@mglik - I think the maintenance and care of the "traditional" Monks is overstated. When I got mine, used, I knew it was not performing as it should and had it rebuilt by the guy who does the institutional work for Monks based out of NY. He also showed me how to operate it properly and we made a few tweaks- he repositioned the "arm rest" and I added silicon washers wherever there is metal to metal contact on a screw. (Some of the old Monks show rust- frightening). Once you get the hang of it, it’s relatively easy to adjust and maintain.
I don’t use the fluid applicator head since I use a variety of fluids and I found that the dispenser flings fluid beyond the platter-- I keep a microfiber towel handy to wipe the surface as it is running, and once done, use some canned air to get water out of any crevasses, empty the waste jar, cut off the "used" thread that has been sent to the waste jar, etc. The machine wipes down easily and threading the bobbin, while not easy, is something that an owner can do with a little time and trouble- it basically involves taking the nozzle off and re-threading the "string" through the arm tube using a little rubber pipe that then allows the vacuum to pull it back through to the waste jar. You can clean a lot of records with one bobbin of the special thread.
Some of the machines may have been abused (commonly, too much waste water without emptying the jar will cause water to flow back to the diaphragm of the pump and then the diaphragm has to be replaced, if not worse). Even with a rebuild, mine came it at less than retail for a brand new Omni. The older models can be brought back to life at some cost. I would recommend that anyone buying an older Monks have it checked by someone who knows the machine. It was an ingenious sort of Rube Goldberg affair when it was first made, and has the quirkiness of a British vintage car, sans the Lucas Prince of Darkness issues.
I don’t use the fluid applicator head since I use a variety of fluids and I found that the dispenser flings fluid beyond the platter-- I keep a microfiber towel handy to wipe the surface as it is running, and once done, use some canned air to get water out of any crevasses, empty the waste jar, cut off the "used" thread that has been sent to the waste jar, etc. The machine wipes down easily and threading the bobbin, while not easy, is something that an owner can do with a little time and trouble- it basically involves taking the nozzle off and re-threading the "string" through the arm tube using a little rubber pipe that then allows the vacuum to pull it back through to the waste jar. You can clean a lot of records with one bobbin of the special thread.
Some of the machines may have been abused (commonly, too much waste water without emptying the jar will cause water to flow back to the diaphragm of the pump and then the diaphragm has to be replaced, if not worse). Even with a rebuild, mine came it at less than retail for a brand new Omni. The older models can be brought back to life at some cost. I would recommend that anyone buying an older Monks have it checked by someone who knows the machine. It was an ingenious sort of Rube Goldberg affair when it was first made, and has the quirkiness of a British vintage car, sans the Lucas Prince of Darkness issues.