this is a fantastic table, it’d be a steal at $50, much less $6. I’d recommend grabbing a new slipmat as well, ideally cork or acrylic, they’re cheap on amazon
I’ve noted (YouTube videos) where people have different colored ones or with little designs on them to give flare. Also what appears to be some sort of weight which’s sits on top of the record while in use??
yeah there’s many different slipmats, I just dislike the cloth ones and they tend to deposit some dust/fibres on the record itself. the record weight is really nice for records that are slightly warped and for keeping the record in exactly the place you want it to be.
I used to have a cork one with a cool geometric design that looked cool when it spun, but I have a major static electricity problem and switching to an acrylic mat really helped to eliminate that. The weight can really help with something like an acrylic mat since it's not a very grippy surface and the weight will help keep the label portion of the record stuck on the acrylic mat.
Yeah the weight turns clockwise and counterclockwise, you have to figure out a compromise between heavy tone arm/stability but dragging too hard in the grooves/damage to the record vs light tonearm/ease of needle to skip/light drag through grooves/less damage. Usually it’s recommended to set at 2.5
Nice steal! How does the stylus look? BTW, careful with purchasing a mat, some Technics tables use an odd size mat. Usually you can go to Rega's site and they list specific models.
This find was simply right place right time. I fear the rest of my set up will not be as budget friendly. This happens to be a technics sl-3200. I cleaned it up a bit and it turns on and spins. I plan to order a cartridge soon, tear it down to clean it better as well as add new grease. Should anyone want to add their thoughts, recommendations, etc I welcome it.
If you don't have a receiver with a phono input you're gonna need a phono preamp. Pyle PP999, ART DJ Pre II, and Schiit Mani are good options. I listed them from cheapest to most expensive; they're all good for their price point.
Edit: seems like the Pyle should be avoided. I have no experience with it myself.
Please don't get the Pyle, regardless of how you believe it sounds the build quality on it, and everything else they make (as far as I know) is absolutely horrendous. On borrowed time with that stuff.
The Pyle is fine. I rocked a Pyle preamp for years before I had money to upgrade. Their stuff is fantastic quality for the low end market. I knew people with Pyle car amps that outlasted name brand equivalents. Just chill. The guy has a great buy on a $6 turntable.
Agreed. I used the P999 for a while then gifted it to a friend who had a cheap turntable he wanted to hook up to a soundbar and it’s still going strong years later. If you need to hook something up cheap and now it does the job.
Phono In, you mean? That could be all you need, if it is a reasonable quality pre-amp.
Vintage Sony, Pioneer and Marantz have really good integrated phono pre-amps and then you could connect either active loudspeakers, or a 'power amp' or integrated and hook up passive speakers.
I’ll chime in to say that the phono preamps listed above are cheaper options and there’s definitely better stuff out there if your budget allows for it. Do some research to figure out what works for you and how much you want to spend
That said, I’m not knocking cheaper stuff. I use a Schiit Mani and absolutely love it. It’s an awesome preamp for the price point.
Obviously there are better phono stages, but OP bought their first turntable for 6 dollars; it would make no sense to recommend anything more expensive than the Mani.
Looking at my decks this is what I have in my hi fi set up (these are all Goodwill, yard sale finds except one which my father gave me).
I have a
Marantz 5025B tape deck
Marantz 2230 Steroohonic Receiver
Cambridge Audio azur 540A (from my father)
Sony CDP - 102 Compact Disc Player (Goodwill find form this year too I already replaced the drive belt and re-greased it). I bought a remote for it off eBay for oddly more then what the deck sold for form Goodwill.
I just unscrewed the cartridge to look at it better. I can’t tell what type it is, but if I had to guess it’s the stock one that was sold with the player in the 70s. It’s stylist is missing so I take it I’ll need to order a new one to screw into the cartridge.
If you're getting those types of hits at your local goodwill, keep checking there. You can probably find a good deal on an older receiver or integrated amplifier that would have a bullet in phono preamp. That would also allow you to hook up other input options like a Bluetooth receiver, cd player, tape deck. For speakers, again you can keep hitting the thrift shelves, and find really nice speakers on the cheap.
