Denon DL 103 modifications and re-body questions thread

I don't have any experience with the 103. I recently read on www.analogplanet.com where MF brought to our attention a "better" body for that cart.

 I also tried a 103 to see what the fuss was about and frankly they are not worth the expence to mod IMO. save your money and upgrade to a better cart. I know a lot of you will flame me for this but the Denon 103 is quite vailed, is boomy in the bottom end and not very detailed. I know many of the mods your talking about will help in these areas but to spend hundreds of dollars on moding it IMO is a waist of money. Just enjoy what it does well like musicality and funness (is that a word) and when the time is right upgrade to a better cart. The DL 103 is $250 to put another $300-$500 in to it wont make it sound like a $800 cart IMO. 
I'm not trying to sway you from your quest just trying to put things in perspective. I know many here think the 103 is a wonderful cart and it is a fun cart and a great buy for $250 not for $1000 with mods IMO. That said if your planning to spend much less then $200 go for it as it can only make it better for little money, anymore and i'd save the money and upgrade. 

I bought a 103r and hardwood body, cut the plastic outer body off and glued the naked guts into the hardwood body. I used Carpenter's Glue. ;-)

You should also consider getting a good step-up transformer (SUT). MC cartridges like the 103 (I have several of its variants) are low-voltage/high current devices. The best way to convert this low voltage to enough for a MM phonostage is with a SUT. This preserves the MC's low noise floor (superior to MM's) and avoids the added noise of an active stage. 

SUT's do vary in SQ! I have several, including a Denon and a Quicksilver, plus two custom-made. Had a Verion (Cotter) but stupidly sold it! The people that diss the 103 probably have never heard it (or any other LOMC) with a good transformer!