I doubt JP wants to do a cosmetic restoration of a TT101. First, his main passion is the SP10 Mk3, for which he has re-created the vital chip (MN6042, I think) using discrete components, with specs superior to the original. (I bought one, but I still need to have JP install it. Since I espouse the "if it's not broken, don't fix it" approach, I am procrastinating.) Second, his expertise is in the electronics. I would focus him on what he does superbly well, including calibration of the drive system. Even if your DD is ostensibly "working" fine, there is a chance it could be better, more torque, more accurate servo action, if properly calibrated. JP told me that many DD's sent to him in working order are not in fact operating up to par because of poor or no calibration. (This included my TT101, which besides having a crack in the PCB was also not well calibrated.) If you re-cap your vintage DD, the next step is probably also to re-calibrate it. (I am not saying that JP is the only person on earth who can do that. Thuchan evidently found some expertise in Germany, for one example.)
Chakster, The story of my TT101 cost-wise is perhaps more encouraging than Halcro's story. Mine was on eBay as part of a QL10 ensemble, which is a TT101 set into the top line Victor plinth and bearing a Victor UA7045 tonearm. The seller was honest enough to admit that the turntable was not working. I was willing to pay no more than $600 for it, on the premise that the tonearm alone is worth about that much. To my surprise, I won the auction at that price. Moreover, all pieces are in mint condition. I now think that the crack in the PCB which was causing the intermittent issues probably was there when the unit left the factory. Thus my TT101 probably saw very little use over its lifetime.
I use my TT101 in the QL10 plinth after heavy modifications to the plinth, including the addition of mass and damping, using aluminum slabs bolted to the underside, and replacement of the MDF tonearm board with a custom-machined, massive, aluminum mount. I'm running a Fidelity Research FR64S in a B60 base mounted into the alu arm board. I have a slate plinth, originally made for my Denon DP80, but the hole for the DP80 is just a little bit too big or too small for the TT101. I'm quite happy with what I've got, anyway.
I don't want to encourage JP to raise his prices, but his services are VERY reasonable, especially considering the fact that they are vital to our DD lovers group, as Halcro stated.
Chakster, The story of my TT101 cost-wise is perhaps more encouraging than Halcro's story. Mine was on eBay as part of a QL10 ensemble, which is a TT101 set into the top line Victor plinth and bearing a Victor UA7045 tonearm. The seller was honest enough to admit that the turntable was not working. I was willing to pay no more than $600 for it, on the premise that the tonearm alone is worth about that much. To my surprise, I won the auction at that price. Moreover, all pieces are in mint condition. I now think that the crack in the PCB which was causing the intermittent issues probably was there when the unit left the factory. Thus my TT101 probably saw very little use over its lifetime.
I use my TT101 in the QL10 plinth after heavy modifications to the plinth, including the addition of mass and damping, using aluminum slabs bolted to the underside, and replacement of the MDF tonearm board with a custom-machined, massive, aluminum mount. I'm running a Fidelity Research FR64S in a B60 base mounted into the alu arm board. I have a slate plinth, originally made for my Denon DP80, but the hole for the DP80 is just a little bit too big or too small for the TT101. I'm quite happy with what I've got, anyway.
I don't want to encourage JP to raise his prices, but his services are VERY reasonable, especially considering the fact that they are vital to our DD lovers group, as Halcro stated.