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Rhymes with "Mormons"...

gonzothegreat

gonzothegreat

Super Member
OK it doesn't *quite* rhyme but I had to have a clever title!

After a few morning errands, I was in the vicinity of my favorite thrift store. It was just a few minutes after they opened and I wasn't in a hurry to get to the electronics area. As I inspected the shelves for fresh meat, I saw something on the bottom shelf and my brain punched the nitro. It was in my hands before I even realized exactly what it was. When my head caught up with my hands and feet, my eyes bugged out and I muttered something to the effect of "Is this what I think it is?!?!" I wouldn't be surprised if I left fingernail marks from my deathgrip on it.

td1254.jpg


td1252.jpg


td1253.jpg


The cart is an unknown black Grado FWIW.

Tucked in below the tonearm was what I initially thought was the owners manual. No such luck - it was just the latest copy of AudioXpress (Feb 2011) with an article about restoring a vintage turntable. My cost for the TT was less than the cover price of the magazine! They should look into this kind of promotion - buy the magazine, get a Thorens TD-125 with Rabco SL-8E!

td1255.jpg


While I'll never use the record brush (no idea on the brand), its still pretty cool. All metal construction with a bearing ring on the arm.


:banana::banana::banana::banana: (out of five bananas since its missing the dust cover and hinges)
 
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Great score. I think you'll need to shorten the arm or remount it. It looks way past center or is that how a RABCO is supposed to mount?
 
This beast is HEAVY. As I ran (yes - ran) to the checkout with my prize, an employee stopped me and said "Oh, I just put that out. Boy is it heavy!" I thanked her and gave her a big hug. I need to buy her breakfast Friday.

Thanks for the pointer to the Rabco page. Lots of good info there. Factory manual available at VinylEngine.
http://www.vinylengine.com/library/rabco/sl-8e.shtml
 
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gonzothegreat said:
This beast is HEAVY. As I ran (yes - ran) to the checkout with my prize, an employee stopped me and said "Oh, I just put that out. Boy is it heavy!" I thanked her and gave her a big hug. I need to buy her breakfast Friday.
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Based on this score you probably should offer to father her next born:D

Al. Wise
 
elcoholic said:
Great score. I think you'll need to shorten the arm or remount it. It looks way past center or is that how a RABCO is supposed to mount?
Click to expand...

It appears to be adjustable. Note that long knurled screw and clamp assembly just ahead of the rails. Pretty neat!

John
 
elcoholic said:
Great score. I think you'll need to shorten the arm or remount it. It looks way past center or is that how a RABCO is supposed to mount?
Click to expand...

Now that you mention it, the tip is nearly 1" to the left of vinyl center. Good eye on that. The arm does have an adjustment screw hidden underneath but I think it would only be accessible with the entire arm removed. Methinks the person who installed it didn't follow the instructions. He did back the cart as far to the right in the headshell as he could so this may be the limit of the adjustment range. I've emailed the owner of the Rabco page to see if he knows anything about my mystery arm.

The arm itself is definitely not the original one and I suspect it was a 70s era replacement for the Rabco arm. Notice the removable cartridge headshell like Pioneer/Technics/Kenwood/Sony/etc had. :scratch2:

td1256.jpg


td1257.jpg


td125a.jpg


td1258.jpg


td1259.jpg
 
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Congratulations on the great find!!! :thmbsp:

Thanks for posting the pictures for those of us who have not seen it up close before!!!:music:
 
Congrats, Gonzo...that is one interesting 'contraption'...you will no doubt have fun with that unit. Be sure to post pics along the way of the progress.

I hope you will like yours as much as I like my Thorens find that I posted about here http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=346819 recently.

I'm in the process of rehabing it, doesn't need much...a new belt from Q Audio did wonders, adjust the suspension and get it on a wall mount...very sensitive to footfall:sigh:. Preston
 
Wow! What a great find and "dust bug" to boot. Personally, I'd use the Rabco on something else. I'd be too worried about it all the time. Just my 2c.
 
meggy said:
Wow! What a great find and "dust bug" to boot. Personally, I'd use the Rabco on something else. I'd be too worried about it all the time. Just my 2c.
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After I saw the Technics/Rabco combo on the info page, I mentally dug through my TT collection for a nice direct-drive model. I have a butchered Sansui SR-717 that would look sweet with the Rabco except all the controls would be covered by the Rabco's large footprint. Maybe I could mount them in an external box.
 
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