Walker CJ55 turntable, with Mission 774 arm and Nagaoka MP110 cartridge

[montesquieu]

Fab combination, higer in spec and performance to an early LP12. Tuffnol platter, all wood construction, four-point suspension (easy to adjust).

Details on Vinyl Engine: http://www.vinylengine.com/library/cj-walker/cj-55.shtml

Altogether £225 collected from Berkshire/Surrey/Hants border, possibly could meet up somewhere M3/M4/M40/A34/western M25.

No lid (unless I can find it in the garage), but I do have the box for the MP110. New belt last year and not much used since then.

Pics to follow I've just looked at them and they are rubbish, will get some better ones in the daytime.

[The Barbarian]

Anyone buys it wants the lid i have one..

[Spectral Morn]

Tom, photo of the actual item in the thread please or your advertisement will be deleted. You have till 12.42 tonight to do so or its gone. AOS requires photos of the actual item to be part of the advertisement.


Regards Neil

[montesquieu]

As promised, pics. Unfortunately I didn't get home till after dark so they are the rubbish ones from yesterday. The wood is actually rather nice (walnut, I think). You can see the holes for suspension adjustment, so much more sensible than the ones on the LP12, which are only accessible from underneath.

Blows any modern budget turntable out of the water in my opinion - something like this just couldn't be made and sold commercially these days for less than a couple of grand.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/cj55-1_zps10db3a28.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/cj55-1_zps10db3a28.jpg.html)

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/cj55-2_zpscf37e21b.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/cj55-2_zpscf37e21b.jpg.html)

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/cj55-3_zps53092c0e.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/cj55-3_zps53092c0e.jpg.html)

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/montesquieu61/cj55-4_zpsd7d911d4.jpg (http://s1181.photobucket.com/user/montesquieu61/media/cj55-4_zpsd7d911d4.jpg.html)

[Martyn Miles]

I don't think that is a Mission 774 arm.
I have one and it doesn't look like this one.
Perhaps it is a later model 774, as Mission were criticised for reports that the original
774 looked a little crude.
No to my eyes...

[montesquieu]

I don't think that is a Mission 774 arm.
I have one and it doesn't look like this one.
Perhaps it is a later model 774, as Mission were criticised for reports that the original
774 looked a little crude.
No to my eyes...

there are two versions of the 774, this is the 774LC. (later, as you suggest).

[montesquieu]

BTW I found the lid and hinges.

REDUCED to £200 collected.

[walpurgis]

there are two versions of the 774, this is the 774LC. (later, as you suggest).

Weren't there three. I believe the Mission Mechanic was the 774SM.

I use the original (John Bicht) 774.

The LC was a reasonable budget arm and the SM a hefty, no compromise design and a close relative of the Zeta arm.

Strangely, the LC is the best finished of the three, but I love the original one. It does what I need.

[struth]

surprised this aint been snapped up. pretty good deck and arm.

[walpurgis]

surprised this aint been snapped up. pretty good deck and arm.

I agree. A fine sounding TT. Cheap at that price.

[Mr Kipling]

Yes, there was 3 models. The LC (Low Cost) was their budget offering.

[montesquieu]

Yes, there was 3 models. The LC (Low Cost) was their budget offering.


'Budget' is relative. The 774LC (according to Vinyl Engine) was a version of the Jelco 250ST and was £69 retail in 1984, about the same as a Mk1 Linn Akito and the equivalent of several hundred quids' worth today.

I don't think I'm asking a lot here for a very well thought of TT, reasonable arm and a pretty well regarded MM cartridge.

[Mr Kipling]

'Budget' is relative. The 774LC (according to Vinyl Engine) was a version of the Jelco 250ST and was £69 retail in 1984, about the same as a Mk1 Linn Akito and the equivalent of several hundred quids' worth today.

I don't think I'm asking a lot here for a very well thought of TT, reasonable arm and a pretty well regarded MM cartridge.

Well yes, it is a relative term. Linn's Basik turntable was their entry-level "Budget" turntable. Ortofon's FF15E was their entry-level "Budget" cartridge one time. And in the same way Mission's entry-level "Budget" arm was the 774LC. I wasn't really trying to infer anything with what I said, just stating a fact.

[montesquieu]

Interesting swaps or part-swaps? Decent quality kitchen radio? Collection of classical 78s? (not opera). Streaming solution? Mac Mini?

