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$150 a good price for Technics SL-1600

J

JMK1973

New Member
Hi everyone. I searched around the forums and on eBay before posting. There aren't a ton of used TT's in my area, but an SL 1600 recently turned up for $250. I offered $150 and the guy got back to me 2 weeks later and said ok. It looks like it's in good shape and has a Pickering D625, which I understand is a pretty nice stylus.
What do you all think?

Thank you.
 
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Make sure the tonearm moves freely in both axes and there's no play in its bearings (the adjustment alluded to in the video would probably cause play). If everything else looks OK then I'd go for it, this looks like a good TT. I assume we're talking about the original 1600 and not the Mk II? The caveats apply to both, I'm just curious.
 
swechsler said:
Make sure the tonearm moves freely in both axes and there's no play in its bearings (the adjustment alluded to in the video would probably cause play). If everything else looks OK then I'd go for it, this looks like a good TT. I assume we're talking about the original 1600 and not the Mk II? The caveats apply to both, I'm just curious.
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Yep, it's an original 1600. What would bearing play look like?
 
If you hold the tonearm and try to gently twist it in either direction, it shouldn't move at all. If you can feel it "click" then there is play in the bearings and that will probably cause problems later on.
 
swechsler said:
If you hold the tonearm and try to gently twist it in either direction, it shouldn't move at all. If you can feel it "click" then there is play in the bearings and that will probably cause problems later on.
Click to expand...
So, twist like turning a screwdriver?
 
The truth is that a 1600 is much more likely to be in good condition than a 1200 Mk2 or M3D. The latter, while great tables, have been rode hard and put away wet by DJs. I'd be much more skeptical of a 1200 at a bargain price, because the values remain high because every wannabe DJ out there wants a pair. (well, so do I, for that matter, but I'm willing to be happy with my 1650 because I am not in fact a DJ so I don't need the pitch slider.)
 
That pesky nylon drive gear. For a dollar more for brass, Technics could have made a TT that would last forever.
 
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