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Thread: Possibly my biggest project yet - a Yamaha GT-2000 turntable

  1. #1
    Join Date: Jul 2009

    Location: Hampshire, UK

    Posts: 3,662
    I'm Adam.

    Default Possibly my biggest project yet - a Yamaha GT-2000 turntable

    There is a problem with being a turntable collector. namely that, when you buy the item at the top of your 'wanted' list, a new model invariably moves up the charts and takes its place. On my turntable lust list it was the Nakamichi TX-1000 for years then, when I bought one, it was the Sony PS-X9. Having found one of those, too, the top of the list for the last couple of years has been the Yamaha GT-2000.

    Now, most people know the best place to buy one of these is Hi-Fi Do in Japan. I bought my PS-X9 there and their service was impeccable and their packaging absolutely astonishing, so I was biding my time and waiting for the right GT-2000 to come along.

    Imagine my surprise, then, when I spotted one on eBay in the UK a couple of weeks ago. Surely there had to be a catch? Sadly, there was. The seller had bought it from Japan (not from Hi-Fi Do I hasten to add) and a combination of poor packaging and unsympathetic courier treatment meant it arrived in pieces. He sadly had no insurance on it and so took the decision to offer it on eBay to recoup whatever he could. Well, I couldn't say no, now could I?!

    Here's how it looked on arrival:

    Yamaha GT2000_1s by ADAM SMITH

    Yamaha GT2000_2s by ADAM SMITH

    Yamaha GT2000_3s by ADAM SMITH

    The motor was seized as the spindle had taken a clout and deformed the bearing support plate. The arm had pulled out of the plinth and the arm rest and cueing platform were snapped off, and the counterweight stub bent. Chunks were missing from the plinth, it was bashed in the corner and he didn't even bother sending the lid on to me as it was apparently more of a jigsaw. Heck, even the metal covers on both of the switches had come unstuck!

    Well, at the weekend, I set to, tackling the motor first, with the theory that, if this was destroyed, then there was no point in going any further. The motor was stripped and refurbished and the bearing support plate straightened. With heart in mouth I powered it up to find it dead - damn! Luckily, a quick check revealed a blown fuse and a new one had it spinning at the right speeds! The one thing I did notice, however, was some up and down movement on the rotor as it appears to have been shifted slightly on the shaft. It's a press fit, though, so it's off to a mate next week to be straightened. Buoyed by this, last night I stripped the thing to pieces and it now looks like this:

    Yamaha GT2000_4s by ADAM SMITH

    The next plans are as follows:
    - Arm off to Audio Origami for a bearing health check
    - Buy new lid (did this last night from eBay!)
    - Plinth off to my brother-in-law who works for a metal fabrication company but works on all kinds of bespoke projects and knows a good woodworker or two. I'm thinking a repair and a nice re-veneer, maybe in a glossy rosewood.
    - Put it all back together and pray it works!
    Engineers: fixing problems you didn't know you had in ways you don't understand.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

    Default

    That's interesting. I don't even know that model. Good luck sorting it.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Sep 2014

    Location: brighton uk.

    Posts: 4,737
    I'm jamie.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by walpurgis View Post
    That's interesting. I don't even know that model. Good luck sorting it.
    that does surprise me,im not being sarcastic either,good luck with the project mate,im sure it will be well worth it,i should have my new tt up and running at the weekend.
    ps if your going with rosewood go for rio
    My System
    John Wood KT88 Amp.
    Paradise Phono Stage
    Sony TTS-8000 Turntable.
    PMAT-1010 MK6 Tonearm.
    Ortofon Cadenza Bronze
    Sony X555ES Cd Player
    Yamaha NS1000m Speakers

  4. #4
    Join Date: Jul 2009

    Location: Hampshire, UK

    Posts: 3,662
    I'm Adam.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by walpurgis View Post
    That's interesting. I don't even know that model. Good luck sorting it.
    Details here, along with some pictures of what it's supposed to look like! http://www.thevintageknob.org/yamaha-GT-2000.html
    Engineers: fixing problems you didn't know you had in ways you don't understand.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Oct 2011

    Location: London Town

    Posts: 2,441
    I'm Julian.

    Default

    I've always liked the look of these and have ogled a few on hifi-do ...

    Love the GT moniker - 'gigantic and tremendous' ...

    Really looking forward to seeing how it all progresses.
    Sonore Rendu - Cambridge Audio Edge W - Sonus Faber Venere 2.5

  6. #6
    Join Date: Apr 2016

    Location: Gravesend and France

    Posts: 1,498
    I'm paul.

    Default

    I suppose if you are looking to keep it original the plinth should stay, but personally it looks like scrap, ok drop the s it's crap, looks like chipboard. I would make a new plinth from something solid. What's the word on Yamaha turntables. I tend to think of Yamaha pianos and motorcycles as where their skills lie.
    Bakoon 13r Denon DP80 Stax UA-70 Shure Ultra 500 in a Martin Bastin body with jico stylus, project ds2 digital Rullit aero 8 field coils in tqwt speakers

    Office system, DIY CSS fullrange speakers with aurum cantus G2 ribbons yulong dac Sony STR6055 receiver Jvc QL-A51 direct drive turntable, Leema sub. JVC Z4S cart is in the house

    Garage system another Sony receiver, cassette deck


    System components are subject to change without warning and at the discretion of the owner.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Nov 2013

    Location: HAMPSTEAD

    Posts: 1,156
    I'm brian.

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    Yeah, bit it mate !

  8. #8
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

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    I'd repair and restore the original plinth. Partly for what originality can be kept and partly because I know I could.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: Brighton, UK.

    Posts: 3,061
    I'm Mike.

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    Turntable renovation, I see a docu soap in the offing.................
    Current system 1210 GR. CDP - Meridian G08. Amp -Sugden A21I - Sig. Wharfedale Lintons.

  10. #10
    Join Date: Apr 2011

    Location: London

    Posts: 4,419
    I'm Robert.

    Default

    For it to arrive like that is a travesty, bloody sad.

    I take my hat off to you taking it on as a project, you're clearly a man with a real passion for these things and who rises to the challenge
    My System:
    Amplification - Sansui AU-alpha 707 DR
    Turntable - Technics SP10 MK2-Technics EPA-250 Tonearm-Yannis Tome 423.5Plus tonearm cable-Eichmann KLEI Absolute Harmony plugs.
    Ortofon Cadenza Black moving coil cartridge-Fritz Gyger S re-tip. Panzerholz plinth.

    CDP - Pioneer PD-91
    Speakers - Spendor D7 on Soundcare SuperSpikes
    QED Silver Spiral speaker cable-airloc banana plugs
    Mains - Ultra Pure silver plated un-switched socket-Missing link EPS 500 silver plated plugs-Hi-Fi Tuning gold plated silver ceramic 13 amp fuses

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