FS or IC: Pioneer PL-71 direct drive turntable

[jandl100]

Hmm, yeah. I probably want to sell this.

Good condition (a few marks, but looks great imho), speed is steady. Some fairly minor marks on the lid.

A great deck -- but my new fully automatic Mitsubishi -- well, it's the auto features that I crave, and it doesn't sound that far short of the PL-71 ..... :scratch:

I paid Richard / Gromit £180 for the PL-71, so that's what I want back for it.
Headshell and cartridge NOT included, but I'll stick a cheapo headshell in it to get you started if you like, but a Sumiko shell works very well!

It comes with the original rubber mat, NOT the Reso-mat in the photo.

I WILL NOT COURIER THIS
.... so come collect (Glos GL17) or maybe I can deliver or we can meet up?

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF7914.jpg

Some minor curiosities about the arm --
- Richard bought it as NOS
- it doesn't have damped lowering (I'm not sure if these arms usually do ...?) so you have to gently rotate the cueing lever.
- it has a slight sticking point on lowering the first time it's used in a day, but thereafter is fine. Weird that.
- the lid opens and stays open nicely, even at a fair old angle forward, but it kind of graunches a bit (technical term) the first time you open it in a day, but fine thereafter. That's a bit weird, too.

[DSJR]

Damping fluid for the cueing device should be easy to apply and retain I think.

[walpurgis]

Shame to be getting rid of this Jerry. Its one of the better DD tuntables. Quite easy to put a better pickup arm onto as well. That would be worthwhile.

I have a PL-61, that's the big belt drive model and strangely enough it too has a suspect pickup arm that seems to only operate properly sometimes. I've already cut a new armboard for it and one of my spare Mission 774 arms will go on that.

[DSJR]

That pickup arm is one of the very best of its type, believe it or not and is nothing like as badly conceived as the usual detach-headshell arm that its competition all too often had.

[Canetoad]

Arm lift damping can be repaired by removing, cleaning and relubing with very thick silicone oil. I know, I've done it to my own.

Don't let the arm lift put you off. :)

[Anesthetise]

I'm highly interested, sent you an e-mail.

[jandl100]

I'm highly interested, sent you an e-mail.

Hi Adam, I've emailed you, I'll PM you my tel no in case that goes wrong!

[jandl100]

Whoa - what - Poland?

I WILL NOT COURIER THIS!! :nono:

[terrybooth]

Hi

Sent you a PM. Apologies for not reading the original post correctly - GL17, got it.

[walpurgis]

That pickup arm is one of the very best of its type, believe it or not and is nothing like as badly conceived as the usual detach-headshell arm that its competition all too often had.

The PL-61 and PL-71 arms are basically similar and bearing issues are not unheard of, as appears to be the problem with mine. Jerry's may well have the same problem. It may be sortable, I haven't investigated, opting to change the probably.

[jandl100]

The PL-61 and PL-71 arms are basically similar and bearing issues are not unheard of, as appears to be the problem with mine. Jerry's may well have the same problem. It may be sortable, I haven't investigated, opting to change the probably.

Well, no, no bearing probs I am sure - as I said, the arm is NOS - new old stock and quite recently fitted. It works fine apart from the lack of damped lowering. :thumbsup:

Anyhoo - SOLD stp etc to Terry. :)

[walpurgis]

The type of thick silicone damping fluid used on some pickup arms, i.e. Decca, Mission, SME, can also be used to replenish the reservoir in arm lifters. I have used STP silicone motor oil additive in the past, for both purposes, it works.

[Canetoad]

I have some silicone grease if Terry needs some. PM me if you want some. :)

[Gromit]

That's a shame - was hoping to have this back in my grubby mitts. :(

[jandl100]

Ah, sorry, Richard. I didn't realise you wanted it back. :(

[Gromit]

Have sent you a pm Jerry. :)

[DSJR]

Of all the mid 70's direct drives, enough separate people have rated this deck and its arm for it to be kept, or returned to Richard methinks. Thing is, if the arm ever DID have bearing issues, Johnnie at Audio Origami now has enough experience stripping these and distantly related R200 tonearms out and working his magic on them should it ever be needed. Richard, I know you sometimes have itchy feet for different products at times, but please hang on to this one, since it's not "just" a tired old example in need of some work. if you needed a cheapy deck to play with and bearing in mind the adventures you had with the TD150, I'd be inclined to get a TD160, which are dirt cheap for what they can do and may give you some fun in the winter months while you're hopefully back enjoying records played on the PL71????? :)

[NRG]

I dont understand where this 'bearing issue' has come from, its the first I've heard of it...my arm certainly has shown no issues in use and when I took it apart there where no signs of any problem. Also looking at the PL-61 arm it bears no resemblance to the PL-71. :scratch:

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/andgo/Pioneer%20PL-61/PioneerPL-61012.jpg
Picture borrowed.

[walpurgis]

Is somebody not happy? I'm sure I saw an ill advised post elsewhere by a Dr. something or other.

[jandl100]

:lol:

Yeah, I've no idea where this "bearing issue" has come from either. :doh:

Mine's fine thanks - how's yours? ;)

[NRG]

Its great Jerry! Somebody is going to get a very fine deck....was tempted to buy myself but I'd be in such deep doodoo if I bought another TT! :lol: and besides I've already got one. :D

[Gromit]

Richard, I know you sometimes have itchy feet for different products at times, but please hang on to this one, since it's not "just" a tired old example in need of some work.

Dave - I'm not actually having Jerry's '71, sadly. I had said at the time he bought it that I'd definitely like first refusal if he ever sold it but after an exchange of pm's just now he's kindly apologised for forgetting about this. No dramas though - and it'd be letting Terry down if he didn't now have the turntable. :)

I'm in no great rush for another turntable as we're having a music room built on the back of the house; the living room is somewhat out-of-bounds at the moment (and more to the point is bloody freezing as there's presently no heating in there!).

[DSJR]

Ah Ok. That PL61 arm does look rather like a tweaked up PL12D arm - and the recommendation for either removing the lateral balance weight or doing a "Planar 3" on it and put some TIGHT sleeving between bearing housing and weight (along the exposed part of the shaft) should be done IMO..

[jandl100]

Ah Ok. That PL61 arm does look rather like a tweaked up PL12D arm - and the recommendation for either removing the lateral balance weight or doing a "Planar 3" on it and put some TIGHT sleeving between bearing housing and weight (along the exposed part of the shaft) should be done IMO..

:doh:
Talk about missing the point of these Jap decks!

The last thing I'd want to do is to Rega-ise the things. :nono: imo, the slightly lossy nature of the arms is what makes them work so well with MC carts which would otherwise be beyond their capabilities, especially the Denon 103 which works extremely well in them.

If you want the Rega sound, get a Rega, don't bugger up these fine old decks! :lol:

[DSJR]

The lateral balance weight and shaft have measurable, often audible and certainly stability issues on these arms. Doing this mod (actually removing the weight from the shaft) was done to the PL12D way back in the early 70's when it was launched to replace the possibly superior PL12-AC.

I know it's in jest, but please stop knocking Rega! They did and still do know what they're doing, and they're doing better than ever right now I understand :)

[jandl100]

I know it's in jest, but please stop knocking Rega! They did and still do know what they're doing, and they're doing better than ever right now I understand :)

Nope, nothing in my post was knocking Rega - I have real respect for the company.

But if you want the Rega sound, buy a Rega rather than try and turn something else into one.
Can't get simpler than that!

[DSJR]

Ok - This is an R200 though and a rather diffferent product entirely to the RB series. Just passing on what I used to do to R200's that came my way, including mine :)