The Official *Technics SL-1200* Owners Club

beej said:
Already a proud member but happy to say that yesterday - SCROE!!! Out and about yesterday with 51% of the vote and had just finished lunch at a new place we wanted to try when I spied a nearby pawnshop. I'm typically not a pawnshop aficionado but thought I'd check out this place. And there sitting on a shelf was a DJ case. Opened the case and, voila, a rather dirty but seemingly fully intact SL1200, MK2 (black format). I asked the proprietress if I could give it a spin and she cleared a shelf with access to an outlet. Ran the tonearm through a few tests (pass w/flying colors), powered up the unit and checked out the platter rotation - spot on speed and zero wobble. Stanton cart with Shure SC35C cart (no surprise) mounted with sheered stylus (also no surprise). Bottom line - the unit is need of a good cleaning but is otherwise in great shape. I won't get into list price and haggle but I walked out the door with the case and sl1200 with $200 less in my pocket than when I walked in. I'll post more details in Dollars and Sense. Pics below.
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Sweeet!!!!!!
 
Since this is my second SL1200 mk2 it'll be interesting to run a comparison between the 'new' one and the one I have had for years. The 'new' one is completely stock. The one I've had has the KAB tonearm cardas rewire. I'll report back.
 
Given that my ears aren't the keenest it'll be a challenge to tell but I'll give my best.
 
hiwattnick said:
Very true. SL1200’s are almost endlessly upgradeable and moddable too. You can coax a lot out of em, not to say there’s anything wrong with a stock model. I’m not sure what the current cost of a stock 1200 in good condition is, but they’re truly excellent decks. The design has pretty much stayed the same since the 70’s, and I can’t think of too many other turntables that can say that.
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Change the arm and never look back. The world is then your oyster regarding which cartridge to fit.

I use a Roksan Tabriz and 2M Black - others are available.
 
So the thick rubber mat on my deck has a slight bump in it. Read about putting it in the oven hoping it will flatten out or using double sided tape to hold it down. Just curious from veteran 1200 owners if it's worth messing with the mat or should I think about replacing it?
 
Asmodeus2112 said:
So the thick rubber mat on my deck has a slight bump in it. Read about putting it in the oven hoping it will flatten out or using double sided tape to hold it down. Just curious from veteran 1200 owners if it's worth messing with the mat or should I think about replacing it?
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I wouldn’t do it as it may degrade or breakdown the rubber then u could have a real mess. Might give a chance to try some other mats like a thinner rubber, cork, funk firm or other. I didn’t like the sound of the think rubber mat so I run the thin original technics mat bought used on the bay. On one system it’s a funk firm mat brings a lot of detail to the surface on my 1200 M3d.
 
Bahamayellow said:
I wouldn’t do it as it may degrade or breakdown the rubber then u could have a real mess. Might give a chance to try some other mats like a thinner rubber, cork, funk firm or other. I didn’t like the sound of the think rubber mat so I run the thin original technics mat bought used on the bay. On one system it’s a funk firm mat brings a lot of detail to the surface on my 1200 M3d.
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Yeah, I doubt it’s a good idea to put the mat in the oven as mentioned, but there are a lot of other great mats out there. The funk firm achromat being a very nice one. I also am quite fond of the Herbies way excellent mat too. Like the achromat, the Herbies mat is available in a diameter of 285mm specifically for SL1200’s, but the actual exact measurement of the diameter between the lip of a 1200 is 287mm if you wanna split hairs. There’s also nothing really wrong with the thinner Technics mats although the VTF has to be quite low depending on how tall your cartridge is.
 
hiwattnick said:
Yeah, I doubt it’s a good idea to put the mat in the oven as mentioned, but there are a lot of other great mats out there. The funk firm achromat being a very nice one. I also am quite fond of the Herbies way excellent mat too. Like the achromat, the Herbies mat is available in a diameter of 285mm specifically for SL1200’s, but the actual exact measurement of the diameter between the lip of a 1200 is 287mm if you wanna split hairs. There’s also nothing really wrong with the thinner Technics mats although the VTF has to be quite low depending on how tall your cartridge is.
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Yeah, I was wondering about the VTF. The manual I have is not clear if it is set with the thick mat or the thin. Since I am the second owner I don't know if the table came with the thick or thin and haven't take the time to research yet.
 
