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Spur07
26-10-2012, 08:39
Last year I acquired a Lenco GL59 from a nice chap on the 'UK Vintage' forum for £50. It was in a bit of state (he did warn me!). It's had the full works - motor and bearing service, rewiring, etc. I sent the arm to J7 for full service (including bearings) and internal cardas rewire throughout (including headshell).

Would I do another one? Not really, I'd rather be bum-raped by some hairy old lag in a prison cell. Any advice for someone thinking of restoring a lenco? Get yourself a minty L75 and add a decent arm, stay away from the L70/GL59.

Here's an overview from start to finish. This is just about the best I could do.

http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt94/spur07/Lenco%202/Lenco1.jpg

http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt94/spur07/Lenco%202/Lenco3.jpg

http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt94/spur07/Lenco%202/L3-2.jpg

http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt94/spur07/Lenco%202/L1.jpg

http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt94/spur07/Lenco%202/Lenco2.jpg

http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt94/spur07/Lenco%202/L10.jpg

http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt94/spur07/Lenco%202/L9.jpg

http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt94/spur07/Lenco%202/L7.jpg


And with stacked platter.


http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt94/spur07/Lenco%202/L3-1.jpg

Innovative use of blue tac and red clothes peg:


http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt94/spur07/Lenco%202/L6.jpg

And finally complete with separate plinth for modern arm (Rega RB250). Clothes peg now white!


http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt94/spur07/Lenco%202/L5-1.jpg

http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt94/spur07/Lenco%202/L11.jpg

http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt94/spur07/Lenco%202/L4-1.jpg

keiths
26-10-2012, 09:21
Nice one Paul :clap:

I bet it's worth all the effort.

Spur07
26-10-2012, 10:10
Nice one Paul :clap:

I bet it's worth all the effort.

Thanks Keith

Yes it was worth the effort, although I'll admit along the way sometimes it didn't seem that way :D I'm still tweaking it here and there and I need to experiment a bit with different carts, etc so I can't make any proper judgements, but lets just say I'm a little undecided with regards to the original arm. I'm on the look for another headshell so I can fashion a way of incorporating a mounting plate that will allow me to align the carts. It seems to me this is the biggest problem with that arm. It just wasn't built for it. The Rega on the other hand is excellent, and I can't wait to upgrade it further. A better cart for starters. Any advice welcome. :)

walpurgis
26-10-2012, 10:12
Nice job there, looks very pretty (and very heavy), bet it sounds good too.

Is that a Harman Kardon A402 I spotted underneath? Very rare these days. A decent seventies integrated amp. I used to rate them alongside the Luxman stuff for quality.

Spur07
26-10-2012, 10:13
Incidentally, a kind fellow on Lenco Heaven has offered to make me a rather elegant extension to my arm rest, so no more clothes pegs! :)

Marco
26-10-2012, 10:17
Words fail me, Paul - absolutely STUNNING work! RESPECT, amigo!! :youtheman: :exactly:

Marco.

walpurgis
26-10-2012, 10:24
By the way Paul, if you don't get the armrest from Lenco Heaven, I may still have a GL75 armrest in my parts bin. I'd have to check to be sure, but you'd be welcome to it if I can find it. Geoff.

Spur07
26-10-2012, 10:24
Nice job there, looks very pretty, bet it sounds good too.

Is that a Harman Kardon A402 I spotted underneath? Very rare these days. A decent seventies integrated amp. I used to rate them alongside the Luxman stuff for quality.

Thanks mate. Yes it sounds good, better than my Nad 533 at least. Trouble with the L70/GL59 is that you have to balance the plinth for the arm and not the platter as the arm has no anti-skate and is susceptible to the slightest imbalance. For me this means the plinth has to be raised slightly on the right side. So when I change from one arm to the other I have to rebalance the main plinth, a bit of a pain. Right now however, I can't stop using the Rega. The original arm with the Shure M3D is good for older records and monos.

Yes that's a HK A402 underneath - I'm glad you spotted that, it's a brilliant amp capable of getting vintage speakers to throw a soundstage. At the moment used for pre-amp duties into my Quad II's. Very rare now - see them in Europe occasionally, but I think I got the last one I ever saw in this country for £50 :lol: I'd advise anyone to buy one if they see it, especially Tannoy users.

