What is the going price for Technics SL-QL1

Alobar

Addicted Member
I am downsizing a bit on the area where my 2 TT's sit and am wondering if this thing is worth very much. It has a few scratches on the cover, and the stylus probably needs replacing. When I got it it probably hadn't been played in 20 years, it seemed to stop tracking about half way through the first track, but then I ran the tone arm motor back and forth several times and now it plays all the way through.

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Well, as usual, the best guage of value is ebay under completed sales. Local market varies but it gives an idea.

The arm catching in the first track is a thing some auto return Technics will do as a pin enters the plastic guide slot that controls the arm movement. I've found a little grease applied there can help.
 
Well, as usual, the best guage of value is ebay under completed sales. Local market varies but it gives an idea.

The arm catching in the first track is a thing some auto return Technics will do as a pin enters the plastic guide slot that controls the arm movement. I've found a little grease applied there can help.
Not exactly in high demand on ebay so I guess ill keep it and try to find a p mount cart for it..
 
Doh!

I just realized we are talking about the Linear table! I missed the L.

The arm sticking isn't what I mentioned, it's more like just stiction (static friction) from just sitting. Running it back and forth as you did is likely all it needs. A little lube on the arm track might also help but it's not the mechanism I was picturing.
 
Grease on the arm track may have hardened without use.
Now that it goes end to end maybe lightly grease the arm track.
Unless really really really nice (and has original box) they don't bring much over $200 and often times less.
And PROPERLY packing a turntable for shipment is very important, lots of people don't pack them right and buyer ends up with damaged goods. Then a complaint, then a return or refund.

AT has several P-mount carts for your tt, Grado too, and other brands as well.
SL-QL1 is still my only turntable, bought it new in 1983.
 
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I think I'll hang onto this TT now because at this point, shipping alone and the problems associated specifically with turntables I wont get much for it. I was given this table, as well as my main rig, a Technics SL 1401 that I have been very pleased with after installing a AT440MLb. But since that table is nearly 40 years old, it wouldn't hurt to get the linear tracker fixed up with a new stylus as backup in case the SL 1401 develops issues.

Now I am looking at my Teac A-3300SX to sell but I fear that will net even less and have far more shipping problems..
 
If the arm is tracking all the way across a record now you just need a cartridge.
For not much $$ the AT92ECD and AT311EP (pretty much the same, the 311 has a higher output) will get you listening to music.
The SL-QL1 was no slouch when it was made.
Vintage Technics tt info here---> http://www.vintagetechnics.audio/turntables.php
 
If the arm is tracking all the way across a record now you just need a cartridge.
For not much $$ the AT92ECD and AT311EP (pretty much the same, the 311 has a higher output) will get you listening to music.
The SL-QL1 was no slouch when it was made.
Vintage Technics tt info here---> http://www.vintagetechnics.audio/turntables.php
Thanks, good to see it was a pretty good table in it's day. Ill start a thread on the TT forum for when the time comes . Do you know if there are there any micro line (ML) carts that are p-mount? Really like how well my at440mlb plays used vinyl.
 
Thanks, good to see it was a pretty good table in it's day. Ill start a thread on the TT forum for when the time comes . Do you know if there are there any micro line (ML) carts that are p-mount? Really like how well my at440mlb plays used vinyl.


I don't know, but those folks in the tt forum most likely will.
 
There is an Audio Technica PM9000 on the auction site right now with what looks to be a line contact stylus with a tapered aluminum cantilever. I'm not familiar with that particular cartridge, but the ATN-152LC stylus should fit it. It is a very fine line contact with a beryllium cantilever. I have a very similar ATN155LC/U cartridge with that stylus and it sounds very nice indeed.
 
Thanks @By-Tor, that does sound interesting but I have since decided to keep this turntable as a backup for the SL1401 and have a NOS Cart on it that I bought from Montycat that performs very well.
I still have one issue that I need to fix before I use it much, that of the tonearm sitting down too hard, but for now I have my main table for vinyl ripping (which is all I really do with vinyl these days).
 
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