mmcc
Well-Known Member
Not long ago, I picked up a Gray HSK-33 turntable with a Fairchild SA-12 tone arm from an estate auction. Coincidentally, at a separate auction I picked up a Fairchild SM2 cartridge. Since the tonearm was wired for stereo, it seemed like a good match.
Unfortunately, while the stylus unit was in place on the cartridge, the cantilever was bent and the tip was gone. I sent it to Needlestein and he was able to fix it right up.
The turntable itself was in pretty good condition other than being dirty. The counterweight had broken off the tone arm, which just required a bit of epoxy to remedy. It also needed a new belt, and the fine folks at Esoteric Sound helped me out. The first belt they sent ran too slow, so they sent me a couple of alternatives. I'm now within .6% of 33 1/3 rpm (which is good as there is no speed adjustment).
After some clean up and soldering on some new leads to the cartridge sled, we are now spinning. It sounds great!
A before and a few after pictures are below.
Unfortunately, while the stylus unit was in place on the cartridge, the cantilever was bent and the tip was gone. I sent it to Needlestein and he was able to fix it right up.
The turntable itself was in pretty good condition other than being dirty. The counterweight had broken off the tone arm, which just required a bit of epoxy to remedy. It also needed a new belt, and the fine folks at Esoteric Sound helped me out. The first belt they sent ran too slow, so they sent me a couple of alternatives. I'm now within .6% of 33 1/3 rpm (which is good as there is no speed adjustment).
After some clean up and soldering on some new leads to the cartridge sled, we are now spinning. It sounds great!
A before and a few after pictures are below.
