Old Mystery Lenco Worth messing around with?

[DaCarlson]

I got this Lenco given to me. What do you guys think? It has no cartrige and Ican't ID it. Looks like a well built unit.

Sorry for terrible webcam pics. It's all I have right now. The units table cover, has the speeds written right on it. I was told it was used to calibrate the speeds. I'm not entirely sure. The wodden box almost looks like its custom built. It is very well done if it is. I believe its direct drive.

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/4783/lnecosh5.pnghttp://img89.imageshack.us/img89/1599/lneco2nu9.png

[ehoove]

L75's were great idler wheel tables held in high regard. I would take a hard look at a refurb. might be a real gem in the rough.
Regards,
Jim

[DaCarlson]

IT is in good condition cosmetically. I have no cartridge so I cannot test it. But she spins up nicely and all the speeds seem to function. It more then likely needs to be calibrated. I'll just go ahead and assume its better then my dual 506, with its ortofon.

[ml69]

I don't know alot about the Lenco line, but from all that I've read, they are regarded very well. I don't think I've seen a bad review concerning any model I've read about. I believe the Lenco tables used rim or idler wheel drives. Most refurbishings I've seen use the platter/motor and installation of a newer tonearm. Regardless of the photo quality, it looks like a great table. Enjoy!
Mike

[ehoove]

I don't know alot about the Lenco line, but from all that I've read, they are regarded very well. I don't think I've seen a bad review concerning any model I've read about. I believe the Lenco tables used rim or idler wheel drives. Most refurbishings I've seen use the platter/motor and installation of a newer tonearm. Regardless of the photo quality, it looks like a great table. Enjoy!
Mike
Agreed, the tone arms were the weak link. Most feel the table was the deal. A new heavy plinth and arm leads to high end results. I sold them in the seventies, $169 seems to be my rememberance of retail.
Regards,
Jim

[DaCarlson]

What is a good tone arm for this application? I'm also in need of a needle. I'm a turn table Noob so to speak. Given my age (18).

[Unican_Eric]

See This Post. there are good links in it to help you with your decision.
Excellent table.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=136928

[ml69]

What is a good tone arm for this application? I'm also in need of a needle. I'm a turn table Noob so to speak. Given my age (18).

The link that Unican_Eric provided is excellent. I would start with the Linn arm, although I was looking for one of those and I think the days of an $80 Linn arm are gone - all were going for $150 and up. Still not bad though since you have a great table to build on. If you're not comfortable modding the table yourself, you may be able to locate someone to do it through this site or the Lenco site posted. At 18, you've got a very good table to start with!
In the meantime, if you want to use the table right away, clean it and adjust the tonearm properly (info should be available here or at Vinyl Engine. I would choose a lower end Audio Technica like an AT 440ml or the one lower than that AT 120?, but I'm partial to Audio Technica sound. Good luck with it
Mike

[Kim G]

That table is defintely NOT an L75. From the looks of your picture you have a light platter Lenco. It is an idler drive table. The heavy platter Lencos are the giant killers. The light platter Lencos are OK, it just doesn't measure up to the heavies. If the price was right I wouldn't pass it by. I think it would be a step up from your Dual. Can you tell us what model number it is?

Kim

[Mopic5]

Kim's right. It looks like a B-52 or B-55. At any rate, that's the pressed lightweight platter. As for the going value... I'd guess $70-$90. Anything much over a $100 and you're closing in on being able to slook an early Lenco heavy - like the Bogen/Lenco B(L)-59 or 61 - maybe even a 70.
That said, a guy over at Lenco Lovers put a heavy mat on one of these lightweights (B-55) reamed out the Lenco mounting arm hole and dropped in a Rek-O-Kut Micropoise tonearm. I believe he went with a Mono application, but it seems to have come off well.
http://www.lenco-lovers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2219
Good luck, and let us know what you decide.
- Mario

[Aage]

I'll just go ahead and assume its better then my dual 506, with its ortofon.


Well, I for one wouldn't agree with that statement. Performance-wise, the Dual is better. Your 506 has a fine belt-drive system, and so if its belt is in good shape, it should have an audibly quieter drive.

Plus the 506's tonearm blows the doors off the Lenco one in your photo.

That said, the Lenco is one of the very few players that will let you adjust the speed continuously from 16 to 78 RPM. Yes, while the record is being played. Something to amuse your friends, or endear you to dancing school teachers.

One of these things is not like the other. :)

[dragon]

That table is defintely NOT an L75. From the looks of your picture you have a light platter Lenco. It is an idler drive table. The heavy platter Lencos are the giant killers. The light platter Lencos are OK, it just doesn't measure up to the heavies. If the price was right I wouldn't pass it by. I think it would be a step up from your Dual. Can you tell us what model number it is?

Kim

Yeah, didn't the L-75 tone arm have small counter weights that hung on wires?

[ehoove]

You are correct guys. The L75 has the speed adjustment on the left front side of the table to my recollection. I was refering to the price only.
Jim

[dragon]

You are correct guys. The L75 has the speed adjustment on the left front side of the table to my recollection. I was refering to the price only.
Jim

Thanks for putting up that pic of the L75. That brought back a lot of good memories. It was my first decent TT. It had a couple of small, chromed, puck shaped anti-skating counter weights on the back of the tone arm that dangled on silver wires. Looks like the L-75 in the pic has lost it's weights like most of the surviving Lenco's have. :thmbsp:

[Beobloke]

Yeah, didn't the L-75 tone arm have small counter weights that hung on wires?

Only the one, for applying bias - it's quite a common method.

[BrocLuno]

Most Lenco's are worth the work :)

[dragon]

Only the one, for applying bias - it's quite a common method.

It was fairly unique back in the early 70's when I owned mine. It was a big upgrade from my plastic BSR turntable.

[Beobloke]

It was fairly unique back in the early 70's when I owned mine. It was a big upgrade from my plastic BSR turntable.

With the greatest respect, pretty much anything would be.....:D

[Doug Olitsky]

only arms that match the orig arm geometry are linn

[dragon]

With the greatest respect, pretty much anything would be.....:D

I can't argue with that. I also owned a couple of Gerrard TT's that very lowfi. Thank goodness a friend who was an audiophile showed me the light. :D

[Mopic5]

only arms that match the orig arm geometry are linn

Actually Doug, the Alphason (Opal/ Delta/ Xenon/ HR100S), AudioQuest (PT-6/7/8/9), Empire (980 & 990), JML (TA3A), Helius (Aereous & Scorpio), Logic (Datum), Syrinx (PU-2), and the Zeta tonearms all have the same EL and mounting distance as the Lenco L-75 tonearm. If you ream out the existing hole on the top plate by a mm or so, the Kuzma (Stogi), Hadcock (GH228), Ortofon (AS-212 & HMG-212), Decca International, Moerch (DP-6) and Mayware Formula 4 are all candidates.
Each arm may have its own base/stub diameter issues as well as VTA restrictions when dealing with the Lenco low-slung platter - sometimes a good deal of accomodations need to be made.
Even the Linns need to be shimmed to make them work in the Lenco collar.
- Mario

[cabinover]

Damn Mario, how do you remember all of those arms? I just looked away and probably couldn't name any two of them. Amazing.

[Mopic5]

Damn Mario, how do you remember all of those arms? I just looked away and probably couldn't name any two of them. Amazing.

Databases have a way of making one look more saavy than one actually is.
:nerd:
- Mario