Once upon a time it was unheard of to hold a rummage sale if you didn’t have a record turntable for sale; I believe some families had to go down to a thrift shop and obtain one just to sell it, just to get the tag-sale credibility. For that reason, for many years I would only buy a turntable in absolute prime condition — and it was usually dirt cheap. As time went on, much like the ubiquitous Apple ][e, those sellers who had one to part with had already sold it. Supplies of old turntables dwindled to the point where in the past two years we started to buy any turntable we saw, just out of fear that eventually they’d be no more. This tactic, however, means we bought a bunch of junk over the years…which ended up being used for spare parts (which I may write more about in the near future), but we’ve gotten pretty good at only buying valid record players these days.

First, let’s look at a couple ‘eras’ of turntables:

1. Pre-1960s: This was the time of 10″ 78rpm records, and a lot of custom turntable construction. These are often very stylish by modern standards, designed to be a piece of decorative furniture rather than an audio accessory. Collectors of old electronics are happy to put the time and effort into restoring these vacuum-tube-driven machines, but a vinyl collector should stay away. Even if an old turntable has a 33-1/3 rotation speed, a 78rpm needle is going to tear up your albums; these are for the collector who knows what they’re looking for.
2. 1960s-1970s: The advent of microgroove vinyl and new cheaper mechanics brought out machines with more interchangeable parts and broader speed capabilities. The “drop-in” turntable is the most common to be found — an audio manufacturer would produce the electronics (amplifier, radio, etc.) but the actual turntable would be manufactured separately by a company like BSR and ‘dropped in’ to their stereo system. These tended to be cheaper quality than the high-end audio, but were often built with durability in mind. Don’t be surprised to see turntables with speeds from 16rpm up to 78 rpm; many had a ‘flip needle’ that accommodated both the smaller microgroove needle and the larger 78rpm needle.
3. 1980s and up: Before CDs took complete hold, cheap stereos included a record player for completeness sake…but most were of such poor quality and relied on so much plastic that they were of little use to an audiophile. On the other end, high quality turntables with variable speed control and strobe rpm indicators were available even in mid-range equipment. This period, however, dropped all speeds but 45 and 33-1/3 rpm. Modern vinyl collectors without need for 78s are going to be much more satisfied with a 1980s Pioneer turntable than a BSR drop-in from the 1970s.

As you can see, collectors of 78rpm records should stick to eras #1 and #2, while modern vinyl should stick to #2 and #3…but switch hitters are stuck with #2 to get a useful turntable. Collectors of 78s wishing to actually play back their lacquer disks should probably look for a turntable from the 1960s, though; the older turntables were often quite hard on the records played back on them due to primitive needle materials, but about the time that vinyl records began to dominate the market turntable manufacturers had improved on the earlier machines significantly. The flip needle is a must for collectors of both 78s and 33rpm albums: it was possible at the time (and quite often with modern ‘78rpm’ turntables) that the needle had to be physically replaced depending on the groove width. The flip needle ingeniously had two needles mounted opposite each other, and the cartridge was designed to allow the needle to switch sides via a little lever. Even if your turntable doesn’t have a flip-needle, the entire cartridge can be replaced for relatively low cost.

Replacing the cartridge may be a good idea no matter which turntable is purchased, even newer ones. A rummage-sale turntable needle may have been use well beyond its intended age, and could potentially damage your albums. A visual inspection can help identify severely damaged needles, but such an inspection cannot always be trusted. When picking out a rummage sale turntable, examine the tonearm head to see if the cartridge looks replacable: if the needle and cartridge is molded into the tone arm, or if there are soldered-on wires, skip the turntable; it may be harder to find a needle that fits than to get a new cartridge. Because the cartridge does all of the work of changing the vinyl’s groove into sound, being able to replace or improve it can be the difference between a junky record player and a high-quality turntable. I’ve also found that even similar-looking needles are not interchangeable — but if you buy the cartridge with a needle, not only are you certain you’ve got the right needle, but you’re certain what cartridge you’re using for ordering replacement needles in the future. While the cartridges are more resilient than the needle, at the age of most used turntables I’ve found more damaged cartridges than I ever expected to encounter. If you’re going to replace the cartridge, you can expect to spend from $10 to $30 for the low-end, but as with most audiophile equipment if you’ve got deep pockets you can always find something better.

After checking out the needle, the next important part is the turntable motor. Best bet is to ask the garage sale proprietor if you can plug it in. You don’t need a record album, you don’t need speakers — you just want to turn it on, see if it spins up smoothly and quickly, and if it switches speed when selected. Unless you know your turntables well, it may be difficult to tell if a turntable is direct-driven or belt-driven. A belt-driven turntable may just need a new belt if it doesn’t turn, but a direct-drive platter that doesn’t turn can be a more serious repair. I have bought slow-turning turntables that just needed a cleaning and greasing to bring back to speed, which might not be too bad if you’re comfortable disassembling a turntable, so it is always best to spend your money on one that requires the least amount of work. Aside from replacing a belt, the turntable mechanism is the most important aspect of buying a second-hand turntable, because replacing it basically means buying a new turntable. A good turntable platter and motor can be improved with a new cartridge and needle with little effort or cost, but no cartridge can improve a bad motor or damaged platter. If there’s any hint that the turntable motor, speed control, or other mechanical mechanisms aren’t working, the turntable should probably be left where it is.

One more consideration is the player’s accouterments. A turntable can come in two main forms: as part of a self-contained stereo system, or as a component. A component system is the simplest machine — in fact, they rarely contain any electronics at all. With these, however, you will need an appropriate amplifier that can handle a turntable’s signal. Modern amplifiers quite often lack a turntable input, so a separate preamplifier may be required. Record players that are part of a stereo system can be handy if you want simplicity, but the additional electronics can make it more trouble than it is worth if something like the volume knob has a noisy connection or there’s a short in the radio switch. The all-in-one stereo systems are more likely to end up in my parts pile than the component turntables do. If you are going to buy a console system, avoid ones without a recording output — a “tape out” connector on the back of a console stereo can still be connected to another stereo system, or to your computer for recording.

Because the basic structure of a turntable hasn’t changed much in the past fifty years, a nice, working turntable from the 1960s can rival the quality of a modern one, as long as care is taken to make sure to buy a sturdy, working, repairable turntable.

================

Gotta Collect? Then You Gotta Connect - Join our Collectors’ Community!

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 26th, 2008 at 12:16 am and is filed under Uncategorized, collecting fyi, flea market finds. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.