Spur07
26-10-2012, 10:26
When I get time I'll post some pics of my full system in the gallery section, which I haven't done as yet. It's all changed since the dark days of 'Naim'.

Rare Bird
26-10-2012, 10:35
The clothes peg armrest nearly make me choke on mi cuppa tea loike :D

Spur07
26-10-2012, 10:44
Words fail me, Paul - absolutely STUNNING work! RESPECT, amigo!! :youtheman: :exactly:

Marco.

Thanks Marco!

Spur07
26-10-2012, 10:46
By the way Paul, if you don't get the armrest from Lenco Heaven, I may still have a GL75 armrest in my parts bin. I'd have to check to be sure, but you'd be welcome to it if I can find it. Geoff.

Thanks Geoff, that's very kind. I'm hoping Felix will come up with the goods - it enables me to extend the current arm rest so it will all look original...

and hopefully rare bird wont have to choke on his tea anymore :D

keiths
26-10-2012, 11:06
I like the clothes peg

Spur07
26-10-2012, 12:11
I like the clothes peg

I'm afraid it does start to grate after a while Keith :D

Rare Bird
26-10-2012, 15:05
Paul:

Do you still have the plates from the top?

Spur07
26-10-2012, 15:47
Paul:

Do you still have the plates from the top?

Andre

Yes I've kept them. The name plate got mashed when it was removed which is one of the reasons I abandoned it. I've also got the speed plate, it just looked a bit fussy on the top plate.

P

Rare Bird
26-10-2012, 15:50
Ive been thinking about removal of these plates & especially the long ones from say a 'G75' i think they are bonded on with an Evo Stick type glue. i thought about heating the decks up from underside to try make the glue softish which might work in removing them without damage..All a thought mindst..

John
26-10-2012, 16:07
Great work Paul I must come over and hear it sometime

Spur07
26-10-2012, 16:59
Ive been thinking about removal of these plates & especially the long ones from say a 'G75' i think they are bonded on with an Evo Stick type glue. i thought about heating the decks up from underside to try make the glue softish which might work in removing them without damage..All a thought mindst..

Yes, your correct Andre - its glued so a little heating with a hairdryer or similar would do the trick. As I'm a bit of an impatient thug I went for the screwdriver option and that name plate is easily bent! :eyebrows: In my case there's a round pin which housed the ON/OFF switch lever - that's what foiled me, you need to tap it out from the underside if memory serves.

Many people have removed those plates and returned them after a re-spray.

Spur07
26-10-2012, 17:05
Great work Paul I must come over and hear it sometime

Thanks John.

Yes, we must meet up again. I'll let you know when I can organize some free time. I'd like to upgrade the cart in the Rega first though - it's only a basic Ortofon, any thoughts on a giant killing MM under £200? Stanton 881 or 890 with jico?

John
26-10-2012, 18:43
Unfortantly the bargin I bought all sold out now Actux 415 STR bloody great cart with my arm has put some very expensive carts to shame

The Grand Wazoo
26-10-2012, 18:44
That looks great Paul.
A question if you don't mind. With the Rega arm at the 7 o'clock position, did you have any problems with interference from the motor?
I'm in the process of doing something similar with my G99 and have cut my wood to take an arm there. I realised too late that there may be a problem with this configuration, but haven't had any opportunity to find out if things will be OK or not.


As for the clothes peg - brilliant! I'll post a piccie of my first rough assembly of the G99 with it's own 'custom' rest shortly.

Rare Bird
26-10-2012, 18:48
Some please find me a Lenco 'L77' before i loose the will to live

:wah:

Spur07
26-10-2012, 19:05
That looks great Paul.
A question if you don't mind. With the Rega arm at the 7 o'clock position, did you have any problems with interference from the motor?
I'm in the process of doing something similar with my G99 and have cut my wood to take an arm there. I realised too late that there may be a problem with this configuration, but haven't had any opportunity to find out if things will be OK or not.


As for the clothes peg - brilliant! I'll post a piccie of my first rough assembly of the G99 with it's own 'custom' rest shortly.

Thanks Chris

I must admit the thought had never crossed my mind - I'd seen other Lenco members build their 2nd arms to the left and copied them. It was never practical for me to place it along the back of the plinth. What kind of interference are you referring to? Give me idea of what you want me to look out for.

