Just another TurnTable site
Sansui FR-D35 2 Speed Automatic Direct Drive Turntable, vintage early 80’s record player comes with adjustable counter weight on the “S” tone arm and a unique anti-skate control. This is a great table and I used it daily until I upgraded. I don’t have room for it now. This was the first turntable that I repaired. The tone arm was not tripping the motor, so it would never shut off.
My wife and I found this turntable at a Value Village for $12. It was the nicest record player we had found to date, and has remained in the permanent collection. The dust cover was damaged beyond repair. I am currently having a new one made. (It is now completed and installed.) I replaced the missing headshell with new-old-stock. The pitch control belt is still missing, because I can not bring myself to spend $40 on a tiny rubber belt with teeth, although, all attempts to rig something up have failed. I had to clean and re-lube the motor action, because it worked sporadically, if at all. One of my favorites.
Update: I added 2 new pictures of the new dust cover. There it is in all of its glory. New problem: The dust cover is too heavy and will not remain open under its own power… I am currently brainstorming solutions.
Update: I added some tiny washers between the top of the hinge and the plinth that tilted it back far enough to bring the dust cover center of gravity to where it needed to be. Now it stays open on its own!
Update: Added the Pickering cartridge. I really like the way it looks.
Update: I had to clean and lube some mechanisms (again), as the tone arm would no longer engage the motor. I also replaced the belt and added the missing pitch adjustment belt. The price had come down almost half. This table is almost 100%, except for the broken tone arm rest.
The internet hates this turntable. Even though it is missing some key features, like a counter weight and anti-skate, I found it reliable and it sounded good for what it is.
I found this BSR McDonald 4800 Record Player / Changer at a Value Village in decent condition. The “START, STOP, AUTO” slider was locked up and it needed a good overall cleaning. I fixed the level by lubricating it and working it free. It came with flip over needle for playing 33.3 and 78 RPM, and it has a changer function so you can stack records on the top and it would drop them and play one after another. I have another one of these that was inherited from family, so it is not for sale.
This Sony PS-1100 Record Player / Turntable I got at Value Village. It was in pretty good shape. I cleaned it down and lubed it up. I had to fabricate a new anti-skate weight, as the original was missing. I installed an Audio Technica Cartridge / Stylus. This record player is driven by an idler wheel, so no belts are needed. I had never dealt with an idler wheel before. The headshell accommodates standard cartridges. There are some very MINOR blemishes on the body and dust cover. I just recently sold this one. I hated to let this one go, it is one of the nicer, more unique tables I have found.
This Gemini GL-101 Belt Drive Turntable I found at Goodwill. I had to give it a good cleaning and some lubrication. Installed a new Audio Technica Cartridge / Stylus. It has an adjustable counter weight on the tone arm and anti-skate control. The headshell accommodates standard cartridges. There are some blemishes on the body and dust cover as seen in the pictures. The hinges for the dust cover were missing. This one was sold.
This GE SK235 AM/FM Turntable I picked up from a Goodwill. This one was dirty and the bulbs that light the radio dial were burnt out. I replaced the old style bulbs with LEDs (and resistors to level out the voltage) and repaired the back of the dial where the paint had cracked a bit due to the heat. It was letting light come through where it was not supposed to. I gave this one a good cleaning and lubing. It has a changer function so you can stack records on the top and it would drop them and play one after another. I am pretty proud of this one. I have not sold it yet, but I have a feeling it will be on the chopping block soon enough.