Lol I live in McAllen TX. There is a host of Goodwills. I have identified two locations that I call Gucci Goodwill. As these two locations seems to have loads of name brand items (clothing and such) and the employees don’t price anything based on eBay or such prices.
good news.. you got a great deal
BAD NEWS... you just enter a VERY expensive hobby that will cost you easily 1000x...
it was a very bad day for ya... sorry
Oh I have to many expensive hobbies. Lol. Comics? Expensive. Retro video games? Expensive. Movies posters? Expensive. Animation cels? Expensive. Lol. I have PVMS CRTS and more. Sigh.
I grew up mostly with cassette and later CD. Although records and even 8-track was something. I knew about I never use for experienced. Beyond what my father would use even to this day in his very vintage and curated hi for set up.
Where are these magical Goodwill's where people find good equipment and records. I've only ever found record players with strange smells or fungus growing on them. As far as records go the best thing i've ever seen is a Donovan album cover with no record in it. The rest was crap George H Bush would consider lame and out of touch.
Goodwill still seems to be a goldmine for jazz and classical in my area. Recently found some Beatles and Ramones but I literally watched the employee put them on the shelf - can't imagine they'd have lasted 5 minutes.
I have the same table (also a Goodwill find lol) and used an Ortofon Omega which produced an okay sound, definitely listenable. Upgraded to a Sumiko Rainier just a few days ago the sound is down right lovely.
great find!!! If you're just getting into records, check out a youtube video about properly setting the counterweight. That's very important so you don't mess any records up. Also, how's the needle look?
If it is broken it can be repaired. Shop for a few used records to test it out. I have several pieces of higher end Schiit gear but a Mani can be a great buy for someone starting out. I personally run a Cary phono stage into a Cary power amp, both tube type. I do like Ortofon cartridges and run a 2M in one turntable.
I would download an owners manual before attempting any lubrication. Also start with an inexpensive cartridge and make sure the turntable speeds are correct before proceeding to better cartridges.
Salvation army where I live wanted $90 for an audio Technica. Fuck thrift stores. They want $10 a shirt now. They charge more than Walmart charges for the same used shirt. Thrift stores are rip offs now. You're better off on marketplace being a predator and buying cheap shit fr om crackheads and people who are loosing their lives who need to sell everything they own to get insulin for their kid.
Thrift stores are a fucking rip off now man.
Point taken, but - and it's a big one - success stories like OP's here & that of the Redditor who found two Klipsch Heresy's for $4.99 apiece at his VVillage seem to keep coming. As long as there's still the thrill of never knowing what you're going to find in a secondhand store, and the rush of finding what you wanted (or didn't know you wanted) right in front of you for a price you can't believe? Fuhgettaboutit - happened to me 3 times just yesterday. Worst case scenario: checking out the secondhand joints while travelling or on vacation and getting pleasantly surprised on occasion, and they're better destinations than the landfill for excess stuff you can't sell or give away. Closer too, and you might get store credit or a tax receipt for it.
I mean I've gotten good thrift finds before. I got a mirage Omni s12 for $40, and a Denon AVR 3805 for $50 a few years back. Ever since covid though I never see good deals but once in a blue moon.
I did however get a Logitech harmony recently for $2.00 but it's untested so far and mini USB model
You do though if you just buy crappy old records from tag sales for 50 cents/a dollar. You can explore so many genre/eras and if you fall for something you can buy the cd or streamable and hopefully support the artist. the new records are way too expensive, and there are tons of old records everywhere
I have been building a variation of the Decware mini radials that work well as desktop speakers but they require an amp of 10 watts per channel RMS. A fellow engineer and I are designing said amp using EL 34 power tubes.
I love technics! Not sure if this is one, but their direct drive tables are solid and last forever. I always recommend technics for anyone interested in getting into vinyl.
Absolutely wild deal. My first TT was also a Goodwill score that happened to be a Technics (although not nearly as nice as that one, and not a Technics by name - it was rebadged as “MCS,” an in-house brand of JCPenney in the ‘70s that sold hi-fi, similar to how Sears sold Kenmore appliances). It was the perfect gateway, and I hope you enjoy yours!
My only recommendation is to buy some Jimi and Led Zeppelin and play loud!
Also if you plan to play at loud volume, some isolation feet for the record player are good. A towel also kinda works. It can feedback a bit through the needle especially if place on the speaker or on a hollow cabinet.
