Thorens TD-124 Project Turntable

[Dr Tinear]

I acquired a new audio project last night -- a Thorens TD-124 turntable that needs some TLC before it can sing again. It appears to be in good shape overall. I have a few questions on how to proceed in restoring and upgrading it, and I hope some of the regulars who have experience with the 124 will share their expertise. For starters:

• The turntable came with a Thorens base and dust cover -- a veneered wooden box with a tambour door that slides up to cover the turntable when it's not in use. The tambour door is sticking in its track. Any ideas on how to free it up non-destructively?
• What lubrication and/or other maintenance should I do on the motor?
• What lubricant should I use for the platter main bearing?
• The turntable came with two Audio-Empire tonearms, each on its own armboard. These appear to be medium-to-high-mass arms that wouldn't work well with modern high-compliance cartridges. What modern arms under $500 would be worth considering as an upgrade?
• Is the TD-124 likely to induce hum in a Grado cartridge?

I'm excited about this project and eager to hear the TD-124 in action once the maintenance work is complete.

 

[Mister Pig]

You got a pretty wonderful table ther, and are a lucky lucky guy. Where did you dig it up from?

Now you can oil the motor and bearing up, or you can consider refurbishing them and getting them to known spec operation. That is what I did with my TD 124, and didn't regret spending the money.

If you go to Ebay you can find a seller called JEC something or another....Jim Campbell...and he has a whole range of Thorens restoration parts. You can buy a new thrust plate, nitrade ball, oil pads for the motor and make it as good as new...or better. You can also buy new silicone shoulder grommets for the motor...or there are some other places to source those. Someone else is making a spring assembly for this job too. There is also a new thrust plate, spindle end cap, and spindle ball bearing for the platter assembly. Oh, and don't forget a new belt. Then there is the basic cleaning and relubing of the speed selector/on off switch.

You do want to check the idler wheel for flat spots and tight bushing. You can buy a new idler wheel, have that one rebuilt, or buy a new design idler wheel...like the one from metal with an o ring for the contact point. The other thing you want to check is that the top aluminum platter is flat and true, sometimes these can be damaged and are hard to find a replacement....especially at a reasonable cost.

$500 for a tone arm. Well if you can put in the time and have the ability, the Audiomod tone arm kit is in that price range and probably the best one you are going to find for that money. Other options would be a vintage SME 3009 II, as its period correct and owners like it with the Grado cartridges. Of course a Rega with upgrades is a good option also, and there are some Jelco to look at. Those are the usual suspects for this table. Now if you can find a used Project 9CC EVO, that is a mighty nice arm also.

Good luck on your journey, the TD 124 is a wonderful table and worth investing in. I honestly believe you will love it!

Regards
Mister Pig

 

[bob06]

You hi a nice TT there and you will enjoy it. First I would do a search here on AK and see what other AKers have done to there 124s to get them running in tip top shape. Lots of good information here. :thmbsp:

 

[drtool]

I love all things 124 good luck.

 

[Br1ck]

Every time I read a post like this I get a happy contact high and memories of coming home with mine.

One of the best things to do is get a heavy ply plinth, but you might have something in yours you wish to keep.

I can't recall one post where someone regretted the purchase of a 124.

 

[beatcomber]

You can safely use a Grado with a TD-124. No hum issues.

 

[HankHandy]

A light rubbing of candle wax will help the tambour slide more easily. Thats what I do on my antique roll top desk, works very well.

 

[beatcomber]

If you go to Ebay you can find a seller called JEC something or another....Jim Campbell...and he has a whole range of Thorens restoration parts.

JEC965 is Jim's eBay handle. I second the recommendation to make use of Jim's products and services. He rebuilt the motor on my TD-124, and it purrs like a kitten now.

 

[Dr Tinear]

Thanks for the great ideas! I knew that the TD-124 was a respected turntable, but the range of upgrades I found when I searched the Web yesterday left me surprised. I had no idea that so many people were still interested in getting the most from a late-1950s turntable design, even one that offered Swiss craftsmanship and brick-outhouse build quality.

To answer Mister Pig's question, I got lucky. An audiophile friend who's been selling all of his 78s and reducing the size of his LP collection decided that he no longer needed both a TD-124 and an LP-12. He offered the Thorens to me at a price below market. When I pointed out that they routinely sell for more than his asking price on eBay and Audiogon, he said that he wanted his 124 to go to someone who would appreciate it and didn't want the headache of crating and shipping it. At that point I gratefully agreed to his asking price. Would I be correct to assume that an arm priced above $500 would not be wasted on a TD-124?

HankHandy, thanks for the suggestion on the tambour door. The Thorens plinth doesn't seem terribly substantial, so I will probably buy or build a more massive one, but I'd like to try the turntable in its original plinth to assess what component rebuilds it needs now and which ones can be deferred until my upgrade budget is larger. My friend included a couple of old Shure cartridges in the haul; I think one of them is an M44-7, which has a low enough compliance that it should work satisfactorily in the Empire arm.

