So many great golden era DD tables out there, what do you recommend for $1000?

Got the time this morning to set up the TT81 with a Glanz cartridge for now.
Hard to say at this stage if it is much different to the TT71.
I do like the arm though, very well built and very easy to set up and the VTA on the fly is simplicity itself.
My micro seiki ma505ls on the Garrard 401 also has VTA on the fly but the 7082 is a more elegant system and a little easier to adjust while music is playing.

I really need to stop looking at Audiogon and eBay classifieds now...…. 

Gallus, You got me interested when you mentioned the Luxman switch box, because Luxman makes good stuff.  However, the AS4 seems to be made for AV systems, which is to say it's for switching high level signals, not mV level signals as seen from a phono cartridge.  I think a high quality switch could be done with relays, but you would want to use only the highest quality parts and to have a smart person design and build it.  So, the cost would be correspondingly high ($1000 or more, I would think), and STILL there would be an inevitable signal loss involved.  I've thought about having such a switch made for my system, and my numbers are based on an actual conversation with a potential custom builder.  I decided not to do it, but I do own two high quality phono stages that each provide more than one pair of phono inputs.

Lewm.
I did find a review where they used the as4 for the exact purpose of phono switching. It was for a table with 3 tonearm but same principle.

They did say they were fairly confident some SQ degradation was audible.

I thought Manley did make a high quality switchbox at one time? Seem to remember price was up there around $1700 or so?

Google is your friend... Lol.
The Manley Skipjack was the unit.
Supposed to have been capable of handling phono duties with some very impressive specifications.

Of course only used to be had now and seem to be in the region of $750 to $1000.

Something to think about and keep a weather eye out for.

What do people here do for a platter mat on the tt71 & 81?
The OEM platters with the raised lip do not allow flush fitment of any of the platter mats I have.
Only the original rubber mats fit down in the recess.