One thing I would like to point out however ... and this is where I don't expect most of the others to agree with me (but it is a fact, nevertheless).
Couple of years ago, I was in the market for a new turntable, myself. And I remember posting a very similar thread asking for the opinion. I knew what I wanted (SL-1200 or the look-alike), and I also knew which technical attributes I wanted to see (Direct drive, S-shaped tonearm, etc), and so one of the most commonly seen & heard recommendations which kept showing around was Audio Technica LP-120.
However, people kept telling me to wait ... because "sooner or later there's going to be a real Technics on sale somewhere, so why bother with the clones when I can buy the real deal, for the same price". In reality however, this NEVER happened. And just to clarify, it's been over 2, closer to 3 years now so you'd expect something to show up during all this time. In fact, it happened just the opposite really - prices went up & through the roof!
Thing is, that the situation in one country differs from other one. So, to someone in United States it is almost impossible to know & predict what's the situation going to be like in Prague, without actually living there & knowing the facts. Also, you need to take into consideration the economy - people losing their jobs & money will result with the increase of sale prices & their decision to maintain the impossible value, rather than what the item is actually worth. And this isn't just for turntables, the same rule applies to just about anything... I keep seeing SL-1200 on sale all the time, all of them locally available. However, the average price for a preserved unit is around 530 & goes all the way up to 900€. Where on the other hand, that same turntable might only be worth 400€ (or less) in the States. Or another example, the famous Audio Technica AT-3600L cartridge, which can be bought from China for around $10 - it's being sold locally for "just" 40$. Why? Because it was removed from a Dual-branded turntable & therefore labeled as "genuine Audio Technica for Dual", even though it doesn't have ANY connections to Dual turntables.
That being said, I don't want to discourage you from waiting & taking a look at the other models. See what else is being offered, check out all the local ads & portals which might have used used HiFi & electronics - but in the end be prepared to go with one of these three turntables IF you can't find anything better &/or to afford higher budget.
Did you put a search in on eBay, or just your local Craigs list? Purchased a pristine SL1200MKII through eBay for a young friend just starting out about 2yrs ago so about the same time frame. Paid $300 and it came with a cartridge and new replacement stylus, pictures below.
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Did I mention it also came in the original box with the owners manual included?
I am grateful for both of your opinions! I think I am going to watch the market for few more weeks now and I will see then. I am probably going to be happy with any turntable for the start, until I gain some more knowledge.
Anyway, thank you all for your advices, I learned a lot!