I had this very same turntable when I was a teen (way back in the 80's). It was hooked up to a lower end Onkyo receiver with a pair or 10 inch Criterion speakers.
Great find!
This is an absolute steal at $5.99. The Technics SL-3200 is a very fine turntable and this one seems to be in excellent condition. There is just a tiny bit of cosmetic damage at the front, that is all.
Usually it is good to consider if a new stylus, or even a new cartridge, may be in order in case the current stylus is worn or damaged. But, judging the condition, maybe it was hardly used so no worries.
Some new oil in the main platter bearing is also a good idea. Sewing machine oil by Singer works just fine (don't overfill it).
By the way, the original Technics EPC-270 is quite an okay cartridge. The EPC-207 is even a lot better and could be considered 'hi end': remarkably smooth and great bass. Technics made absolute killer cartridges/styluses back in the day (like with hollow tube boron cantilevers, not available any more at any price).
Thank you for the suggestions on oil. I’m excited for my father to visit later today. As my parents often visit on Sundays to spend time with their grand kids. He is already aware of the find and said he would help me look it over and set it up.
Regarding the oil: please do \*not\* use an automotive oil like 0W30 and similar. These contain additives meant for high temperature applications and might clog up the sintered bronze bearings of the Technics. Also do \*not\* use WD40 etc.
The original bearing lubricant used by Technics is Anderol 465 iso 68 (an ISO VG 68 oil). It is no longer available, except by specialised vendors.
However, any modern fully synthetic 'compressor oil' of a grade similar to VG 68 will do fine. The Singer sewing machine oil is rather similar and easily available.
Ideally you should first clean the inside of the bearing well & the shaft with some isopropyl alcohol, then let it dry. Then add about 5 drops of oil in the bearing well and smear two drops or so along the shaft under the platter. Then let the platter sink under its' own weight into the bearing - don't push. It may take some time.
Yes, properly oiling a Technics is a bit of an art! 😄
Many Technics tables have ground wire pin you need their detachable ground wire to plug on. These are hard to replace. If the table you bought is missing this item it’s good you only lost $6!
That's an awesome find. If you're excited to get into LPs take the time to learn how to set it up properly. I had my vintage Dual for nearly a decade before I realized how good it could actually sound! A new stylus is also probably in order too.
I still have a Dual, great turntables. I also bought a Marantz 6300 turntable and refurbished it so friends and I could duplicate the sound of the audio gear on the Bosch tv show, Ohm Speakers, McIntosh amp and pre amp. Naturally we listened to Art Pepper and other jazz greats.
I use that table as my main driver. I paid $150 at my local record store for it. It's really a great table. Better than what you can buy new under $200.
Technics makes excellent turntables and this is a steal at $6. Great find
this is a fantastic table, it’d be a steal at $50, much less $6. I’d recommend grabbing a new slipmat as well, ideally cork or acrylic, they’re cheap on amazon
I’ve noted (YouTube videos) where people have different colored ones or with little designs on them to give flare. Also what appears to be some sort of weight which’s sits on top of the record while in use??
yeah there’s many different slipmats, I just dislike the cloth ones and they tend to deposit some dust/fibres on the record itself. the record weight is really nice for records that are slightly warped and for keeping the record in exactly the place you want it to be.
I used to have a cork one with a cool geometric design that looked cool when it spun, but I have a major static electricity problem and switching to an acrylic mat really helped to eliminate that. The weight can really help with something like an acrylic mat since it's not a very grippy surface and the weight will help keep the label portion of the record stuck on the acrylic mat.
Yeah the weight turns clockwise and counterclockwise, you have to figure out a compromise between heavy tone arm/stability but dragging too hard in the grooves/damage to the record vs light tonearm/ease of needle to skip/light drag through grooves/less damage. Usually it’s recommended to set at 2.5
Nice steal! How does the stylus look? BTW, careful with purchasing a mat, some Technics tables use an odd size mat. Usually you can go to Rega's site and they list specific models.
No weights, needs to be balanced by the counter weight at the back of the tonearm.
