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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.
128x128halcro
best-groove's avatar
best-groove
843 posts
 
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
659 posts
 
I meant plonker - not the sharpest pencil in the box
pbnaudio's avatar
pbnaudio
1,613 posts
 
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
lohanimal
659 posts
 
It turns but does not spin
lewm
13,160 posts
 
Peter is on to something.  Look under the bottom of the bearing well. There you will see a large slot-head screw.  The screw has the bearing thrust plate built into it and adjusts the spindle up and down, but if the screw is in too far (clockwise motion), the rotor will rub on the stator. (Because the spindle is also part of the rotor of the motor which moves with it.) Likewise, if the screw is out too far (counter-clockwise), the platter begins to rub on the escutcheon.  There is a very small sweet spot where the platter will turn freely.  If you're lucky, maladjustment of that screw is hanging up the platter so it cannot rotate freely.  What I did finally with my TT101 is to take a Greenlee hole punch and punch out a small hole in the center of the bottom of the shield that forms the outer shell of the chassis.  So now I can just take a short-handled screw driver and adjust that screw if needed, without disassembly.  Of course, once I created the access hole, I have never again needed to adjust the screw.
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