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Linn LP12 measurments/dimensions

Machineghost

Machineghost

Ghost in the machine
Hi there guys

On this Merry Christmas day I write to you with a request.

I am looking for the measurements (including all holes and bits) of the following parts of a Linn LP12 (Sondek) turntable:

Plinth
Top Plate
Sub Chassis
Arm-board

The reason is that I always wanted a Linn LP12 but never could afford one (not even second-hand). Now I got my hands on a Thorens TD165 which runs amazingly well as well as a Linn Basik+ tonearm. So, I want to build myself an LP12! I have access to laser cutters etc so having the parts manufactured will be simple. But I want to keep to the LP12 dimensions at least.

Thank you in advance.

NB - I am stil hoping everyday that I bump into an LP12 at a thrift store for like $25 or so but in the part of the country where I live quality audio gear is more rare than golden-egg-laying geese.

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You have to remember the key to the LP12 is the bearing, platter and the power supply. Dimensions are readily available if you google, and you can buy springs etc readily. you'll also need the motor, which is again easy to find.

What you won't be able to do is turn your thorens into an LP12. Have a sift through the Linn forum, and you'll see why.
 
I have googled myself silly by now but cannot find diagrams or sketches with the dimensions of the top plate etc.

Yes, I am aware that the essence of the LP12 is the acclaimed platter/sub-platter/bearing.

But I am sure nothing stops me from building such a psuedo-machine? And also no law against it? What I will end up doing is building a machine with mixed parts that will allow me to mount the Linn Basik+ arm and have a turntable that works well and looks great. The Thorens is a flawless little performer but the years has not been good to it cosmetic-wise. It looks severely dated and the vinyl clad on the plinth is tatty. The original arm has also seen better days. But the bearing runs true and extremely quite and the coast-down time is insanely long. The motor also runs dead quiet (compared to a Rega Premotec motor). So these latter two parts are very suitable for revoling a vinyl record at a constant speed in a quiet manner. Mounting it on a decent plinth system surely cant take away from its performace?
 
Nothing at all wrong with what you are trying to do, although the TD 150 is closer to a Linn than the 165 is but I see no reason that you couldn’t do it. The tricky part will be the arm board with a 165 subchassis.

Helpful Thorens Links

There are several links to plinth builds in here that you may find helpful. :thmbsp:
 
Hi Divotdog

My plan is to carefully remove/cut the Thorens bearing from the original sub-chassis and then mount it on a Linn style/shape subchassis. So all that goes to the new build is the platter, sub-platter, bearing and motor. The rest will be all new parts. I might have a possible lead to get my hands on some old original Linn parts as listed in the first post. But will have to see what thats going to set me back.
 
Thank you for the link to the Thorens group. I have owned several Thorens machines in the past and I am well aquinted with them. This time round I dont want to invest too much time and effort into this tatty ol 165. The arm will be carefully removed and donated to someone on local shore that can use it.
 
Plinths often come up on ebay, and there's a couple of people making them new. You.ll also find top plates every now and again, plus other parts. I managed to find the dimensions of the arm with google.

I'm unsure what you're trying to achieve here. If it's the Linn sound, you won't get it, but a look alike is certainly possible.

Someone mentioned a TD150, and that's what I'd go for. Better quality than the TD165, and, with your arm, should sound a lot better, too. Available (or were) cheaply, and they will slot into the LP12 plinth, apparently.

P.S. Not at home currently so can't help with dimensions.
 
Buying parts from e-Bay and abroad is not an option as shipping to South Africa kills the deal before its even made. I have access to excellent machine shops and woodworkers. All I need is the measurements and I'll have all the parts machined, milled, crafted and cut to perfection.

My reasoning is that with all the upgrades and modifications carried out on LP12 machines is that doing what I am aiming to do wont hurt a bit. Yes, I know I am lacking the ESSENTIAL bits but I want to make the parts I need to exact measurements and who knows, maybe in time I will find a Linn platter system and bearing and pop that in and go from there.

But with eveyone bitching and moaning about what I want to do it is becoming very off-putting really. But thank you anyway to those who wants to help.

The arm I have here for mounting is a LINN BASIK+ in extremely good condition. Bearings are firm and it passes all the swing tests etc. The Thorens arm is going to be donated to a local fanatic.
 
HAPPY DAYS! A hi-fi friend of mine gifted me a set of Linn spare parts (everything I need) to build the psuedo-sondek :-) I just have to go and pick it up from his place.
 
Good luck with your project! Will you be updating your progress on this thread or starting a new thread?
 
Thank you. I am just waiting for an oppertunity to drive to Pretoria and collect the parts as well as a set of "Reference" loudspeakers based on the Dahlquist DQ-10 but using high-spec drivers (high spec for the 80's anyway). It was build by a local audio legend in the 1980s and I am so lucky to have been offered the set. Apparently they sound like electrostats on steriods.
 
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