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My experience with Pioneer PL-630

jojo0416

jojo0416

aka Karipas
10 days ago I got my Pioneer PL-630 I purchased online. Shipping went well and arrived in good condition. The table is solid and plays really well and I liked it too, but after a few days the TT developed speed issues sooner than expected. I was advised cause of speed issues are dirty controls. Anyways I opened the unit today and I am sure the TT was not as advisertised (see add statement below) I just don't get it why some sellers will lie on something, I will still buy the unit as long as it is worlking.

I know it was not flushed with deoxit because the knob has a totally different feel before and after I cleaned it myself, there are bits of rust shavings and dust which can be wiped or vacuumed.

Also one foot colar was broken and does not hold and all rubber boots except one was already gone (not an issue for me), I was about to buy one foot at the auction site but it does not have the collar so fixed it myself. It does not look bad but the close up made it look worst.

I glued the collar and the eyelet by gorilla glue, after it dried a bit I folded a thin wire (from a capacitor terminal) to create a small bracket to hold the two pieces together use jb weld to make that solid bracker and resist stress/breaking. Then dremel the underside to just create an arc and act as a support.

The PL-630 is now leveled, no speed issues but I will monitor it continuosly. In the future If I am able to find a neoprene rubber I will replace what's left of those rubber boot to act as washer between the collar and metal base and probably do a recap.

The tone arm assembly is beyond my skill and have not figired it out yet so I will leave it for now.

The gears by the way has no grease (so the seller's description also does not apply), I put a dab of my shimano grease used fishing reels.

****
Pioneer PL-630 in excellent condition.
Electrical’s flushed with Deoxit. Proper lubricant applied. All functions work properly. Completely automatic or manual. Lighted analog pitch control or quartz locked. Dustcover in vintage excellent condition, very slight normal marks, nothing much, absolutely no cracks, dustcover is clear, no haze and strong. Hinges work properly and cover stays open. Pioneer magnesium headshell with a new Grado prestige Blue.
****

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FWIW, I traded six what I considered surplus turntables to a shop straight across for a reconditioned PL-630. Even though the “speed problem” was not evident (may have been fixed) there were times when Quartz Lock didn’t.

That symptom was described in an extensive PL-630 thread which I believe is here in this forum. A small squirt of cleaner via an insulin syringe down along the Quartz Lock button followed by 300 engage/disengage pressings of that button cured the problem.

It’s a strikingly beautiful turntable and why I wanted it.

The only niggling issue I have concerns the stock headshell.
 
62vauxhall said:
That symptom was described in an extensive PL-630 thread which I believe is here in this forum. A small squirt of cleaner via an insulin syringe down along the Quartz Lock button followed by 300 engage/disengage pressings of that button cured the problem.
Click to expand...

I have a PL-610, in most ways similar to the PL-630, that also has the speed issue. After reading the thread you mentioned I was convinced that I needed to disassemble the table to fix the speed issue. In your case it wasn't the speed adjust but just the quartz lock? I don't have a small syringe but I may figure out a way to work some Deoxit into that switch.
 
Spray away, deal with the mess later. To the OP, those footer rubbers are essential for proper operation of suspension.
 
AvFan said:
I have a PL-610, in most ways similar to the PL-630, that also has the speed issue. After reading the thread you mentioned I was convinced that I needed to disassemble the table to fix the speed issue. In your case it wasn't the speed adjust but just the quartz lock? I don't have a small syringe but I may figure out a way to work some Deoxit into that switch.
Click to expand...

No, as far as I know, the more commonly reported varying speed or reversing motor issue is one matter but undependable Quartz Lock another.

In the case of the 630 I got, it had been gone through by a (turntable) specialist and if the above mentioned “common” issue existed prior to his obtaining it, he did not say. Until I actually had it in my possession, I had no knowledge they were prone to that.

The wonky Quartz Lock manifested after I’d had it a while and always the same way. The start of a listening session, all was good. Two or three minutes pass and speed drops noticably. Disengaging/engaging the Quartz Lock button a time or three brought it back online but might slow down again a short time later. Or not.

Quartz Lock off, and maintaining speed was no problem. Manual adjusted, it held well. The table could have been successfully used in that manner. But Quartz Lock was present and since it was malfunctioning, I wished it not to.

It’s always bugged me to own something (anything - in use or not) that wasn’t working 100%.
 
Work the speed adjust pot, speed select button, and quartz lock controls 100 times each, slowly. Power can be off. This is if you are showing erratic speed issues. If that mostly clears it up, you have dirty/corroded controls. DeOxit will make the correction a bit more long lasting.

If you do not have erratic speed issues, keep it that way by working your controls 5-10 times per month. These decks are 40 years old. For the most part, these nice tables are essentially working. That means the design is quite good. A very few will have an oscillator chip that has gone bad. They are Pioneer custom, and are no longer made. For some reason, several people are parting these out, finding a replacement chip is do-able.