Bahamayellow said:
I wouldn’t do it as it may degrade or breakdown the rubber then u could have a real mess. Might give a chance to try some other mats like a thinner rubber, cork, funk firm or other. I didn’t like the sound of the think rubber mat so I run the thin original technics mat bought used on the bay. On one system it’s a funk firm mat brings a lot of detail to the surface on my 1200 M3d.
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After several years of using an Achromat I bought a SDS Isoplat. General improvement all round but bass especially(which was hardly poor) - I use it with the neoprene topper.

Recommended.
 
Asmodeus2112 said:
Yeah, I was wondering about the VTF. The manual I have is not clear if it is set with the thick mat or the thin. Since I am the second owner I don't know if the table came with the thick or thin and haven't take the time to research yet.
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After looking at the pic of your 1200, I can tell you’ve got one of the thick mats on it. I believe they’re a spec under 6mm in height. Since it’s got that bump on it, you unfortunately need to replace it. I personally went through a lot of mats for my 1200 and ended up going with a Herbies 287mm x 5mm thick mat. I had it custom made to 287mm, because 285mm leaves a small gap between the platter lip and mat. A thin mat causes you to have to zero out your VTA and even be forced into stacking mats, which can work great too if you can find the right combo.
Here’s a link if you’re interested: https://herbiesaudiolab.com/products/way-excellent-ii-turntable-mat
I hope that’s of help.
 
Howdy Y'all I hope your still taking new members. I am the proud new caretaker of a sl1210-mk2. Yes, I said caretaker. I stopped by my good friends house about a month ago and was horrified to see his 2 year old playing with the arm on above said t.t. I yelled at him( my friend, not his kid) and got him to put it away as it wasn't being used anyway. So I was over there the other day helping him with some plumbing issues and I told him of my plan to liberate his t.t. I was surprised that I actually got some resistance, " I'll never see it again he said" probably true if everything works my way. I told him he would get it back in better condition than it was. He still was not buying into it till I reminded him that I have keys to his house and will just get it when he is not home. He finally told me where it was, cold and naked on a bench in the garage, poor thing. Here is how it looked when I got it. IMG_2118.JPG IMG_2119.JPG IMG_2121.JPG IMG_2121.JPG IMG_2124.JPG
 
ESP said:
Howdy Y'all I hope your still taking new members. I am the proud new caretaker of a sl1210-mk2. Yes, I said caretaker. I stopped by my good friends house about a month ago and was horrified to see his 2 year old playing with the arm on above said t.t. I yelled at him( my friend, not his kid) and got him to put it away as it wasn't being used anyway. So I was over there the other day helping him with some plumbing issues and I told him of my plan to liberate his t.t. I was surprised that I actually got some resistance, " I'll never see it again he said" probably true if everything works my way. I told him he would get it back in better condition than it was. He still was not buying into it till I reminded him that I have keys to his house and will just get it when he is not home. He finally told me where it was, cold and naked on a bench in the garage, poor thing. Here is how it looked when I got it. View attachment 1441985 View attachment 1441986 View attachment 1441988 View attachment 1441988 View attachment 1441990
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IIMG_2148.JPG t looks like I got it before any real damage was done. I do have a few questions though, so where else would I come but here. I have been trying to read the entire thread but am only about a third of the way through. While trying to balance the arm I am encountering a spot about an half an inch in from the edge of the record to about 2 inches in where the tonearm wants to return to the arm rest. Prior to, and past that point it will balance perfectly and not want to move. The deck is perfectly level, antiskate set to zero, I even tried to loosen the tonearm wires going into the wand like I read here in another post. How much slack can, or should I pull out of the base of the tonearm, and does that sound like the problem. Here is how it looks now.
 
To be clear, the tonearm has smooth movement through its range of motion, there does not seem to be any excess play in any of the pivots, and thankfully the arm tube is not damaged.
 
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