Help, Technics SL-B500

ponty56

ponty56

Active Member
The nabor has a techics sl-b500 that I think I'm going to grab, but upon inspection there are some issues. The belt is long gone, that's an easy fix but when you plug it in the motor starts up right away and the start stop button does nothing and the tonearm doesn't move. Now I haven't opened it and inspected her guts yet as this was just my initial inspection. It is also missing the hinges and cover. Is this something I want to pursue or let this one go?
 
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ponty56 said:
The nabor has a techics sl-b500 that I think I'm going to grab, but upon inspection there are some issues. The belt is long gone, that's an easy fix but when you plug it in the motor starts up right away and the start stop button does nothing and the tonearm doesn't move. Now I haven't opened it and inspected her guts yet as this was just my initial inspection. It is also missing the hinges and cover. Is this something I want to pursue or let this one go?
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Sounds like its stuck in the auto return. Just turn the spindle by hand till it clears, see if that makes the motor go off. I'm not familiar with the SL-B500 but worked on many other Techics belt drives and if its in the middle of (auto return) which means its returning the tone arm back to the rest clip then it would have the motor on.

BTW, These old Technics belt driveTTs are much better built than today's turntables. The 80s stuff was built well, especially the late 70s early 80s stuff.
 
My current table is a sherwood, but it's running slow and I can't find a service manual on it. May need to just open it up as well to see if I can speed it up. But this automatic table is far nicer.
 
ponty56 said:
My current table is a sherwood, but it's running slow and I can't find a service manual on it. May need to just open it up as well to see if I can speed it up. But this automatic table is far nicer.
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If the Sherwood is a belt drive it should have two pots that adjust the speeds. Look over at vinylengine.com to see if they have the service manual for your model sherwood. you can use an app on a iphone that tells if the speed is correct. The app I use is called (RPM) its a free app and works. Just make sure your iphone is calibrated.

If you can get that Technics SL-B500 cheap its well worth it. How much did they want for it? Those SL-B500s were made from 1983 to 85 and sold for around $205.00 new
If you need a belt look on Ebay, there is a seller named vintageaudioforyoutoo he can get you the right belt for that table at a low price. contact him on ebay and ask if he has the belt for the SL-B500
Hope this helps you

Cheers
 
johnjhazel said:
You should get a totally manual turntable. Something decent and simple. Like an AR XA/XB or a Rega. Check eBay.
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Why a manual table unless your Djing? if your just listening, a automatic is the way to go, Technics made awesome auto TTs thruout the 70s/80s/90s.
 
slobrain said:
Why a manual table unless your Djing? if your just listening, a automatic is the way to go, Technics made awesome auto TTs thruout the 70s/80s/90s.
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That certainly is a matter of opinion. I would imagine that most audiophiles have manual turntables. I was suggesting a manual as he does not want to spend much. The table you suggested is an auction. Who knows how much it will sell for ? I am not a DJ. I have two manuals and one automatic.
 
Manual TT operation does get old (mute on the remote helps) although for DIY it is easier to tweak an old AR or more recent Rega. Even semi-automatic makes it easer to use the old record collection and with a Technics DD or belt drive one still has great performance and some modicum of convenience. Plus there is some satisfaction to watching a marvel of electro-mechanical or mechanical engineering go through its paces.
 
pat5jfet said:
Manual TT operation does get old (mute on the remote helps) although for DIY it is easier to tweak an old AR or more recent Rega. Even semi-automatic makes it easer to use the old record collection and with a Technics DD or belt drive one still has great performance and some modicum of convenience. Plus there is some satisfaction to watching a marvel of electro-mechanical or mechanical engineering go through its paces.
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I have a Garrard Lab 80 that I use on a daily basis. I was stating, that in this case, at a low price, it would be better to go for something simple like a manual turntable. Old changers like the Lab 80 can be had for a song. But the required repairs if one is not a DIY, are a whole different ballgame. My statement was not intended as a manual vs automatic judgement.
 
its a naibor that has it for sale and I would basically be making my own price, I think im going to pull the trigger on this one. It will end up being a winter project. I intend on making a new heavy plinth for this table, question is the original wooden cover on the bottom has several holes in it for what I can only assume cooling. Is this truly the reason? if so I may need to rethink how im going to go about making it...
 
Ok I'm reading that these had different spindle options. Is there a different spindle for multi album that is different between lp's and 45's? Also I came across a eBay store that is making aftermarket single play spindle is that a legitimate option?
 
slobrain said:
Here is a good deal on Ebay for a TECHNICS direct drive
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Technics-SL-D2/163316735454?_trkparms=aid=777003&algo=DISCL.MBE&ao=1&asc=20140131123815&meid=5aa829562c4a4c46ba29f9f9f3e2db44&pid=100169&rk=1&rkt=8&sd=153219952936&itm=163316735454&_trksid=p5411.c100169.m2942
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Well it sold for $50.00 plus whatever the shipping is. That would have been a good buy. I own a SL-D2 and preferred it over my Pioneer PL-518 that I had owned for many years. You can still find good deals on turntables on Ebay these days, just got to look
 
ponty56 said:
its a naibor that has it for sale and I would basically be making my own price, I think im going to pull the trigger on this one. It will end up being a winter project. I intend on making a new heavy plinth for this table, question is the original wooden cover on the bottom has several holes in it for what I can only assume cooling. Is this truly the reason? if so I may need to rethink how im going to go about making it...
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I thought the plinth on the SL-B500 was plastic? am I missing something here?
 
pat5jfet said:
Manual TT operation does get old (mute on the remote helps) although for DIY it is easier to tweak an old AR or more recent Rega. Even semi-automatic makes it easer to use the old record collection and with a Technics DD or belt drive one still has great performance and some modicum of convenience. Plus there is some satisfaction to watching a marvel of electro-mechanical or mechanical engineering go through its paces.
Click to expand...

Yes, The old Technics BD or DD from the 70s/80s were actually built well. Even the lower line stuff from that era was really good. The old Pioneer stuff built well too. I have both. For some odd reason I just dig turntables, always have and enjoy both belt drive and direct drive with auto return. I think the best part is changing the cartridge to make any TT sound better. Surprisingly if you look on Ebay you can find deals for the older turntables even though the record craze keeps growing. Its funny that back in the 70s playing records was nothing special but just the norm. Getting a good cassette deck back then was cool as you could record yer favorite album to play in your car while cruising around. I remember cruising Galveston beach rocking to Aerosmith Rocks. What we need now is a good Delorian time machine to go back to the 70s 8-)
 
This has an audio Technica SLT88E cart on it and the stylus is trashed. For the plyth idiea is to replicate the lower panel but allot thicker with better feet so it adds some weight to this table. My concern with that idea however is that the factory lower pannel has what looks like cooling holes so I will have to replicate them, there in reducing weight. But this is the fun part of a $20 garage sale table.
 
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