Note: Do NOT put DeOxit on the small platter size or "Repeat" controls. They are snap dome switches and you will trash them.

Enjoy,
Rich P
 
mkane said:
Spray away, deal with the mess later. To the OP, those footer rubbers are essential for proper operation of suspension.
Click to expand...

Until I get a donor rubber boot, I may try other DIY approach..
How about some foam in between the springs similar with the thorens suspension?
The base of the rubber boots (visible in the photo I attached) are what is left of it but is still making that separation of contact between the collar, spring and metal base.
 
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jojo0416 said:
Until I get a donor rubber boot, I have to make do without it.
How about some foam in between the springs similar with the thorens suspension?
The base of the rubber boots (visible in the photo I attached) are what is left of it but is still making that separation of contact between the collar, spring and metal base.
Click to expand...
The rubber boots provide for a dual-material suspension, which will provide quite an effective damping to the oscillation you will get without the "correct" boots. The suspension is a hanging suspension, so oil-impregnated foam won't provide damping like it would if the suspension was a compression type.

You might try dipping the springs in a stretchy RTV. I have not tried that, but have considered it. I simply put the rubber back together and coat it with black RTV. If you don't have the boot rubber bits, you can't do that. Dipping in tool handle coating won't work as it won't stretch.

In a pinch, you could put a single layer of toilet paper an the springs, then coat it with RTV. When you install and use the Springs, the paper will pull apart, but the RTV will remain. It just might work.

Enjoy,
Rich P
 
pustelniakr said:
Work the speed adjust pot, speed select button, and quartz lock controls 100 times each, slowly. Power can be off. This is if you are showing erratic speed issues. If that mostly clears it up, you have dirty/corroded controls. DeOxit will make the correction a bit more long lasting.

If you do not have erratic speed issues, keep it that way by working your controls 5-10 times per month. These decks are 40 years old. For the most part, these nice tables are essentially working. That means the design is quite good. A very few will have an oscillator chip that has gone bad. They are Pioneer custom, and are no longer made. For some reason, several people are parting these out, finding a replacement chip is do-able.

Note: Do NOT put DeOxit on the small platter size or "Repeat" controls. They are snap dome switches and you will trash them.

Enjoy,
Rich P
Click to expand...

Thanks Rich, exactly whaY did per your restoration thread actually before opening the table. I only flushed the speed control and the auto/manual switch. The rest of the controls I left it as is, I know you mentioned not spray on the power switch since the arching can damage the switch.
 
pustelniakr said:
The rubber boots provide for a dual-material suspension, which will provide quite an effective damping to the oscillation you will get without the "correct" boots. The suspension is a hanging suspension, so oil-impregnated foam won't provide damping like it would if the suspension was a compression type.

You might try dipping the springs in a stretchy RTV. I have not tried that, but have considered it. I simply put the rubber back together and coat it with black RTV. If you don't have the boot rubber bits, you can't do that. Dipping in tool handle coating won't work as it won't stretch.

In a pinch, you could put a single layer of toilet paper an the springs, then coat it with RTV. When you install and use the Springs, the paper will pull apart, but the RTV will remain. It just might work.

Enjoy,
Rich P
Click to expand...

I no longer have those bits and pieces of the rubber, I might want to try the toilet paper approach , do you have a spec or part number of the RTV to use? I am getting exicted I like doing this kind of stuff. Thanks in advance.
 
I use Permatex Black Silicone (#81158). Put in on with an artist's pallet knife. It won't be pretty, but if it does the job, you will be golden.

Enjoy,
Rich P
 
There was a fellow on Etsy who was making various boots for Pioneer tables. I interacted with him a bit for boots for the PL-518. He was approachable, and worked with be, regarding my desired durometer and formulation. I seem to recall that he was considering making PL-630 boots too.

Enjoy,
Rich P
 
Thank you so much.
I am thinking on 3 steps/parts approach, 1st to create the barrel (body) then the top and bottom since the these ends has some thickness (approx 2mm) to it and weld it again by the same material, if it does not work then the toilet paper approach will be the next. Although yours is more pragmatic.
I'll try to reach the etsy guy too! Have a great evening!
 
I have messaged the fellow on Etsy a few times over the last few years and never heard back.
I just tried again and I hope I hear something from him. I even asked him if he still had the mold that he used
and asked if he would sell it to me. I would start to make them again as it seems that they are always in demand.
 
Bucky Badger said:
I have messaged the fellow on Etsy a few times over the last few years and never heard back.
I just tried again and I hope I hear something from him. I even asked him if he still had the mold that he used
and asked if he would sell it to me. I would start to make them again as it seems that they are always in demand.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I hope we do get some traction. I saw your post last Jul 2019. LOL
 
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