NIB 1988 LP12

[troika]

No affiliation with this Seattle/Olympia craigslist post, but it certainly got my attention. Claims to be a new, unused 1988 LP12 with no tonearm.

Curious what the reaction will be from experienced eyes. I'm not really tempted...but I also can't look away.

NIB! Linn Sondek Basik LP12 Transcription Turntable - electronics - by owner - sale - craigslist

If you are here you know what this is. A perfect Linn time capsule. Still wrapped. Unused. Complete as from the factory. Tone are was not included with this model. Purchased in 1988. Original owner....

seattle.craigslist.org

 

[EastPoint]

Gone

 

[troika]

"deleted by author" I wonder if someone bought it or if they had second thoughts.

 

[DOBIEGUY]

Unless it’s double boxed I’m thinking the box should look like this.
Just sayin’

 

[Blue Shadow]

I can't even imagine how many upgrades that table needs today to be even adequate what with the continuous improvement Linn does. And with all those upgrades, probably brings the total to 5 figures just to get a nice table, not the latest, greatest.

 

[troika]

I can't even imagine how many upgrades that table needs today to be even adequate what with the continuous improvement Linn does. And with all those upgrades, probably brings the total to 5 figures just to get a nice table, not the latest, greatest.

That was sort of my feeling too. I feel the allure of the LP12, but I don't know what I would need to know to buy one like that unless it was clearly garage sale priced.

 

[KiM3Ce]

On one hand I can certainly imagine that it needs a new belt. Sitting for 37 years may have damaged the bearings or their lubricants. That said, once repaired, shouldn't it be as good as it was in1988? The original post doesn't name the price.

 

[troika]

It was $1,500 without a tonearm.

It said it was the Basik package, but beyond having a Basik tonearm, I'm not sure what that means. I assume it didn't have an external power supply, but again, I don't consider myself educated enough to chase LP12s unless they are true steals.

 

[DOBIEGUY]

$1500.00 without a visional inspection and a power up is a non-starter. The belt and lubricant are easy inexpensive maintenance items.
Was it stored disassembled with the factory styrofoam( with the weight of the platter and the spindle removed)?
What was the arm board drilled for? Is there even an arm board? As for the ‘Basik package’ not sure what that’s about.
OP ….. there is plenty of info on the net about LP-12 tables and their many updates over all these years.
They bring strong prices because the simple original design works well. I can’t and won’t speak for the obscenely expensively modifications that came after.

As for finding one ‘a true steal’……good luck with that!

 

[Old Guy8]

Good luck with finding a steal. Only if someone doesn't know what thier Dad had. And thier cleaning out his house.

Having an '83 Valhalla with some upgrades. Thier nice tables. Fussy to adjust suspension. But, not rocket science, that only could be done by a factory trained Guru. A homemade tuning stand helps.
That said. The new released Bedrok plinth for around $12, 000. Is Linn insanity.

 

[troika]

@DOBIEGUY Yep, I'm familiar. I've read about suspension tuning and upgrade path and crippling expense. Even got to check one out in the hifi shop once. Pretty, sexy, classic, and I'm not up for it at my current budget and level of knowledge.

NIB from 1988 caught my eye and I figured someone here would want to know about it.

There was a a clean, stock AR XA on there recently for $300. That one tempted me a little bit more, but didn't think that was the play for me either.