P

Spur07
26-10-2012, 19:05
Unfortantly the bargin I bought all sold out now Actux 415 STR bloody great cart with my arm has put some very expensive carts to shame

sounds interesting john, did Vic sell them?

Spur07
26-10-2012, 19:11
Some please find me a Lenco 'L77' before i loose the will to live

:wah:

Andre, why are you after the 77? is it because it's so rare :rolleyes:

I haven't seen one before - they're even rarer than the 88 and 99. I'm not sure the arm was that good on either.

The Grand Wazoo
26-10-2012, 19:32
What kind of interference are you referring to? Give me idea of what you want me to look out for.

I don't think I've seen many 2 armed Lencos with one on the left hand side - most are at the 11 o'clock position. My thinking was the same as yours, I'd guess - to put it there means it has to have a plinth that's very deep (front to back) & I think that's trickier to house on a rack.

With the arm on the left, the cartridge is tracing an arc close to, and just upstairs from the motor. The motor is a powerful beast & I'd have thought these factors have to increase the possibility of the cartridge picking up some hum.

John
26-10-2012, 20:06
Nope it was a ebay seller but they all gone now

Spur07
26-10-2012, 20:23
I don't think I've seen many 2 armed Lencos with one on the left hand side - most are at the 11 o'clock position. My thinking was the same as yours, I'd guess - to put it there means it has to have a plinth that's very deep (front to back) & I think that's trickier to house on a rack.

With the arm on the left, the cartridge is tracing an arc close to, and just upstairs from the motor. The motor is a powerful beast & I'd have thought these factors have to increase the possibility of the cartridge picking up some hum.

I see, that's what I thought you'd be suggesting. Your right, the arm is close to the motor, tracking a course above the idler wheel more specifically with the motor back left. I'll take a pic with the platters off tomorrow if I get the opportunity.

Right, forgive me if this helps not one jot :lol: but I've just enlisted the help of my handy clothes peg and dangled the cart over the platter in playing position (not playing record) with volume up very, very loud - there is possibly a subtle hint of hum. When I move the cart back to holding position away from the motor nothing changes though. (I wouldn't play a record at that volume btw) I've just listened to the run in of Kate Bush, 50 words for snow, (a very 'quiet' record) at very high volume - nothing there, just usual surface noise.

Just repeated first test again - christ mate its bloody minimal if that - it's certainly not an issue for me. I can remember my old Rega P3 - it hummed like a bloody bumble bee at the slightest hint of loudness :lol: Bear in mind I'm using a basic cart but very sensitive EMI speakers. Dont know if that has any bearing on matters.

Of course you don't have to put it centre left as I've done here Chris, I don't know what the spindle to pivot distance is on your arm but if you put it further back left it will comfortably miss the motor. That's the beauty of putting an arm on the separate plinth, I can move it if necessary - even to the back edge of the main plinth if needed. I printed the Rega 222m template on to clear acetate which makes it simple to re-position the arm. You can also piss about with VTA if your arm is a bit basic like mine. It worked out well with the stacked platter in any case, the plinth was originally built to match the main plinth for height, etc, but once I stacked the platter there was no going back if you know what I mean. But tbh, like I said, I don't think its going to be an issue. Have you incorporated your second arm into the main plinth Chris, or is it on a separate block?

The Grand Wazoo
26-10-2012, 20:32
That's a useful bit of experience, thanks.
Here's my plinth as it was when the ply was rough cut. It's going to be a slate & ply sandwich so there's a layer of slate to go top and bottom yet. Both arm boards will be slate too.
Things have moved on a little since then.....but not much!

Note the arm rest!
I'm onto the MkII version of that now, with it lying on it's side and a V-groove in the top & a flat bottom to stop it rolling, all very precisely cut with a Swiss Army Knife!

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/1514/dscf4361p.jpg

Spur07
26-10-2012, 20:49
That's a useful bit of experience, thanks.
Here's my plinth as it was when the ply was rough cut. It's going to be a slate & ply sandwich so there's a layer of slate to go top and bottom yet. Both arm boards will be slate too.
Things have moved on a little since then.....but not much!

