Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?

I want to get back to Victor TT-101 discussion. Here is some nice info from the guy who restored this complex turntable. And this is another post from the same author, where he comparing TT-101 to some serious machines like Denon 100, big Micro SEIKI and the EMT R80 (927). The winner in his report was the refurbished Victor TT-101, so i wonder what the price would be for this marvelous turntable in fully working condition (not yet refurbished) and is it possible to find TT-101 in working condition or all of them must be refurbished ? If this deck can beat Denon DP-100, Technics SP10mk3, EMT, Kenwood L-07D then it must be very expensive?

BTW i like this round plinth for TT-101 linked in the gallery in that review. 

Nothing Fawlty about my logic.
Chakster, the person whom you quote here has got to be Thuchan.  Who else owns such a collection of vintage turntables?  Moreover, in one of the articles, I am "Lewis".  I gave Thuchan a chip to repair his TT101.  And what Australian could he possibly be referring to, if not our own Halcro?  If I read his words carefully, it seems to me that Thuchan is only saying the TT101 compared surprisingly well to the Denon DP100.  He does not really say he likes it better than his EMT and M-S, and I don't think he owns an SP10 Mk3 or L07D.  Whereas, I do.  Like Thuchan, I bought my TT101 in "broken" condition off eBay, believing at the time that I would find a way to fix it.  The saving grace is that I paid very little for it, because of its non-working condition.  Elsewhere on these pages, I documented the saga that took nearly 3 years before I now can boast of having a working TT101, thanks finally to JP Jones.  It's a great table, no doubt.  It's numero uno in my second system.  The Mk3 and L07D hold sway in my primary system, but guess which system I listen to most of the time; yes, the secondary one. The timing is nothing short of immaculate. and that, after all, is the main thing that a turntable has to do well.  Beyond that, it's all about mass and damping.

I think you can find a working unit for around $1000, give or take.  And thanks to the existence of JP, you can probably buy a broken one with some degree of confidence that he can fix the electronics. (Missing parts, damaged or  burnt out motor, no no.)

@lewm 

Nothing Fawlty about my logic.
Chakster, the person whom you quote here has got to be Thuchan.  Who else owns such a collection of vintage turntables?

great, i was not sure, but expected that it must a person related to audiogon. 

Well the last working unit i saw was $1200 + shipping, sold quickly. Good to know JP Jones can fix them if needed. 

Hi chakster,
After the High-End Show 2017 in Munich....I spent several days in Regensburg (a scenic Bavarian town on the Danube) where I was privileged to listen extensively to Thuchan's impressive system.
His Victor TT-101 was never humbled by his other great turntables including the EMT 927/R80 and his latest Caeles.
The TT-101 is the only Direct Drive connected to his system as his Nakamichi TX1000, Marantz JT1000, Denon 100M and Sony PS-X9 are all 'retired'.
I found a non-working 'basket-case' TT-101 for him in Canada which he was able to purchase cheaply and he had it completely rebuilt....a process which dragged on for over a year.
When his technicians finally had it completed....they were unable to get it working due to a faulty main chip which they couldn't source anywhere in the world.
I remembered that Lewm had written about finding some unobtanium power chips for the 101 some years ago and lo and behold.....these were the ones that Thuchan needed and thus was saved from obscurity (thanks to Lew's generosity), another TT-101 vintage deck.

My own TT-101 has risen to new heights since it, and the three arm-pods have been supported by the active Herzan isolation platform.
Victor TT-101 turntables only turn up about 3 or 4 times a year on eBay or Japan Yahoo but almost invariably.....they suffer from some malady or other making them....because of their complexity.....prime candidates for the tip.
People like JP Jones, I see as the saviours of our glorious great vintage DD turntables....🤗

@halcro great that you’ve met in person in Europe. Is that the same "plinth", but glossy finish?

When you say "cheaply" is that $300-500 range or lower ? Buyin this turntable in non working condition how much (roughly) the owner should invest to return it to life? I assumed it also takes too much time, not only investment. Just curious.