Pioneer PL-L1000 tonearm issue

[Migs365]

Hi fellow AKers,

I recently purchased a Pioneer PL-L1000. The turntable itself is really beautiful, looks to be in great condition but I have an interesting issue with the tonearm carrier.

Whenever I turn on the turntable the carrier just slides all the way over to the end of the rails. When I try to spin the arm wheel to move it toward the starting position, it will move but not far before it slides back down to the end. I am trying to figure out if there is an issue with the tonearm carrier or if it’s an circuit control issue.

I haven’t been able to find this issue elsewhere on the site yet, and thought I would ask for the sites expertise.

 

[Pio1980]

First, the carriage rails must be perfectly laterally level. If that is the case, then it's a problem with the zero bias of the tracking circuit somewhere.

 

[Migs365]

First, the carriage rails must be perfectly laterally level. If that is the case, then it's a problem with the zero bias of the tracking circuit somewhere.

Thanks for the reply Pio, I know that the table is sensitive to the level so I will check it. It didn’t come with the level that was originally shipped with it, but I should be able to get something to work. The bias sounds like a good idea as well, have you worked on this sort of problem before?

 

[Pio1980]

I used a dual tube Stanley travel trailer level on the rails, a bulls eye level could work if it spans the rails.

 

[Migs365]

I used a dual tube Stanley travel trailer level on the rails, a bulls eye level could work if it spans the rails.

I was wondering just how level sensitive these rails are? I can’t be sure they are level now but the behavior seems to be so different than I expected that it might indicate the electrical issue.

 

[Pio1980]

I was wondering just how level sensitive these rails are? I can’t be sure they are level now but the behavior seems to be so different than I expected that it might indicate the electrical issue.

They do much better with zero gravity bias on the rails, you have to check it on them. If it's good and you still have a problem, it is an imbalance in the servo system or possibly an arm neutral offset problem with the arm lifted on the cueing platform.