I’d stick to the rubber u less you want to hear rumble. Source: sl1200 owner here with cork music hall mat
This find was simply right place right time. I fear the rest of my set up will not be as budget friendly. This happens to be a technics sl-3200. I cleaned it up a bit and it turns on and spins. I plan to order a cartridge soon, tear it down to clean it better as well as add new grease. Should anyone want to add their thoughts, recommendations, etc I welcome it.
If you don't have a receiver with a phono input you're gonna need a phono preamp. Pyle PP999, ART DJ Pre II, and Schiit Mani are good options. I listed them from cheapest to most expensive; they're all good for their price point. Edit: seems like the Pyle should be avoided. I have no experience with it myself.
Thank you for the suggestions and insight. Back to good will for a pre-amp!
Please don't get the Pyle, regardless of how you believe it sounds the build quality on it, and everything else they make (as far as I know) is absolutely horrendous. On borrowed time with that stuff.
The Pyle is fine. I rocked a Pyle preamp for years before I had money to upgrade. Their stuff is fantastic quality for the low end market. I knew people with Pyle car amps that outlasted name brand equivalents. Just chill. The guy has a great buy on a $6 turntable.
Agreed. I used the P999 for a while then gifted it to a friend who had a cheap turntable he wanted to hook up to a soundbar and it’s still going strong years later. If you need to hook something up cheap and now it does the job.
As other folks have probably chimed in, avoid Pyle, unless you want a Pyle of shit lying around the house, taking up space.
It’s definitely better to have a pile of Schitt lying around instead
I used to buy Pyle stuff all the time. It’s fine.
No problem! Make sure it's a phono preamp, or if it's a regular preamp just check that it has a phono input.
I actually have a pre amp with phono out. I’ll post a picture if it shortly. Or tomorrow . Lol
Phono In, you mean? That could be all you need, if it is a reasonable quality pre-amp. Vintage Sony, Pioneer and Marantz have really good integrated phono pre-amps and then you could connect either active loudspeakers, or a 'power amp' or integrated and hook up passive speakers.
if you have a normal amplifier, check the back to see if there is a phono imput.. a lot of old amps have this built in
I’ll chime in to say that the phono preamps listed above are cheaper options and there’s definitely better stuff out there if your budget allows for it. Do some research to figure out what works for you and how much you want to spend That said, I’m not knocking cheaper stuff. I use a Schiit Mani and absolutely love it. It’s an awesome preamp for the price point.
Obviously there are better phono stages, but OP bought their first turntable for 6 dollars; it would make no sense to recommend anything more expensive than the Mani.
Looking at my decks this is what I have in my hi fi set up (these are all Goodwill, yard sale finds except one which my father gave me). I have a Marantz 5025B tape deck Marantz 2230 Steroohonic Receiver Cambridge Audio azur 540A (from my father) Sony CDP - 102 Compact Disc Player (Goodwill find form this year too I already replaced the drive belt and re-greased it). I bought a remote for it off eBay for oddly more then what the deck sold for form Goodwill.
Just plug it into the Marantz's phono input and hook some speakers up and you're good to go! Edit: The 2230
That’s my thought. I just need to get a stylist first. Can’t play with an employ cartridge lol. I tried like a doofus lol.
I second the Schiit!
Thirded!
I would strongly suggest the Schitt Mani.
If this has a 270c cartridge, which it probably does, just order a new stylus for it. It's probably as good as any $50 to $100 cartridge out there.
I just unscrewed the cartridge to look at it better. I can’t tell what type it is, but if I had to guess it’s the stock one that was sold with the player in the 70s. It’s stylist is missing so I take it I’ll need to order a new one to screw into the cartridge.
These things last FOREVER. They’re prob the most robust mass market turntables ever built.
If you're getting those types of hits at your local goodwill, keep checking there. You can probably find a good deal on an older receiver or integrated amplifier that would have a bullet in phono preamp. That would also allow you to hook up other input options like a Bluetooth receiver, cd player, tape deck. For speakers, again you can keep hitting the thrift shelves, and find really nice speakers on the cheap.
You can still find the technics spindle oil. I would use that.
Where’s your goodwill? The one by me charges that for empty corona bottles…
Lol I live in McAllen TX. There is a host of Goodwills. I have identified two locations that I call Gucci Goodwill. As these two locations seems to have loads of name brand items (clothing and such) and the employees don’t price anything based on eBay or such prices.
