Help me decide on my next cartridge (

Agree that SOTA tables are a solid choice, and will get your out of disposable-turntable hell. You really want a Sapphire or Nova, though ;)

Chakstr

 I have not owned personally any NOS carts (well i suppose my VDH cart is well over 15 years old now) I'm going off what friends who have owned many have talked about during our weekly Audio club luncheons. So as I said MAY need rebuilding. 

I have also had 2 carts rebuild by the manufacture both VDH carts and both came back sounding better then they did when I sent them of course they were both wore out by that time and I can not remember if they are exactly the same as new.  the last cart I sent was a $1500 cart it cost me $500 to have it rebuilt ( new cantilever, suspension and stylus) so I think it was a good saving over a new cart. I'm actually just about to send it back to VDH for a second rebuild. 

Ok so the reason I mentioned the suspension is because I work in an industry that used many types of rubber ( input flexible material) both synthetic and natural and all types degrade over time. I've pulled O- rings out of packages (10 years sitting on a shelf) that just crumble I've found all types rubber'ish compounds that will not last decades (Teflon-silicon  included). material's like this do not last forever. and will change in hardness and structural integrity over time. let alone deform and sag. 

So yes not every NOS cart will need to be rebuilt depending on the construction but something to keep in the back of your mind. 

I may be incorrect in this but I feel its something to consider when buying older carts. 

viridian, I think that is called cutting off your nose to spite your face. I would think that you could have enough fun playing around with tonearms and cartridges. 
The suspended SOTA turntable is one of less than a handful of turntables that are utterly bombproof under any reasonable condition you might encounter in the average home excluding 2 year old humans.
It so happens that the company has changed it's philosophy and is now selling motor and controller upgrade kits that people are welcome to install themselves. I understand they have found a lot of favor with the VPI crowd.