Lenco GL59 restoration

[Spur07]

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.


















And with stacked platter.




Innovative use of blue tac and red clothes peg:




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

[keiths]

Nice one Paul

I bet it's worth all the effort.

[Spur07]

Nice one Paul

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 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]

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]

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]

Words fail me, Paul - absolutely STUNNING work! RESPECT, amigo!!

Marco.

[walpurgis]

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]

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 I'd advise anyone to buy one if they see it, especially Tannoy users.

[Spur07]

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]

The clothes peg armrest nearly make me choke on mi cuppa tea loike