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Project - Technics SL1200 MKII-A - Mods

sxty8goats

sxty8goats

Super Member
Hello :)

I scored a SL1200 MKII last week for $150. Through the kind suggestions of thedelious (sp?) and beatcomber I have decided to update a few components and since I have to wait a week or so for parts and who knows how long for a stylus from Japan, I decided to do a tare down this morning. Exploded TT porn in the thumbs. :)

I will be doing a Cardis rewire of the tone arm and will likely dampen it w/ shrink and other methods. Parts are on order. If anyone has links to threads detailing their work, I'd appreciate it.

My main dilemma right now is paint. I really want to repaint but I also do not want to loose the stenciling. Does anyone have stencils or transfers to re-label after a paint? I'm likely going to go with a dark metallic grey. A nice color that will make it look close enough to stock to make people think twice.

For everyone's reference, the post linked below is a good list of what I did, by the man who suggested I do it. :)
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showpost.php?p=4596664&postcount=1166

This thread is the one that originally got me thinking about re-doing the arm. Wish I could have found it before I did this project :) I may pick up another arm from KAB and give it a go...

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=356870


Suggestions welcome.




 
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Let's try this again last time it didn't take.

Anyway this should help you about the Stenciling or Decals.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=361134

I wouldn't try and dampen the plinth as to my ears there dampen more than enough, if it were me i'd try and make it livelier like the suspended 1600 1700 or 1800MKII since they share the same arm and most of the electronics as well as the platter etc..........
 
No plans to dampen the plinth, just the tone arm.

Thanks for the idea on the decals. I had forgot all about self kits. I'll have to look into that a bit closer.
 
If your gonna dampen the arm Try it first with teflon tape as it's easier to remove in case you don't like it. It's the same stuff that Plumbers use. If you wrap it rite it looks very nice just take your time.
 
Parts came in today. Which is why I'm posting at midnight. :)

Pulled the tone arm off of the base and removed the tube. I was planing on using the heat shrink damping method but I found a small roll of self stick silicon tape that had been waiting for a purpose. Instead of wrapping the outside of the arm, I made a tube out of the silicon tape and put it inside. Before damping the tube clanged when dropped. With damping it clunks. Cardis wire has been run and soldered to the head shell mount. Arm is reassembled. I still need to solder the wires to the base and attach the RCA leads. But it is late, and I'm off to bed. No pics, I left my camera in my motorcycle trunk. I'll try to get some tomorrow.

I have the table masked for paint but I can't bring myself to sand and paint it. It is a matter of not wanting to lose the labeling. I have no good way to replace it. So she may retain the stock paint.
 
:lurk:

Assembling parts as I type to do some mods/upgrades recommended by thedelihaus on my 1200 mk2. Very interested in how yours turns out.
 
sxty8goats said:
Hello :)

I scored a SL1200 MKII last week for $150. Through the kind suggestions of thedelious (sp?) and beatcomber I have decided to update a few components and since I have to wait a week or so for parts and who knows how long for a stylus from Japan, I decided to do a tare down this morning. Exploded TT porn in the thumbs. :)

I will be doing a Cardis rewire of the tone arm and will likely dampen it w/ shrink and other methods. Parts are on order. If anyone has links to threads detailing their work, I'd appreciate it.

My main dilemma right now is paint. I really want to repaint but I also do not want to loose the stenciling. Does anyone have stencils or transfers to re-label after a paint? I'm likely going to go with a dark metallic grey. A nice color that will make it look close enough to stock to make people think twice.

Suggestions welcome.
Click to expand...

I painted mine in a flat black, but i may change that, i recently did a 1700mk2 in shadow grey that looks terrific, so i may redo the 1200 with the same color, just waiting for the paint to cure enough so i can assemble it.

On my 1200 the decals were fading anyhow, so i really didn't care much for it, and since i don't plan on selling ever, it didn't bother me to just sand and paint over it.


John

Oh yeah, with my 1200, I really didn't have much of a choice other than paint it, when i got it it was a mess, paint was faded ( rubbed off is more like it) and it had some deep scratches, so painting it was a must.
Yours doesn't look bad at all, so i would probably just leave it has is.
 
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My paint is pretty good, only a minor scratch on the top surface in the front right corner that looks more like a bit of dirt. The back corners are a bit beat as well as the hinges. But those are not seen. Part of me really wants to paint to make it a bit more unique and because I have the the thing gutted anyway. If I'm going to do it, now is the time.

The sl12000Mk2 was such a halo table for me back in the 80's that I really don't want to loose the labels. I get a bit of joy just seeing it. So I'm horribly torn :)

I'm still waiting on my stylus, alignment tool and dust cover. The last notification on the stylus was it was in Japan, presumably waiting on the flight out, on 4/9. The alignment tool should be here in a week to 10 days. Dust cover is back ordered until the end of may. I may be moving before that but I'll just call KAB and switch the shipping addy.
 
