AR ES 1 our buy a newer TY

I had an AR ES-1 when it was first introduced, and liked it okay. But for $700 you can get what I consider to be a better table (with an arm of your choice, perhaps a Jelco), the one I replaced my ES-1 with: VPI HW-19 Mk.2 or Mk..3., commonly available (without arm) for around $500.

Want something new with warranty? For that $700 you could get a brand-new Pioneer PLX1000. Best TT under $1K! I have one in my collection! Made in Ch*na - but so what! So is my android phone! The PLX1000 is a quality piece that sounds excellent (see Herb Reichert's review in Stereophile). And is a lot more affordable than the newest Technics 1200 ($1.8K).

Really appreciate everyone’s input.  I’m going to pass on it but, will keep looking.  I know the right one will come along. 

I'd rather spend cash on a vintage Technics 1200 - and I did! A much better, right-out-of-the-box TT! Too much tweaking required for the ES-1!

I just checked EBay. Found 3 for sale. Prices range from $1K to $1.25K to (get this!) $6.8K!!! And the $1K was a "beater" in poor condition! The $6.8K one did have a Magnepan Unitrac arm, plus 4 cartridges (Shure V15 MR, two Pickering's and an AT 404). Apparently these are some VERY optimistic sellers!

Too high a price for a stock ES-1!

At that price you should get something new. There are plenty to choose from!

Depends on how much you want to spend, IMO. The price you've stated for the ES-1 (unless it comes with an arm) is higher than the selling price when it was new. I bought mine in the late 1980s for $500. Over the years I fully tricked out my ES-1 with just about every mod available from Merrill and Scillia. The mods did raise the performance of the table.