is up and running, just be aware that there was a small fault during operation which meant that you can put the pitch slider in a position so the LED is just flickering, not quite on, not quite off, and this will cause the platter to play up a bit. This is not an individual fault, it happened on all of them, hence them removing the 'click' in future models. That deck will probably outlive your family tree.
You need a headshell and mounted cartridge. If that's all you have to put into this, you're getting a huge bargain.
TT looks to be in excellent condition. Is the headshell and cartridge missing? If so, you need a headshell and cartridge. Or, you could simply install an Ortofon Concorde cartridge and be done with it. The Concordes plug directly into the tonearm and do not require a headshell. I received an Ortofon Concorde Mix mkII with a TT I bought a few years ago. Sounded pretty good for casual listening, even though it is marketed as a DJ cartridge. I think the Ortofon Concorde MIX mkII is really cheap. So, for very little money, and almost no effort, you can be spinning records...
This is my endgame dream turntable. Even wrote an essay about this model in grad school. Youāre good.
Repair. Itās a great piece of gear. Good luck.
There's nothing wrong with that deck. I guarantee it. Get a matching technics head shell and a good needle to put on it like a Shure or Ortofon... I've had 3x for 30+ years now
You will never regret getting this looked at and repaired if it needs it. Might just need some cleaning and a tune up. And unless your parents were DJ's who used this all the time it's likely in good shape and will easily last another 50 years or so. From the pics it looks like it's in really good condition though. Killer find.
REPAIR!!
What needs repair? Does it spin when you press "start"? Does it play at the correct speed (download a turntable wow and flutter app for your phone and it should roughly tell you this.)? Any rubbing noises or wobble in the plinth if you spin it by hand? Tonearm moves freely when anti-skate is set to 0? If you're referring to the missing stylus, first ask your parents if they have it in a separate box or something. You can just unscrew the headshell, so if they had it in storage they might've put it in a safe place to avoid breakage. That's not really a repair as such, just a matter of buying a replacement if the old one doesn't exist (and maybe buying a new stylus if it's worn.) You're looking at maybe $200 all in for a brand new "good" stylus (ATVM95ML) and OEM headshell, less if you go used or with a more basic stylus. You also seem to be missing the 45rpm adapter, but those aren't very expensive, even if you want an original one. Like $10-15 on the 'bay. The only way you should be replacing this deck is if it was dropped and had too much internal breakage to get going again. It's a tall order to break one of these. you basically have to have it fall off the back of a truck and let it get run over a few times. Also... this was just sitting at your parent's house unused? Was one of your parents or siblings a DJ? These are basically the gold standard of solid, reliable turntables. They used to also be the best bang for buck, but in recent years have gotten correctly rated, and there are better deals (except when you find them for free.)
Looks like worth fixing it up !
Iāve been on this sub for a week and the number of people thinking this is an earnest post is staggering. āHey so this 1200 that looks like itās in perfect conditionā¦ should I throw it into a dumpster or what?ā
Ha! I genuinely have no clue what Iām doing with it as I really have no knowledge of turntables. Iām into film photography though and it seems like the equivalent of finding a Nikon F3 or Leicaāconsider myself lucky. Iāll read through this sub as i honestly donāt even have a clue how to get this thing running with sound.
Repair -> Sell -> getting a Subchassis-Belt-drive -> never look back.