Zodia said:
I painted mine in a flat black, but i may change that, i recently did a 1700mk2 in shadow grey that looks terrific, so i may redo the 1200 with the same color, just waiting for the paint to cure enough so i can assemble it.
Click to expand...

I really like flat finishes, how is it holding up in use? Sometimes they can be hard to keep clean or rather clean without resulting in an uneven looking finish.

I was thinking of doing one of they 'stone' finishes you find in home improvement stores. Something in the dark gray family with possibly a very dark red or green element in it.
 
When are you available? We can meet for coffee right off 139. I'll go over the table with you. shoot me your phone number. You can't be more than 10 minutes away from me.

It looks like I'll be around most of the weekend.
 
sxty8goats said:
I really like flat finishes, how is it holding up in use? Sometimes they can be hard to keep clean or rather clean without resulting in an uneven looking finish.

I was thinking of doing one of they 'stone' finishes you find in home improvement stores. Something in the dark gray family with possibly a very dark red or green element in it.
Click to expand...
It's been holding up ok, it's only been a few months since i've painted it (got it from thedelihaus in december), and I only dust it with a feather duster, no rubbing, although I already managed to put two chips in the back, due to me removing the dustcover (where the TT is placed it can not have the DC on the hinges).

John
 
Just curious, what's involved in the cardis wire upgrade? How difficult is it to take it all apart and reassemble?
 
thedelihaus said:
When are you available? We can meet for coffee right off 139. I'll go over the table with you. shoot me your phone number. You can't be more than 10 minutes away from me.

It looks like I'll be around most of the weekend.
Click to expand...

I live pretty much on the corner of 37 and 139. I'm around tonight, I'll be soldering the wires on the terminal strip and attaching the RCAs tonight. I'll shoot you my number, feel free to call after 5:30. We have a no cell policy at work and I'm on the bike today. Hard as all heck to ride and talk on the phone. :)
 
Impedance said:
Just curious, what's involved in the cardis wire upgrade? How difficult is it to take it all apart and reassemble?
Click to expand...

It was more intimidating than difficult. In the interest of full disclosure, I work as an engineer and have been building machinery most of my life. The only bit that intimidated me was I had no idea what was inside and how delicate the components would be.

For me the trickiest part was tinning the cardis wire. It is so thin that it was hard to keep the iron on the wire to bring it to heat. I ended up laying the iron on the table and holding the wire and solder in each hand.

There is a lot of disassembly but it is pretty much 4 or 5 stages.

1. Remove the head shell and put it somewhere safe. Pull the platter. It comes straight up, make sure you unplug the table first. Remove the plastic protective shield below it.

2. Flip the table over. Put it on some sort of support that holds the arm above your work surface. Remove the plethora of screws holding the bottom of the table to the top. Put those in a container. remove the bottom.

3. Remove the screws holding the mass to the table top. Big clay looking thing. Put those screws into another container. Remove Big clay looking thing.

4. Now you can get at the bottom of the arm. As I recall there was a metal plate that has to come off (2 screws). This gives access to the 3 screws holding the arm in. Pull these three screws and the arm assembly drops out.

5. De solder the tone arm wires (or be lazy like me and cut them close to the circuit board). Remove the circuit board. You will now be able to see 2 screws that line up with the base of the arm hinge. Pull these and the arm comes off the base. You can now get to the two screws holding the arm to the hinge assembly. Pull the tube and you can then do what ever you want to it. :)
 
A few more photos. The arm is done.

New cardis wire. New ground wire(s). Weighted end dampened w/ KAB end cap and filled with silicone foam which I normally use to buffer vibration in gas powered RC planes. Arm tube is internally damped with a silicon tape. Entire assembly cleaned up and ready to mount.

Second picture shows the original circuit board that was replaced by the terminal strip.

 
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Nice work! And good talking with you today, too!

The long screw that you use to re-mount the turret board to the base- the screw that originally holds the circuit board in place- that also "grounds" the arm "inside" by making internal contact. I ran a 2.5" "jumper" wire from that long bolt to the ground wire for additional secure grounding. In addition, I used liquid tape as additional shielding for the wires, coating the turret board and exposed end of wires.
 
thedelihaus said:
Nice work! And good talking with you today, too!

The long screw that you use to re-mount the turret board to the base- the screw that originally holds the circuit board in place- that also "grounds" the arm "inside" by making internal contact. I ran a 2.5" "jumper" wire from that long bolt to the ground wire for additional secure grounding. In addition, I used liquid tape as additional shielding for the wires, coating the turret board and exposed end of wires.
Click to expand...

I knew there would be a ground jumper I missed. :) Thanks.

Nice to talk with you as well. It is good to have other nuts, ummm enthusiasts, in the area besides myself. I try to talk about this stuff with friends and co-workers and their eyes glaze over.
 
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