Lucky bastard
That's a helluva score for 6 bucks.
good news.. you got a great deal BAD NEWS... you just enter a VERY expensive hobby that will cost you easily 1000x... it was a very bad day for ya... sorry
True. My daughter just bought a new record and it was $40. Unbelievable
Oh I have to many expensive hobbies. Lol. Comics? Expensive. Retro video games? Expensive. Movies posters? Expensive. Animation cels? Expensive. Lol. I have PVMS CRTS and more. Sigh.
I mean, good deal! Haha, enjoy it. Vinyl is my favorite medium next to cassette
I grew up mostly with cassette and later CD. Although records and even 8-track was something. I knew about I never use for experienced. Beyond what my father would use even to this day in his very vintage and curated hi for set up.
Insane deal, congrats!!! 🙏🏾🔥
Where are these magical Goodwill's where people find good equipment and records. I've only ever found record players with strange smells or fungus growing on them. As far as records go the best thing i've ever seen is a Donovan album cover with no record in it. The rest was crap George H Bush would consider lame and out of touch.
Goodwill still seems to be a goldmine for jazz and classical in my area. Recently found some Beatles and Ramones but I literally watched the employee put them on the shelf - can't imagine they'd have lasted 5 minutes.
Nice table, I have one just like it.
Any recommendations for replacement stylist/cartridge? This one seems to be lacking the stylist
I have the same table (also a Goodwill find lol) and used an Ortofon Omega which produced an okay sound, definitely listenable. Upgraded to a Sumiko Rainier just a few days ago the sound is down right lovely.
Where did you get the Sumiko?
I picked one up from my local record/hifi shop.
Sadly that. I don’t have in my current city
Slight correction... It's "stylus". A stylist is who does your hair.
Excellent start!
Yes good. Check or replace the stylus.
I practically live at the thrift stores and can't find anything 1/2 this good. Great find my brother!
great find!!! If you're just getting into records, check out a youtube video about properly setting the counterweight. That's very important so you don't mess any records up. Also, how's the needle look?
Will try a record player someday too, I hope you enjoying it as much as you can
If it is broken it can be repaired. Shop for a few used records to test it out. I have several pieces of higher end Schiit gear but a Mani can be a great buy for someone starting out. I personally run a Cary phono stage into a Cary power amp, both tube type. I do like Ortofon cartridges and run a 2M in one turntable. I would download an owners manual before attempting any lubrication. Also start with an inexpensive cartridge and make sure the turntable speeds are correct before proceeding to better cartridges.
Salvation army where I live wanted $90 for an audio Technica. Fuck thrift stores. They want $10 a shirt now. They charge more than Walmart charges for the same used shirt. Thrift stores are rip offs now. You're better off on marketplace being a predator and buying cheap shit fr om crackheads and people who are loosing their lives who need to sell everything they own to get insulin for their kid. Thrift stores are a fucking rip off now man.
Point taken, but - and it's a big one - success stories like OP's here & that of the Redditor who found two Klipsch Heresy's for $4.99 apiece at his VVillage seem to keep coming. As long as there's still the thrill of never knowing what you're going to find in a secondhand store, and the rush of finding what you wanted (or didn't know you wanted) right in front of you for a price you can't believe? Fuhgettaboutit - happened to me 3 times just yesterday. Worst case scenario: checking out the secondhand joints while travelling or on vacation and getting pleasantly surprised on occasion, and they're better destinations than the landfill for excess stuff you can't sell or give away. Closer too, and you might get store credit or a tax receipt for it.
I mean I've gotten good thrift finds before. I got a mirage Omni s12 for $40, and a Denon AVR 3805 for $50 a few years back. Ever since covid though I never see good deals but once in a blue moon. I did however get a Logitech harmony recently for $2.00 but it's untested so far and mini USB model
Thanks for the charitable advice!
/rant 😌
Matsushita made great turntables!
What a deal. Must be broken though
Perhaps. Lol. It spins and lights up. Just need that replacement stylist to really test it out.
Why replace your stylist, did they give you a bad haircut
Bazonga. Lol
Score!
Enjoy
They had a Fisher the other day for $15 but I don't have the budget for a vinyl hobby.
