Turntable Advice

While TTs are back in vogue, you still see lots of them kickin around the used market. If you enjoy 'tinkering', pick one of the older high popularity / high availability / highly mod-able ones and go exploring the after market mods. Great fun and often very instructive...and certainly within your price range.  Regas and ancient ARs come to mind. If you want to just buy & and go, see the the other comments above.  Got my 1st Rega for $19 at a Goodwill and its been a real treat evolving it (and dealing with the various one man shops that supply upgrades). And it keeps me out of Goodwill shops since I've already got too many records....😏

Rega RP1 on sale at Audio Advisor 500 dollars. Rega knows music.

Ok, getting down to decisions....Here are my choices...
I can get a new VPI Original Scout Turntable with Blue Point 2 for about $1900 out the door.
ProJect Experience Basic with Blue Point 2 for $950
ProJect RPM 5 Carbon Turntable with Blue Point 2 for about $1400
Rena RP6 with Exact 2 for about $1600
Rena RP3 with Elys cartridge for about $900

I know there is a wide range of prices here but given the different options what do you think??
thanks
Kent

Scout used scoutmaster
origin  live is in that range . If it were me 💥Just me i would find a used classic for 2k buy a used cartridge 103 mc orto shure mm mc and listen away then upgrade cartridge later .. Jmo

I second the SOTA reccomendation. A step up from REGA (IMHO) and definitely available used in your price range. A Sapphire is much closer to a LP12, if not superior.  They sometimes show up in your price range used.