Well, here's the easy answer to your question. How about a new-with-warranty over-achiever on sale at Audio Advisor for $255 including mounted and aligned cartridge? You can get the Goldring GR-1.2 at http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/frr.pl?ranlg&1167148054&read&3&4& for $249.97. List price is $425, which is what they sell for at Acoustic Sounds.
I recommended one of these to a friend over his vintage belt-drive Dual and he appreciated it so much he bought me the Monk/Coltrane-at-Carnegie Hall LP to say thanks.
I recommended one of these to a friend over his vintage belt-drive Dual and he appreciated it so much he bought me the Monk/Coltrane-at-Carnegie Hall LP to say thanks.