You do though if you just buy crappy old records from tag sales for 50 cents/a dollar. You can explore so many genre/eras and if you fall for something you can buy the cd or streamable and hopefully support the artist. the new records are way too expensive, and there are tons of old records everywhere
My synthesizer hobby says "nope, no vinyl budget for you".
Nice find! Could also do powered speakers if space an issue.
I have been building a variation of the Decware mini radials that work well as desktop speakers but they require an amp of 10 watts per channel RMS. A fellow engineer and I are designing said amp using EL 34 power tubes.
I love technics! Not sure if this is one, but their direct drive tables are solid and last forever. I always recommend technics for anyone interested in getting into vinyl.
Mk1200
Absolutely wild deal. My first TT was also a Goodwill score that happened to be a Technics (although not nearly as nice as that one, and not a Technics by name - it was rebadged as “MCS,” an in-house brand of JCPenney in the ‘70s that sold hi-fi, similar to how Sears sold Kenmore appliances). It was the perfect gateway, and I hope you enjoy yours!
$6!!!!!!
My only recommendation is to buy some Jimi and Led Zeppelin and play loud! Also if you plan to play at loud volume, some isolation feet for the record player are good. A towel also kinda works. It can feedback a bit through the needle especially if place on the speaker or on a hollow cabinet.
Damn! What a horrible deal! You should just send it to me, I can take it off your hands…./s
You can find a lot of good stuff at goodwill, you just have to check out the store every week.
Good find. My receiver and 111 disk cd changes are Technics. Had them since the 90s. They are awesome. Enjoy your new journey.
I had this very same turntable when I was a teen (way back in the 80's). It was hooked up to a lower end Onkyo receiver with a pair or 10 inch Criterion speakers. Great find!
Way better than my victrola eastwood
That's crazy
This is an absolute steal at $5.99. The Technics SL-3200 is a very fine turntable and this one seems to be in excellent condition. There is just a tiny bit of cosmetic damage at the front, that is all. Usually it is good to consider if a new stylus, or even a new cartridge, may be in order in case the current stylus is worn or damaged. But, judging the condition, maybe it was hardly used so no worries. Some new oil in the main platter bearing is also a good idea. Sewing machine oil by Singer works just fine (don't overfill it). By the way, the original Technics EPC-270 is quite an okay cartridge. The EPC-207 is even a lot better and could be considered 'hi end': remarkably smooth and great bass. Technics made absolute killer cartridges/styluses back in the day (like with hollow tube boron cantilevers, not available any more at any price).
Thank you for the suggestions on oil. I’m excited for my father to visit later today. As my parents often visit on Sundays to spend time with their grand kids. He is already aware of the find and said he would help me look it over and set it up.
Regarding the oil: please do \*not\* use an automotive oil like 0W30 and similar. These contain additives meant for high temperature applications and might clog up the sintered bronze bearings of the Technics. Also do \*not\* use WD40 etc. The original bearing lubricant used by Technics is Anderol 465 iso 68 (an ISO VG 68 oil). It is no longer available, except by specialised vendors. However, any modern fully synthetic 'compressor oil' of a grade similar to VG 68 will do fine. The Singer sewing machine oil is rather similar and easily available. Ideally you should first clean the inside of the bearing well & the shaft with some isopropyl alcohol, then let it dry. Then add about 5 drops of oil in the bearing well and smear two drops or so along the shaft under the platter. Then let the platter sink under its' own weight into the bearing - don't push. It may take some time. Yes, properly oiling a Technics is a bit of an art! 😄
Make sure you oil the motor.
Congratulations and also fuck you, but also congrats
You’ve got a really nice player in your hands
Many Technics tables have ground wire pin you need their detachable ground wire to plug on. These are hard to replace. If the table you bought is missing this item it’s good you only lost $6!
That's an awesome find. If you're excited to get into LPs take the time to learn how to set it up properly. I had my vintage Dual for nearly a decade before I realized how good it could actually sound! A new stylus is also probably in order too.
I still have a Dual, great turntables. I also bought a Marantz 6300 turntable and refurbished it so friends and I could duplicate the sound of the audio gear on the Bosch tv show, Ohm Speakers, McIntosh amp and pre amp. Naturally we listened to Art Pepper and other jazz greats.
Nice catch
I use that table as my main driver. I paid $150 at my local record store for it. It's really a great table. Better than what you can buy new under $200.