I own a Technics SL-1401 and I’m a moron (Problem solved)

Lovely. I noticed that yours has the smoked dustcover. Here in the US we got clear dustcovers. At least mine did. I like the smoked better.

John

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Well here in Kansas we steal the less scratched dust cover off of an SL-1700 before you sell it and include the 1401’s cover on the sold deck. ;-) I’m considered an aftermarket one that you can buy on eBay. It looks very nice.

It’s back togeather. I mounted my Shure M97Xe with LP Gear Vivid Line stylus and a Herbies Way mat and Mitchell clamp and listened to a few sides in my second system.

Yup... still doesn’t cue when I hit the start button. ;-)

But it sounds really good. Not sure I’m sold on the cart on this deck. My Ortofon 2M Blue sounds better on it I think.

Enjoy some pics. First time I’ve used a TT with my Parasound P5/A23 combo. Sounds really good. Speakers are Tekton Pendragons.

- Woody

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I like that ... the stereo is the focal point of the room, not some 65" 4K HD TV. Although, the big white panel on the far side ... projection TV?

I picked up a smoked cover for a SL-1300 I'm working on right now. Turntable is in pieces right now while I try to fix the cueing.

You can bring the dust over back to life with some wet-sanding (not always necessary, if there are no deep scratches) and the Novus 1, 2 , 3 system of polishes ($20). I use a small hand-held orbital polisher. Harbor Freight has them for $18.

By the way .... nice .... Bull head ??!
 
I had the same issue on mine, solved with silicone deox

When I got mine the 45 RPM button was frozen and the Start button was getting close to being frozen so I squirted some DeoxIT around the perimeter of the buttons and then pressed them repeatedly until they operated normally - and then I did it some more. No disassembly or desoldering required.

Also the cuing heeded servicing and, though it isn't clear in the Service Bulletin, the SL-1401 is among the Method A models where all you need to do to renew the silicone is remove the cuing platform ("arm lift assembly") and squirt a little 300,000 cSt silicon into the arm lift cylinder.

John

Thanks for the tips! I'll give the deox a try. .
 
Lubes and suspension critically adjusted and with felt mats and sitting on a lightweight table. This deck is superlative easily beating my 70s Linn Grace 707 combo.
Why? The suspension stays adjusted and works.
The arm bearing are superior and thus so is tracking.
I run mine with an asak with headshell weight.
 
And please use a correct oil in the main bearing. I can't get the Technics recomended
So I use 10/30 full synthetic engine oil which works well. It spins for a long time and is super quiet. Like all Technics its an open bearing. A few drops every year should do it.
Lift off the platter and you can see the top lip of the bronze sleeve. I use a syringe.
 
By the way .... nice .... Bull head ??!

That's is an American Bison head. I purchased it from a local brewpub when they renovated and decided it didn't fit the new decor.

And please use a correct oil in the main bearing. I can't get the Technics recomended
So I use 10/30 full synthetic engine oil which works well. It spins for a long time and is super quiet. Like all Technics its an open bearing. A few drops every year should do it.
Lift off the platter and you can see the top lip of the bronze sleeve. I use a syringe.

Thanks for the tip. A bit of oil is something I haven't done since I've owned it. It's quiet and keeps perfect speed... but a couple drops aren't going to hurt anything.

- Woody
 
And please use a correct oil in the main bearing. I can't get the Technics recomended
So I use 10/30 full synthetic engine oil which works well. It spins for a long time and is super quiet. Like all Technics its an open bearing. A few drops every year should do it.
Lift off the platter and you can see the top lip of the bronze sleeve. I use a syringe.

Why can't you get the correct oil? Kabusa sells it, and otherwise it's Anderol 465 synthetic oil.

With a bearing like that pushing 40 years old, I pull it, take it apart, and clean out all the black goo. And most of the time, yes, that's exactly what's in there. Adding oil from the top just isn't going to cut it.
 
Why can't you get the correct oil? Kabusa sells it, and otherwise it's Anderol 465 synthetic oil.

With a bearing like that pushing 40 years old, I pull it, take it apart, and clean out all the black goo. And most of the time, yes, that's exactly what's in there. Adding oil from the top just isn't going to cut it.
Why can't you get the correct oil? Kabusa sells it, and otherwise it's Anderol 465 synthetic oil.

With a bearing like that pushing 40 years old, I pull it, take it apart, and clean out all the black goo. And most of the time, yes, that's exactly what's in there. Adding oil from the top just isn't going to cut it.
Good advice for t'tables never cleaned.
Here in country Australia we make do with what'a available.
 
Ah ... I didn't see any location in your profile. Thought it might be something like that.
 
The single biggest improvement I made to my SL-1401 was replacing the mat with the 6mm thick mat from an SL-1200 MK2. The weight difference between the stock 3mm mat and the 1200 mat is enough to necessitate readjusting the suspension but it was well worth the trouble.

John

John I’m going to replace my mat. Any issues with vta, spinning rotation and resonance when you replaced the old mat (300gr) with the thicker one(over 500gr)
 
No issues at all with rotational speed. The additional 200g is pretty insignificant when considering the weight of the platter and mat combined. And no negative effect on resonance. The thicker mat would seem to be capable of damping out more resonance than the thinner stock mat if, as I think they are, they're made from the same material.

VTA will of course change but, as I said in another post, I haven't run into a cartridge that was to tall for the thicker mat and some cartridges that might have required shims will require fewer or none with a thicker mat.

John
 
Yes, they started putting the thinner mat on the MK5 I think. What you want is a MK2 mat, STFG172-01.

John
 
Hi folks, know this is an old thread, but have an SL 1401, which I love, and maybe some of you folks are still subscribed. I just took the thicker mat suggestion, and it seems to really make a difference. Can anyone tell me how to adjust the suspension. Is it just a matter of messing with the screws on the turntable feet. Most of the rubber and plastic was gone from the feet when I got the table, so I have bastardized versions, with the original springs and plastic/rubber housings from another table. But, I may be able to do something. Any advice appreciated. Oh, one more thing, while I'm on the thread. I'm starting to use a Denon DL-80MC cart on this table. Any comments on the compatibility of this cart with the SL 1401? From the info I've gleaned, which is pretty confusing, the compliance is around 15-17 at 10hz. Sounds pretty darn good to me, excellent detail and imaging. Any comments appreciated.
 
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