Recommended armboard material for Jelco and SL-1100?

[GeorgeO]

Hi all-
I'm finally going to make the move to a Jelco 750D for my Technics SL-1100A (same as the SL-110 but came with the EPA-110 tonearm). Looking forward to getting an arm that will mate well with my DL-103SA.

So I'll need to fashion a new armboard for the Jelco. It will be about .5" thick.

Here's my table:
http://s268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/zacamomusic/HiFi/?action=view&current=SL1100A.jpg

The SL-110 was originally available with a lovely rosewood-colored board (was it ply with veneer or solid hardwood?) but these seem to be increasingly scarce.

Here's a pic of the original SL-110 with a wood board:
http://s268.photobucket.com/albums/jj13/zacamomusic/HiFi/?action=view&current=2971419214_a207b6e570_z.jpg

So the question I have for you is, what do you think would be the best sounding armboard material for this project? My Jelco retailer here in Los Angeles recommends MDF with a hardwood veneer. My gut tells me that a solid dense hardwood, or a high-end multi-ply plywood with hardwood veneer may sound better, maybe because I just have an aversion to MDF in general, and try to avoid it whenever possible.

Opinions welcome.

Thanks!

[Mike_New]

Hi George,
My personal preference based on the engineering/sonics of the problem is to use a 5mm copper arm board. These I have supplied to a number of people for their SME arms used with the SL1200 range of TTs. Your unit however does not seem to have much space for a large fitting board.

[tannoy man]

Go with your gut mate, I swapped from mdf to ply on my Thorens and the sound was much more balanced from top to bottom without the midrange thickening that mdf brings.
paul

[DSJR]

The main problem with your 1100A is the resonant plinth and NOT the arm at the moment IMO. Having owned an SL110 just before I bought into the Linn "thang" I distinctly remember being able to "play tunes" into the speakers by tapping the plinth lightly. I don't know whether the Jelco would be any better on this deck - the Techie arm just needs a new headshell and possibly a new exit cable to the amp (van Damme Pro Patch mic cable with outer screen/drain wires disconnected at the arm and the negative conductor and screen/drain wire joined together at the phono plugs [Neutrik Rean's or Neutrik Pro from inexpensive choice] is ideal for this and very cheap).

You know, I'd look at either placing the whole deck in a neat "sand box" to mass load and damp the whole thing (I'm sure this can be done without the sand getting into the deck) and at least some plasticene inside and new feet (essential) would help the sonics.

I also forget the mat is different with thin rings to support the record. The solid muti-ring/rib mat as fitted to the SL 120 - SL1500 is FAR better I think and with these earlier decks, better than the Herbies/Sound HiFi mat I own, which tends to remove bass on anything but the SL1200 series it is designed for primarily in my recent experiences.

SL-150 mat here -

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q8/DSJR_photos/Sl150_Grace707a.jpg

SL110 mat -

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q8/DSJR_photos/DSCF0566-1.jpg

I still can't remember if my 110 mat had the little raised rings on it or not - a version was made with the same style but flat on the top surface..

Hope this helps a bit. A marine-plywood board may well be better, which is what my TD125 replacement board is made of.

P.S. The board is the whole thing, back to front, which is in one piece and not two as suggested by the styling...

P.P.S. Darn it, I HAD a spare board for the SL110 for decades, but when my Dad moved eleven years ago I think it was chucked out of his loft :( - apologies.....

[Welder]

I’ve used this for Thorens TD 160S, Thorens 124 and a Gyrodeck.
http://www.tufnol.com/tufnol/default.asp?id=26
It’s very dense, will take a thread, and comes in a variety of thicknesses, good electrical insulation properties.
If I could afford it I would love to make some speakers cabinets with some 1” thick sheet.

[GeorgeO]

Thanks to all for your input.