Sell Me Your Women, Your Children, Your Vintage Turntable...

@scar972 

Different strokes for different folks.
If you don’t see the appeal in vintage turntables go for one of the modern designs, there are many good options to choose from. From your list, I’d probably go with the SME.

Thanks for the suggestion on the SME.

I guess there are various considerations when selecting a table/arm, certainly budget is the prevailing factor, then, when you get down to individual assessments, there's performance, aesthetics, reliability, ease of use/setup, availability of parts, etc.

Just focusing on performance and aesthetics (which in my case are the two most important aspects, in that order), I WOULD SACRIFICE AESTHETIC FOR A DOLLAR TO DOLLAR IMPROVEMENT IN PERFORMANCE.
People seem reluctant to say that a well-restored vintage deck will generally sound better than a similarly priced modern unit. SOME OF YOU HAVE, but mostly the issue is skirted around. Some of you are alluding to "I built it with my own hands", "It looks wonderful" etc, but not so much "It just sounds obviously better".

So, I'm taking from this that there isn't really a consensus on SQ, and that it's generally down to personal preference, dictated by whatever heads up your list of personal priorities. OK, no real surprise.

So, no one has 'sold me their vintage turntable', per the original challenge. Maybe we can do better with your womenfolk and children... :)

Rooze

Improvements is the illness of audiophiles, there are vintage turntables like Luxman PD-444 with ZERO requirements for improvement! There is NOTHING like than made today for reasonable price, nothing. Read about it. The market value today is probably at least $3-4k. I’m a lucky user of a pair in my system. When you say "dollar for dollar" it’s NOT about modern turntables, they are all overpriced (even the lowest quality turntables are overpriced compared to much better vintage classics).

Garrard cult is very BAD example of vintage turntables in terms of price, they are definitely overpriced when refurbished by professionals. 

@chakster Beautiful looking system. Points taken about value.

Before I chose an idler for my array of turntables, I auditioned Garrard 301, Thorens TD124, and Lenco L75 or GL78. (I think they’re the same.) Lenco won. Did not like the TD124 at all. Belt driving an idler seemed to combine the problems of both. Apologies to TD124lovers. Lenco was just a little less noisy than Garrard but with similar effortless drive. I’ve no doubt the Garrard can be made to outperform the samples I heard. My current Lenco is highly tweaked. Slate plinth, PTP top plate, dampened platter, graphite mat, enormous custom bearing and spindle, Phoenix Engineered drive, Dynavector tonearm. I love it. What might set the Lenco apart from the typical idler is the vertical orientation of the idler wheel and its tiny contact patch. These features might make for less side force on the bearing and much less potential for rumble. For more info go to Lenco Heaven. Or google PTP Lenco.

@lewm , I owned a Td 124II and in comparison to a modern turntable it was brutal. Even with an SME on it the AR XA easily out performed it. But, what does a 16 year old know. I bought it used at one of the local HiFi stores and was pleased as punch to start with. No apologies needed.
I have never used a Lenco and undoubtedly never will. But you seem pleased as punch with it which is all that counts.