Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?


I have just acquired a 32 year old JVC/Victor TT-101 DD turntable after having its lesser brother, the TT-81 for the last year.
TT-101
This is one of the great DD designs made at a time when the giant Japanese electronics companies like Technics, Denon, JVC/Victor and Pioneer could pour millions of dollars into 'flagship' models to 'enhance' their lower range models which often sold in the millions.
Because of their complexity however.......if they malfunction.....parts are 'unobtanium'....and they often cannot be repaired.
halcro
Hi Guys
yes - we are living dangerously!
My experience at present thus far...
I found a QL-10 for sale - from Columbia - very odd I know.
The seller was utterly genuine I might add. He showed it working in perfect order - i.e. stop/start pitch control etc.
That said he was a bit of a plonk insofar as I told him to remove the platter for sending. sadly he did not do this.
On receipt UPS carried out the kind of delivery from 'Ace Ventura Pet Detective'. The lid was smashed, the headshell was snapped off (the least of my problems). The platter had not been removed for transport. The led's go on - but the platter ain't rotating. In addition to this I think transportation with the platter on may have damaged the motor/bearing...
I am convinced that customs open-end the box up rather brutally as it looked like the box has been opened.
I am liaising with Wilkinsons HiFi in Lancashire UK to give it a going over - I can live with the lid, arm, and electrolytic - but - the motor... oh well.
You gotta speculate to accumulate I guess - LOL (whilst weeping miserably)
However, the good news is that you too can purchase the chip from Hong
Kong.  I think the part number is "SC3042A",
good notice

@lohanimal   What does "plonk" mean?
Lohanimal,

does the platter spin if you turn it by hand ?  if not then possibly it may only need a upwards or downwards adjustment on the screw at the bottom of the bearing, this is fairly easy to do.

Sorry for your bad luck

Good Listening

Peter