Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?

lewn
 Does the heftier bearing indicate also a more massive platter.

Not always, the big boy Gunmetal platter was an  $$ option that could be fitted on either model but more often than not found its way to the
to the X model.
The fracturing on portions of the OEM arms was due to a breakdown over time of the pot metal or something similarly used. 

The only differences I've been able to find between GT2000 & GT2000X are the better bearing, plinth, and tonearm in the latter. This has also been confirmed by someone who has worked on both. The platter and motor as well as the motor controller appear to be the same. GT2000X usually sells for multiples of GT2000. 

That gunmetal platter weighs 18kg and usually goes for more than the turntable itself. Here's one for sale:
http://page6.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f174978328

The metal frame that lewm mentioned was an optional accessory that appears very rarely on the used market. Here is a current replica of it, though in gunmetal rather than cast iron:
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/y31/pro/y31ab1/phot.htm

All the other original options are briefly explained here:
http://audio-heritage.jp/YAMAHA/player/gt-2000.html

I would kill for another of those Yamaha brass and wood record weights.
Do you see any of these come up on Yahoo Japan  sampsa?

Lewm, I was speaking generally after hiho posted his interesting (as always) info about Yamaha using Victor/JVC motors and electronics.
if you follow HiFiDo you will see that mountains of GT 750s and GT 1000s sell for around $1,000 and GT 2000s are often double that with the 2000X and 2000L multiples of that price.
The Victor TT-61, 71 and 81 often languish below $400 whilst the occasional TT-101 might go for $1500 so my question (and premise) remains unanswered....

So that brace is an option that would seem to fit both the GT2000 and the GT2000X.  I am sure it would help to reduce or eliminate colorations I associate with MDF plinths.  I'd consider it a sine qua non; I'd buy the reproduction, which is beautifully made, if I owned a GT2000.

Henry, You say above that GT2000s are often double the typical price of the GT1000, which would indicate the average price of a GT2000 is ~$2000US, based on your estimate of the value of a GT1000.  Then you say that a TT101 might go for $1500US (or Australian dollars, maybe?)  When you consider that the GT2000 comes complete with plinth and tonearm and that the TT101 is chassis only, I think the facts rather support my point that the two are not much different in current market value. 

I just checked Hifido; there are indeed "mountains" of GT750s and GT1000s for sale, and no GT2000.  There's a P3 for ~$5500US.