Kenwood KD-500

[Van_Isle]

So a Kenwood KD-500, in very good condition with the dust cover and a Grace G-707 tonearm, that needs a repair to the collar that holds cueing / anti-skate (plastic cracked) but has some upgraded interconnects included. Cartridge is a Rega R100. It's using the original armboard for the Grace but doesn't come with the SME armboard (I understand they originally shipped with a blank and the SME)

What do you guys figure it's worth?

 

[Wes_in_VA]

I'd buy it based on the table and count on selling the arm for something that works with more cartridges.
That being said I'm thinking $300 would be a very good price. Up to $400 is reasonable.
I love my KD500 and think it's *worth* more but...

 

[Nat]

The dust cover is prone to cracking at the back, and the spring loaded hinge substitutes are prone to cracking and becoming non functional. Not deal breakers, but you should check to see that they are in good shape before buying, or negotiate a lower price.
Had one for many years and loved it, but they get balky after decades of use.

 

[Van_Isle]

I'd buy it based on the table and count on selling the arm for something that works with more cartridges.
That being said I'm thinking $300 would be a very good price. Up to $400 is reasonable.
I love my KD500 and think it's *worth* more but...

I was thinking along the same lines ... I have a tricked-out Rega RB-250.
However I did recently acquire a Grace F9 ... needs a retip, of course.

Asking on the Kenwood is $325 CAD = $256 US.

 

[Wes_in_VA]

I'd be all over it

 

[Van_Isle]

The dust cover is prone to cracking at the back, and the spring loaded hinge substitutes are prone to cracking and becoming non functional. Not deal breakers, but you should check to see that they are in good shape before buying, or negotiate a lower price.
Had one for many years and loved it, but they get balky after decades of use.

I pretty sure the dust cover is pristine on this one and the hinges work fine.

I would assume 'balky' would refer to speed issues?

 

[Wes_in_VA]

I'd also assume that's correct. Mine could have been called balky before I cleaned the pots. Now it's pretty solid. I have to adjust the speed a tad every few uses but it stays solid once I do

 

[Balifly]

I pretty sure the dust cover is pristine on this one and the hinges work fine.

I would assume 'balky' would refer to speed issues?

One of the member had some spare pots, I bought several as back up but have not needed to use so far.

 

[Van_Isle]

I picked it up this week. The tonearm interconnects need a bit of work ... the PO appears to have upgraded them but used both the L and R channel shields for ground ... tying them together into a single wire for a ground, but that has been cut off and overall it's falling apart ... odd way to do it in my experience. I might just take it right back to the plug and run a separate ground.

The dust cover and hinges are in great shape. The turntable has a Platter Matter type mat on it.

Pictures to follow.

 

[Van_Isle]

I've fixed up the interconnects. I was going to run a new ground wire, but the plug for the tonearm end has been potted.

There is a small crack right in the middle bottom edge of the rear of the dust cover. I may very well have done that since I do not recall seeing it there before. I wonder if there's a way to stabilize it?

The collar for the cueing I just replaced with another one that I located cheap.

I've only run the Rega cart on the Grace, but it sounds pretty darn good.

Gotta take some pics.

 

[Nat]

That crack exists on many KD 500 dustcovers - it's a wide dustcover and sags over time. Don't know if simple age also causes it to crack, or if it takes a little bump or pressure, but uncracked ones seem rare. But they seem to survive perfectly well in cracked form, and attempts to repair might cause more cosmetic damage than the crack itself causes.