 

[Mister Pig]

Thanks for the great ideas! I knew that the TD-124 was a respected turntable, but the range of upgrades I found when I searched the Web yesterday left me surprised. I had no idea that so many people were still interested in getting the most from a late-1950s turntable design, even one that offered Swiss craftsmanship and brick-outhouse build quality.

To answer Mister Pig's question, I got lucky. An audiophile friend who's been selling all of his 78s and reducing the size of his LP collection decided that he no longer needed both a TD-124 and an LP-12. He offered the Thorens to me at a price below market. When I pointed out that they routinely sell for more than his asking price on eBay and Audiogon, he said that he wanted his 124 to go to someone who would appreciate it and didn't want the headache of crating and shipping it. At that point I gratefully agreed to his asking price. Would I be correct to assume that an arm priced above $500 would not be wasted on a TD-124?

HankHandy, thanks for the suggestion on the tambour door. The Thorens plinth doesn't seem terribly substantial, so I will probably buy or build a more massive one, but I'd like to try the turntable in its original plinth to assess what component rebuilds it needs now and which ones can be deferred until my upgrade budget is larger. My friend included a couple of old Shure cartridges in the haul; I think one of them is an M44-7, which has a low enough compliance that it should work satisfactorily in the Empire arm.

Oh yes, the TD 124 is capable of supporting a top flight arm. There are those who believe it is the high water mark of Thorens turntables. I run an Eminent Technology II on mine, and the current version of that arm is in the 4K range. I also use a Clearaudio Signature cartridge on it, which sold for $2.5K. And the table is worth it. Actually I find it to be very similar in performance to my Galibier Audio Serac which sold factory direct for $3.4K just a few years ago...and was deemed to expensive to make for that selling price.

Your Thorens is a lifetime keeper, and worth investing audio dollars into.

Enjoy it...got any pics? We TD 124 owners love to see the pics of the new ones coming into the fold.

regards
Mister Pig

 

[AudioJag]

Oh yes, the TD 124 is capable of supporting a top flight arm. ......
Mister Pig

I recently put an SME Series III on my TD-124 and regardless of cartridge I'm getting a hum from what appears to be the motor. Table ac was converted to 3prong grounded and did not have hum with SME 2009.

Any thoughts on if this can be cured? Thanks

 

[beatcomber]

I recently put an SME Series III on my TD-124 and regardless of cartridge I'm getting a hum from what appears to be the motor. Table ac was converted to 3prong grounded and did not have hum with SME 2009.

Any thoughts on if this can be cured? Thanks

Is the arm grounded to the chassis?

 

[Mister Pig]

I recently put an SME Series III on my TD-124 and regardless of cartridge I'm getting a hum from what appears to be the motor. Table ac was converted to 3prong grounded and did not have hum with SME 2009.

Any thoughts on if this can be cured? Thanks

Well perhaps i would look into returning it to its stock configuration? There is no problem with having a two prong power cord arrangement.

Regards
Mister Pig

 

[AudioJag]

Is the arm grounded to the chassis?

It's supposed to be. (attached to the grounding screw on underside of arm)
As a techie that give me a thought that I better take a look inside the lower sleeve and see if the grounding wire inside the plastic sleeve came loose from its terminal.

Thanks .... didn't think of doing that check previously. As in networking issues... two heads are better than one

 

[bob06]

I always run the ground from my arms directly to the preamp.

 

[AudioJag]

Is the arm grounded to the chassis?

Removed the lower plastic shield and verified the tonearm ground to be connected properly. Re-check and Hum is still there.

I'm wondering if the moving iron cartridges I've tried are causing the issue. Maybe I should try a moving coil and see if that works?

 

[AudioJag]

Well perhaps i would look into returning it to its stock configuration? There is no problem with having a two prong power cord arrangement.

Regards
Mister Pig

I would very much like to use the SME Series III on the TD-124 than the SME 2009. I like setting it up and it performs beautifully. I don't use it as my daily turntable so we can experiment to find out what the problem is. Maybe the SME SerIII is not compatible to the TD-124, but I've never read in any post that said that although it's possible.
Actually I found the grounded 3 prong far better to work with. Changed my TD-160 also. I like not having to fuss with a ground wire. And one can always use a wire if needed with an outlet not grounded.

 

[bob06]

You should be able to use any arm you like on the 124 without any hum. Try disconnecting the ground from the arm and see what happens.

 

[bob06]

I also use a 3 prong grounded cord on my 124 without any problems. But I don't ground the arm to the chassis.

 

[beatcomber]

I also use a 3 prong grounded cord on my 124 without any problems. But I don't ground the arm to the chassis.

Really? You don't need to ground the SME 3009 to the chassis? That would certainly make armboard swaps quicker and easier.