Any thoughts on older Dual/Denon tables?

I've owned a Dual 1229 turntable since 1973 and still use it several times a month. It runs as smoothly and efficiently as the day I bought it. I've never had any problems with it. It has never failed to operate and still has all the original parts, except, of course, for the stylus. I recommend it without reservations. It's hard to imagine any other turntable lasting as long as this one has. If you find one in good working order, snap it up!

My 1970 Dual 1219 plays with no fuss whatsoever :^) Vinyl sounds so great I've never felt the urge to splurge for anything wilder. The plastic headshell was the only bit that ever wore out; I was renewing my cartridge once a year. The later, spring loaded, contact pin type shell seems to be more durable. It pays to keep the mating interface in the head tarnish free.

While making tapes about 15 years ago I noticed a low level bump on the tapedeck's meters. I replaced the rubber idler wheel and problem solved! A Dual specialist advised that the best way to keep a 1219 trouble free is to use it often.

Not just the Duals & Denons that sound, work great & ARE reliable - also look at some REK-O-KUT tables.- very nice!
If you don't care about automatic functions working , get a Garrard A type. Better yet get a few of them for around $25 a piece and run them onto the ground, then get another one etc etc. I have two lying around here that I crank up now & then. Belts are nice ( a little pricy to replace).Don't pass up on the idler drive Duals and Garrards. Love to have a REk-o_kut again though. Only problem with those vintage tables is that they'll make you kick yourself for investing $1-2K in those "high end" analog rigs...
PS get a good cartridge too....

Well, even though it aint belt drive, the DP1200 is the bees knees. Tune up a DL103D, and you probably have the best analogue system under 1k. Yeah, you could go rega or something really nice but your wallet would be a lot thinner. Arguably one of the best turntables ever made and they last forever.

I think the Dual 12xx's are overrated. I have a 1229 since 73 and still use it now and again for archival recordings. It has a pleasant warm sound and is easy on my records, but that's about it. Dynamics, transparency, detail retrieval, noise floor, just didn't cut it for me.