First "real" TT...

My take on this is well known here...save your pennies and get a brand-new, modded 1200 from KAB Electroacoustics and be done for a while. When fully modded it will be in the $5K performance.

With psychic power and primal intensity,

I've never had any luck with used gear on ebay. I think mint condition does mean the same thing it means here on Agon. Another vote for the Technics 1200 series.

Un-modified or KAB modded it's a great. A bit ugly but still a great performer. It has a removal headshell for easy cartridge setup. The counter weight is numbered and you won't need to buy a scale. Buying used gives you the opportunity to get a little better cartridge and stay in budget.

Good luck

I say pro-ject the debut is a better starter then the rega p1

gentlemen. I took vegasears advice and got a SL-MK1210. I found it at a pawn shop for $175! Obviously this was a DJ table, cartridge was ruined, antiskate was up all the way, and it was dirty. But, everything works, speed is dead on, and I can't hear any rumble. Other than a bit of grime, the tonearm seems perfect to my uneducated eyes. It doesn't have any looseness, VTA and counter weight adjusts work smoothly, and if there's any bearing friction, I can't feel it, and could on the last one I had.
Now I need to know if there is anything else i should be checking for, problem-wise; and I need to decide on a cartridge. I since I saved a bit of money, I can get a slightly better cart, anything up to $200. I think I've narrowed it down to the following:
AT 440MLa
Ortofon 2M Blue
Goldring G2200
Grado Silver 1 Prestige

oh! forgot the Denon DL-160