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New (to me) Thorens td-124

jkvw said:
Does anybody know a source for these knobs and the ... set screw? The screw came to me bent. The knob is a victim of cleaning it near the sink while my wife did dishes :( Learning all kinds of lessons with this one.
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The threaded rods and knobs, the entire set, is available from the Swiss seller 'volante1' on the auction site. I got a set of threaded rods from Audio Silente in Rome. A few weeks later someone posted here about the same pitch metric threaded rods being available at some hardware chain (home depot maybe?) for peanuts, except you'd need to saw through them to cut it to size. The knob is alu. What's wrong with it? You could smooth the scratches with sanding paper.
 
The knob is alu. What's wrong with it? You could smooth the scratches with sanding paper.
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I see the reeding around the edge is gouged...i don't think that can be easily repaired.

I'd prefer to replace them as a set too. However, if push came to shove... I'd do the best I could with that knob and put it at the rear.
 
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tnsilver said:
Missed it. Prolly fell in the garbage disposal. Ooops!
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Ha. Yes. Sadly I dropped it right when she turned on the disposal and it made a couple rounds. It actually still works, I turned over the screw so that the straight side is up and installed the chopped up one in the back of the table. In time I will hopefully forget my mistake :) Eventually will order a new one or better find a good shape used one so it matches.
 
OK next question. How difficult should it be to turn the speed selector/pointer knob? On mine it takes a fair amount of effort and then clunks nicely into position. It feels like if the needle was on a record it would probably shake the needle. Though I suppose I shouldn't do that while a record is playing.
 
You're gonna have to get in there (which requires a fair amount of disassembly) - and grease that entire surface:

6Dn9hOU.jpg


Or... you could try to fiddle with this adjustment and relieve some of the pressure off the speed change clubs shaped surface:

9BP7CGP.jpg
 

jkvw said:
OK next question. How difficult should it be to turn the speed selector/pointer knob? On mine it takes a fair amount of effort and then clunks nicely into position. It feels like if the needle was on a record it would probably shake the needle. Though I suppose I shouldn't do that while a record is playing.
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As Tom said it takes some effort because the speed control ribbon (steel strap) has to be removed and one needs to be careful. Those steel ribbons are difficult to come by at the moment:(

Replaced the ribbon on mine and did all the lube work at that point, discussing here a bit:
[URL='https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/new-project-very-early-td-124.982404/page-6']
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/new-project-very-early-td-124.982404/page-6[/URL]

However there’s an excellent related tutorial at:

https://www.theanalogdept.com/59805.htm

Most likely many more pages with appropriate information if one search’s…

VR
Andy
 
Thanks guys. I started down that path earlier and bailed out when I got to the steel ribbon and wasnt sure how to handle it. Will have to decide if I will do that now or take care of it in the future as I will surely be taking it apart again.
 
I used a syringe to grease the part underneath the speed selector knob and then took apart the linkage referenced above to grease and oil a couple pieces. It now feels on-par with my 147 and 160 in terms of effort so I can live with it. Oiled the main platter bearing and installed the platter for the first time since unpacking. It spins! Quietly. The clutch "brake" is so cool I cant believe every turntable doesnt have it.
 

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That’s good, you don’t want to strip the holes in the ribbon because of lack of lube (too hard to turn).

Just put on the new Audiosilente idler, it’s nice, but thought I’d mention polishing the belt wheels, mine was in need and it smoothed out the belt operation….

D400ADFC-6BA5-4CE3-B706-4889B8AEBF35.jpeg
 
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Andy...
Did you try coating the belt with talc powder? Doing that seemed to quiet the spinning belt on my table.
 
heyraz said:
Andy...
Did you try coating the belt with talc powder? Doing that seemed to quiet the spinning belt on my table.
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Yeah Rich both, just noticed the belt vibration went down even more when the belt tracks were polished….
 
I owned three different TD series turntables from the 60's and they were all sows ears compared to todays turntables which are silk purses. So don't waste your time and money and geet a modern precision belt driven or DD drive turntable. Even a 50 year old TD 125 or 126 will better the earlier models with little effort by a large significant margin.
 
twiiii said:
I owned three different TD series turntables from the 60's and they were all sows ears compared to todays turntables which are silk purses. So don't waste your time and money and geet a modern precision belt driven or DD drive turntable. Even a 50 year old TD 125 or 126 will better the earlier models with little effort by a large significant margin.
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Your unsolicited idler hate continues but most here know better;)


VR
Andy
 
twiiii said:
I owned three different TD series turntables from the 60's and they were all sows ears compared to todays turntables which are silk purses. So don't waste your time and money and geet a modern precision belt driven or DD drive turntable. Even a 50 year old TD 125 or 126 will better the earlier models with little effort by a large significant margin.
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You could be right or not, other's can debate if they want. I personally just like collecting and experiencing all the different varieties. I have a 125 mkii, 147, 150 mki and mkii, 160 and 165, as well as an sl-1200, lab-400, yamaha yp-d8, and a dual 701, 1019, 1219, and 1229. I like the direct drives, belt driven and idlers, each has something unique that drew me to it. Always wanted to learn about the 124.
 
twiiii said:
I owned three different TD series turntables from the 60's and they were all sows ears compared to todays turntables which are silk purses. So don't waste your time and money and geet a modern precision belt driven or DD drive turntable. Even a 50 year old TD 125 or 126 will better the earlier models with little effort by a large significant margin.
Click to expand...

I don’t have a dog in this but these old TD 124s intrigue me. So, I read every post to try to gain some understanding.
Seeing this dismissive insult really bothered me and seems to be totally out of character for this place. ‘I tried three of these things and they were basically junk, SO you guys are fools for wasting your time and money’? I doubt an apology is forthcoming, but it is due.
 
Blackdog61 said:
I don’t have a dog in this but these old TD 124s intrigue me. So, I read every post to try to gain some understanding.
Seeing this dismissive insult really bothered me and seems to be totally out of character for this place. ‘I tried three of these things and they were basically junk, SO you guys are fools for wasting your time and money’? I doubt an apology is forthcoming, but it is due.
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He Trolls posts about idler turntables and says the same thing over and over, and as @BillWojo said, it’s getting old….

Have many tables myself, DD, belt, idlers and the TD124 (Refurbished) is an outstanding table, it’s numbers equal or better any of my belt or dual belt tables, only my DD could better it in W&F and noise floor, but those better numbers are way beyond human aural abilities:cool:

One could argue about SQ but that’s like arguing about how dark, dark is:rolleyes:

VR
Andy
 
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