Technics SL1600 MKII acquisition

[genewoodall]

Hello All:

I am not familiar with the Technics SL1600 MKII but I was impressed with the build quality so I forked over $150 for a good working one in very nice cosmetic condition.

I don't know if I paid too much but it spins vinyl nicely. Any info you owners of this TT can share with will be much appreciated such as maintenance, known issues or problems, updates etc.

Thanks
Gene

 

[illini]

http://www.vinylengine.com/library/technics/sl-1600.shtml

Congrats, don't ever sell it.

 

[sxty8goats]

I've been trying to find on near that price point for a while now. Most I see go for @ $200 and need a lot of work. Nice score. Especially if the cue and auto functions work. If they do not, you will likely need to replace a gear, an o-ring and a small rubber 'wheel' which can be made buy cutting a section of neoprene tube. Buddy of mine is in the process of rebuilding one.

 

[Hemi Ram]

I'm the buddy... I have been through this table for sure. It was my first but know it pretty well now. Paid $179 for mine in good cosmetic shape but the cueing function didn't work correctly. I found through a week worth of research that there are three main problems with the table. 1 the belt brakes that drives the cueing function. It can be replaced with a dash 024 o-ring (-024) for about 25cents. 2) there is a small gear that commonly cracks and won't drive correctly anymore. This gear is what drives the tonearm back and forth. I have found a replacement gear for $1.18 and is made in NJ. The gear just needs the hub trimmed slightly to be exact replacement. 3 there is a small black rubber ring that works to hold the tonearm as the tonearm cues. This dries out and splits. It can be peeled off and replaced with a small piece of neoprene hose. 60a durometer 3/8 id. 7/16 od. A couple bucks for a foot. You need 1/2 inch.
Want to take a guess how many of the three problems mine had? Yup... All three! On top of this I broke the table down to parts and glass bead blasted the whole chassis. It is now a beautiful metallic black with a bronze metalflake. Really stunning! Did a cardas rewire from the cart to the tips of the rca connectors and dampened the tonearm. It has taken me a couple weeks to completely rebuild this table and I am still waiting for wire from KAB to finish it up. I have atleast tested the curing function and it works great now!

Good luck with your table. A great buy you got for a fully functioning table!!

 

[Phase700b]

I'm the buddy... I have found a replacement gear for $1.18 and is made in NJ. The gear just needs the hub trimmed slightly to be exact replacement. 3 there is a small black rubber ring that works to hold the tonearm as the tonearm cues. This dries out and splits. It can be peeled off and replaced with a small piece of neoprene hose. 60a durometer 3/8 id. 7/16 od. I have atleast tested the curing function and it works great now!

Good luck with your table. A great buy you got for a fully functioning table!!

Hello, I have a Technics with, yup, cracks in the small gear. I sure would be grateful to know how I can get one, well, actually two, because I have an SL-1700 MK2 also that needs one!

Is there a website I can order from?

I replaced the belt, but the tonearm will not lift high enough to clear the record on the mat.

Thanks!

 

[boreas]

Congratulations! As others have said, it's a great table that commonly goes for a lot more than you paid for yours (around $200 - $250 plus shipping on the auction site).

I got one too, just last week. Mine only needed a good clean, lube, polish and a cuing belt. Everything else so far is okay.

And, since :worthless, here's one.

John

 

[Balifly]

Welcome to the auto maton club, John!!! :thmbsp:

The VTA adjustment feature is a plus for the odd ball size cartridges!

 

[boreas]

Welcome to the auto maton club, John!!! :thmbsp:

The VTA adjustment feature is a plus for the odd ball size cartridges!

Thanks, Earl! These MK2s are pretty serious business, especially when you figure they went for $400 more than 30 years ago. That's about $950 today.

I had a 1700 and now this 1600 and both were/are really terrific!

John

 

[Pio1980]

I've been trying to find on near that price point for a while now. Most I see go for @ $200 and need a lot of work. Nice score. Especially if the cue and auto functions work. If they do not, you will likely need to replace a gear, an o-ring and a small rubber 'wheel' which can be made buy cutting a section of neoprene tube. Buddy of mine is in the process of rebuilding one.

So what are you using in the meantime?

 

[Phase700b]

So I got my SL-1700 MK2 up and running. Had to replace the broken belt and also had a gummy and stuck mute switch so no sound. Used some Deoxit and cleaned the whole unit up. When I picked the TT up I got a bag of screws and the whole thing was "loose" .

While I was repairing it I left all screws out to do trials runs since I also reprofiled the cam so the mute now has a LOT less delay. . . maybe 700 ms instead of almost 2 seconds on this particular TT. I have a 1710 MK2 and the delay is not that noticeable. Also, it appears Technincs put a hole in the top black panel under the platter to access an adjustment for the muting delay switch. It is a clearly marked hole near the tonearm. .. . but no adjusting screw is there. It shows it in either the 1600 MK2 or 1700 MK2 service manual.

Anyway, I went through several trial runs before final assembly. . . and the auto return on the tonearm is now intermittent. Why did it work all along only to quite after full assembly! Well. . . will get some rubber tube. By the way. . . the rubber sleeve that needs to be replaced for auto return is white. . . on the bottom of the small gear shaft. The black rubber sleeve is on another part under the tonearm. Both seemed soft and pliable when I checked them. How can one now be slipping???

Well. . . I'll make a note and get to it another time.