[walpurgis]

I'm surprised nobody has grabbed this nice TT. I'd have it myself if I had room. It's a quality sound from these decks and the arm and cartridge are perfectly matched. Any Nagaoka MM would work happily here.

[montesquieu]

Bump. Really surprised at no interest, far, far better sounding than the £1500 worth of newly painted chipoard that passes for many a modern TT.

[struth]

might be the pick up only that is holding it back Tom.

[montesquieu]

might be the pick up only that is holding it back Tom.

Possibly Grant though I have said I'm willing to meet M3/M4/western M25/M40/A34 rectangle sort of area which is quite a lot of people. In Glastonbury on Sunday so points west are possible too.

[Gordon Steadman]

I reckon it's those upside down nuts on the cartridge that is putting them off:eyebrows:

Funny that, all mine are that way up too. Much easier to fit that way.

[Darren66]

Hi Tom I would be interested in this,I would like to ask a question which you may not be able to answer. I have a Goldring gr2 which has a version of the rega 250 arm with Goldring 1012GX cartridge.How much of an upgrade would the walker turntable be over what I all ready have. I bent the stylus before Christmas so was looking at new one but then wondered about this as the wood finish goes with are furniture better,which would make certain people in the household happy. Thanks Darren.

[The Barbarian]

A Rega arm is absolutely no probs infact a 10'' arm looks better imho. Armboards are easy enough to make..

[struth]

Hi Tom I would be interested in this,I would like to ask a question which you may not be able to answer. I have a Goldring gr2 which has a version of the rega 250 arm with Goldring 1012GX cartridge.How much of an upgrade would the walker turntable be over what I all ready have. I bent the stylus before Christmas so was looking at new one but then wondered about this as the wood finish goes with are furniture better,which would make certain people in the household happy. Thanks Darren.

I'd be inclined to say the arm on this deck is at least as good as a 250(not that there is anything wrong with a 250) The mission arm is very good and if I was anywhere near this deck you would not have the opportunity to buy it :eyebrows: Its a fab deck for the money mate.

[montesquieu]

Hi Tom I would be interested in this,I would like to ask a question which you may not be able to answer. I have a Goldring gr2 which has a version of the rega 250 arm with Goldring 1012GX cartridge.How much of an upgrade would the walker turntable be over what I all ready have. I bent the stylus before Christmas so was looking at new one but then wondered about this as the wood finish goes with are furniture better,which would make certain people in the household happy. Thanks Darren.


A brief answer as a sales thread is not really a place for this sort of discussion but in general - a sophisticated suspended deck like the Walker should significantly outperform basic unsuspended, low mass decks of the Goldring/Rega Planar type, where the only isolation of any sort is squishy feet on the underside.

It won't be quite so low maintenance - it wiill need the suspension set up from time to time (though in my experience the 4-point suspension of the Walker is less fiddly and easier to get right than the equivalent Linn LP12 suspension, not least because it's adjustable from the top, so you don't need a special jig, and four points rather than three make setup less compromised). Modern decks with top-adjustable four-point suspension are in the multi thousand pound bracket eg SME 10 and upwards, and the Kuzma Reference. (Not that it's **quite** in the same company of course!).

But I would expect the payoff to be significant. I would expect the Mission arm to be a good bit better than an Rega RB250 as well, though if you really want to it's not a big job for someone like SpeedySteve (a short jaunt for you up the M3 at the Guildford junction) to make an armboard to fit any arm you like on it.

Back in the day the Walker's USP was its construction from wood which was intended to give it a more musical feel than other decks of the period. I had one quite a few years back as my main deck with an SME 3009 on it and an AT-OC9 and it was nothing sort of stunning. This one has done little since I got it other than play a few records quietly in my very cramped study, it deserves a far better home than it has at the moment.

[Darren66]

Thanks for the input guys,if this is still available Tom I will take it.

[montesquieu]

Thanks for the input guys,if this is still available Tom I will take it.

This is now sold.

[walpurgis]

Somebody has a nice turntable then Tom. :)

[The Barbarian]

You want the Lid for one i have it.

[Darren66]

Somebody has a nice turntable then Tom. :)

I'm the lucky so and so,not picking it up for a week or two,but really looking forward to hearing how it sounds. Probably listen to vinyl 20% of the time compared to flac files into Beresford dac,so when I bent the stylus realized how much I missed it and it seemed a good excuse for a change and try something different to what I have.

[Darren66]

You want the Lid for one i have it.

I think Tom found the hinges and lid,but thanks.

Darren