I really have a jones for one of these turntables. I am considering purchasing one to restore.

I spoke with a knowledgeable person on the matter, and he claimed that about 50% of the time the plastic piece inside the tonearm behind the headshell is destroyed while trying to remove it. This must be done in order to re-wire the tonearm. He said if you mess up that plastic piece, then you have to replace the entire tonearm.

Like I said, I really want one of these, but I don't want to have to purchase 3 additional AR's for parts. All I want to do is physically restore it, replace the RCA wires and power cord, re-wire the tonearm, replace the belt, and do the tonearm modifications described famously in the Audio Basics February 1984 issue. I don't want to go crazy with mods.

Does anyone here have experience taking apart and re-wiring this thing? Any tips on how to safely remove that piece?

Thanks fellas.

:smoke: herbs

If there is info, experience, tips, tricks, or anything else, you'll find it at http://www.vinylnirvana.com/

Enjoy! :thmbsp:

I am about to do it myself, I understand that it is not a job for the faint of heart, here is an excellent link (http://www.vinylnirvana.com/ar_rewire.shtml) that I have been reading :thmbsp:

In addition, if you are hunting one down be sure to ask about the motors, I found a lot of them with bad motors and this isn't an easy one to find without buying another TT, I was fortunate that a couple of members here helped me out in finding one. PM me if you have any questions I just started this project.

I am sure I will be in touch...

Thanks! :thmbsp:

Best of luck. I've wanted to do this mod for a long time, but I've been nothing but a big feathery chicken.

Thanks!

I won this thing off ePray last night. Put my old lady to sleep with a back rub just in time to sneak over to the computer and place a bid with under a minute to go. Right at $85 shipped, but I know this is only the beginning...

My friend, who works at a cabinet shop, is going to help me with the wood base. I am going to paint the metal top a semi-gloss black. I haven't decided whether to use black felt or cork for the platter mat. I also found some isolation feet I plan on ordering from www.needledoctor.com - $12 for a set of 4. They have a Grado Platinum Cartridge with a wood body that would match up great, only a $300 cart. is waaaaaay out of my price range. Any cartridge recommendations?

I believe the only things I am going to try and do are cosmetic. I have been referred to a person locally who has much experience with these units, Mr. Gordon Waters of Audio Atlanta, Marietta GA. He sold a nice one to CrackerKorean at the 1st Annual Dixie Fried Fish n' Grits Southern AK Fest a few weeks back. Looked and sounded nice. I also have 4 JBL 10" woofers that need re-foaming as well.

I am going to pair this table with a Marantz 2275 w/wood case, and a set of JBL L36 decades. This should make for a system as pleasing to the eye as it is to the ear. Lots of wood.

Here is a pic of the new project:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b57/esiefkes/MISC/MyAR.jpg

The seller says it has a "hum", so we will just see how far down the rabbit hole I am willing to venture...

:smoke: herbs

A word of advice about soldering wires on the four pins where the headshell attaches. I find that if you use a spare headshell as a heatsink (just attach the headshell to the connector with the collar) there is less risk of overheating the plastic.

Rob

So, insert a spare headshell into the plastic piece while soldering the wires? :scratch2:

I was watching that one, that ought to keep you out of trouble for awhile :thmbsp: I sure would like to see some nudie pics of it when you get it, BTW is it a single motor or a two motor model?

BTW is it a single motor or a two motor model?

I have no idea, I hope it is the one motor model. Someone asked a question in the auction about "the motor" and he stated it was fine. I guess we will see.

Nice TT, it's gonna be a fun restoration.

By the way, Grado cartridges hum with the XA since they are not shielded. Why not try a Shure M97xE? AR turntables and Shure cartridges are a perfect match. I've got a NOS Shure M-91ED on my XA, and it sounds real nice.

As far as mats go, felt sounds like crap on the XA. Go for cork.

Here's mine:

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/8782/dsc05253wu2.jpg

Thanks for the advice about the grado. I have heard they will hum on my PL-518 as well. I was leaning toward a Shure. I might take the M95-ED of my Pioneer and slap it on the AR.

:smoke: herbs

It's hard tell in my pic, but that's a homemade cork mat onmy XA.

I really like the way the cork looks. I read somewhere that the cork is available at one of the big box hardware stores in large rolls and that it must be steam ironed flat. That is one nice looking table you got there! :thmbsp:

Thanks!

I got my roll of cork from Michael's Art Supply. I used an old mat as a guide, a compass, large ruler, pen & sharp scissors. Easy.

There is no doubt that the cork sounds better than the 10+ different mats I've tried with the XA.

Enjoy the restoration!

Cheers

After reading about Eunomians mat on another thread, I made one for my modded Kenwood TT and I have to agree it is the best sounding mat that I have tried so far :thmbsp:

How thick was the cork you used? I'm only asking in case Michael's has more than one thickness . . .