[help] Realistic Lab-395 - Tracking arm resetting issue.

[Granuaile]

I'm definitely a noob at turntables, hoping to learn from my elders here. I bought a secondhand Realistic LAB-395 from Goodwill. It plays fine, but when it finishes playing, or I hit the "Stop" button, the tracking arm (I think that's what it's called) fails to lift up high enough and so it drags across my record on its way to the cradle. I about had a heart attack, thinking it had just destroyed one of my favorite records. Which it didn't, luckily.

I'm not quite sure where to start, so any thoughts or advice are appreciated

 

[leemelone]

I had a similar issue with my LAB 400. There's a set screw near the back under the tone arm that adjusts the the height. You need to raise it slightly. You may have to do a few times to get it right but watching the way the mechanism lifts the tone arm will get you started in the right direction. Good luck!

 

[Granuaile]

It ended up being something even simpler than that. The curvy part of the lifting mechanism was twisted around the wrong way, so it didn't even touch the tonearm when it lifted. Lesson learnt I guess. Thanks so much for your help though, I'll remember it when I eventually do have that problem!

 

[leemelone]

Right under he curvy part of the lifting mechanism is where the adjustment screw is located. Many issues on vintage turntables can be adjusted and fixed fairly easily. Glad you got your's working properly!

 

[alteclipsch]

Is that another CEC turntable like the Lab 400? I have the 390 and 400, wasn't aware of a 395.

 

[leemelone]

Could be a CEC. It looks like it shares a lot of parts with the LAB 400.