Note the arm rest!
I'm onto the MkII version of that now, with it lying on it's side and a V-groove in the top & a flat bottom to stop it rolling, all very precisely cut with a Swiss Army Knife!

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/1514/dscf4361p.jpg

Lovely Chris, wish I'd found a 99 to play with - much easier in terms of choices, etc.

I can see your arm is sitting more front left than mine so it may well sit the cart over the motor a little more I guess. I just repeated the first test again as the batteries on my phono just died, fresh batch in - I think I over egged the subtle hum, I'm not sure its even hum now - it could be distortion from some of the EF's in my Quads which aren't in the best of health. I'd proceed with confidence Chris.

I would have liked to have chucked in a bit of slate as well but the cutting scared me a bit :( - good to mix up materials within the plinth. I might build another slate plinth for the Rega one day.

Your cork idea is good, but have you got the patent, and isn't it a little time consuming in production :D I'll see you in dragons' den.

Rare Bird
28-10-2012, 07:44
Andre, why are you after the 77? is it because it's so rare :rolleyes:

I haven't seen one before - they're even rarer than the 'G88'/'G99'. I'm not sure the arm was that good on either.

Because the 'L77' is the one withought any built in arm cue mech & also, most importantly, the original arm mount is lower down than the 'L70' so i can also fit the Mayware arm without any hangover at the rear. I hate 'G88'/'G99' motor units so they are out of the question..

Puffin
29-10-2012, 19:58
Thanks John.

Yes, we must meet up again. I'll let you know when I can organize some free time. I'd like to upgrade the cart in the Rega first though - it's only a basic Ortofon, any thoughts on a giant killing MM under £200? Stanton 881 or 890 with jico?

Can I come too:D

Barry
30-10-2012, 00:11
Because the 'L77' is the one withought any built in arm cue mech & also, most importantly, the original arm mount is lower down than the 'L70' so I can also fit the Mayware arm without any hangover at the rear. I hate 'G88'/'G99' motor units so they are out of the question..

Any particular reason why André?

Spur07
01-11-2012, 15:29
Can I come too:D

of course rob :)

Rare Bird
08-11-2012, 21:46
Thanks mate. Yes it sounds good, better than my Nad 533 at least. Trouble with the L70/GL59 is that you have to balance the plinth for the arm and not the platter as the arm has no anti-skate and is susceptible to the slightest imbalance.



Hi Paul
Have you checked the bearings in the arm, my first job is to completely replace them for a new set, ive seen a few of these arms with missing balls!

I think i have a way around mounting other cartridges in that headshell! I also could do with a spare metal shell :)

Spur07
15-11-2012, 21:41
Hi Paul
Have you checked the bearings in the arm, my first job is to completely replace them for a new set, ive seen a few of these arms with missing balls!

I think i have a way around mounting other cartridges in that headshell! I also could do with a spare metal shell :)

sorry andre, only just found this thread again, now I know why you messaged me the other week about alignment issues with the L70 headshell :lol:

Yes, the bearings in my arm were serviced by J7, and it had a full internal rewire at the same time. I bottled out of doing the work myself. You can easily buy the new balls I believe, so all good fun.

When you tighten the screws on the side of the arm make sure they're both equal as this affects the Azimuth of the headshell apparently.

Rare Bird
18-11-2012, 22:00
S'ok Paul
I decide that my record collection aint gonna see any cartridge that tracks more than 1.5grm :)

Marco
19-11-2012, 00:31
Any particular reason why André?

I'd also ask Andre the same question... The 'fettled' G99 I heard earlier this year sounded stunning (and in many ways better than any Garrard I've heard). Perhaps it's a looks thing? :)

Marco.

Rare Bird
19-11-2012, 08:17
It's a looks thing

btw: Noticed a Techie section in the Analogue Art: Sub-Forums i recon their should be one for Idler TT's :eyebrows:

Spur07
19-11-2012, 22:31
S'ok Paul
I decide that my record collection aint gonna see any cartridge that tracks more than 1.5grm :)

so that's the L70 arm out then andre :lol: i must admit i don't blame you - on my stacked platter it has to track at over 4g, currently at 5g :stalks: I'm not using it that much - just on mono's and 45's.

can i have first dibs on your headshell though :D:D:D:D