[chgolatin2]

Purchased a beautiful Technics SL1600 MK2 a few years ago on eBay, the table was fully functional, etc.  I decided to send the TT to "Royal Craft" for a custom made wood plinth.  After waiting an excess of almost 6 months I received my TT back, well needless to say that the TT was fully functional and upon receiving the TT it was not.  The auto return feature and auto start/repeat features did not work.  After spending weeks of going back and forth "Royal Craft" the issue didn't get resolved.  Had a local woodworker fix all the issues and coloring with the custom made plinth.  I dropped off the TT to a local repair shop and it was at this shop for an excess of over 6 months.  Well, picked up the TT yesterday and now I have a turntable that doesn't work and it's not operational.  I wasn't charged a penny from the local repair guy and he informed me that my turntable was damaged by whoever did the custom wood plinth, etc for it.  Rendering not repairable, according to the tech the auto-return features, etc were not salvageable but atleast the TT should work now it does not turn on, basically a useless TT.  I'm so pissed!  I spent a lot of money on this custom made plinth, let alone of months wasted to end up with over 1k+ in losses.  My favorite feature about this TT was the auto-repeat function due to the fact that I didn't need to restart my fav albums each time it ended. 

Anyone from the Chicago area that can be recommended to diagnose, etc this TT or should I give up?? 

[Wind Chaser]

delete

[WGH]

.... or should I give up?? 

Good question. Did you get a good deal on eBay and what is the current price of a fully functional SL1600? Can you break even if you sold a repaired table?

"Repair or Replace" - The 50% Rule is one way to look at your dilemma.
https://artoftroubleshooting.com/2014/04/25/the-50-percent-rule-repair-or-replace-revisited/

"This brings us to a very interesting aspect of making improvements [repairs] to your possessions. Whether it’s repairing a car, house, refrigerator, or computer, if you intend to resell it, you have become a de facto entrepreneur. No longer is the decision about the subjective value you receive from a successful repair, but rather about anticipating the future needs of buyers and the market conditions when it comes time to sell."

"Of course, we’d still need to contend with opportunity costs, that nagging suspicion that our money could have been better spent elsewhere."

Googling "Technics SL-1600 MK2 repair" reveals a lot of SL-1600's have the same two problems you have.

Love the video of the insides, you are going to need a manual.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TBgEByyAQk

[glynnw]

This reminds me of my experiences with a Triumph TR6 and a 13 Ft Boston Whaler.  I spent untold hours and quite a bit of money on each but sold each for my original purchase price.  I summed it up as "Buy for X, spend X on it, sell it for X"  You better enjoying doing the restoration.

[chgolatin2]

Good question. Did you get a good deal on eBay and what is the current price of a fully functional SL1600? Can you break even if you sold a repaired table?

"Repair or Replace" - The 50% Rule is one way to look at your dilemma.
https://artoftroubleshooting.com/2014/04/25/the-50-percent-rule-repair-or-replace-revisited/

"This brings us to a very interesting aspect of making improvements [repairs] to your possessions. Whether it’s repairing a car, house, refrigerator, or computer, if you intend to resell it, you have become a de facto entrepreneur. No longer is the decision about the subjective value you receive from a successful repair, but rather about anticipating the future needs of buyers and the market conditions when it comes time to sell."

"Of course, we’d still need to contend with opportunity costs, that nagging suspicion that our money could have been better spent elsewhere."

Googling "Technics SL-1600 MK2 repair" reveals a lot of SL-1600's have the same two problems you have.

Love the video of the insides, you are going to need a manual.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TBgEByyAQk

Thank you~

[FullRangeMan]

Incredible incompetence, I would look a lawyer or similar against this shop.

[dolsey01]

Not the first bad experience I've heard about this eBay seller.  Sorry to hear about your issues.

[2bigears]

  dam,  nice old spinner too. I thought you could fix anything ,, just takes $$ . 

[WGH]

Regarding the repair, how much do you think a professional, experienced electronics repair person should make an hour? With 40 years of experience I can repair anything made of wood and make the repair invisible, my shop rate is $60/hour, the shop rate in Chicago will be more. The cost of a repair includes more than sitting at the bench, it also includes talking to the customer, shopping/ordering parts, overhead, insurance, and customer's attitude. Usually a repair will take 4 hours but can take more, a broken door jamb I repaired last week cost the customer $250.

Just for fun let's assume a Chicago rate of $75/hour, 4 hours is $300.

Then look at eBay. There is a Technics SL-1600 for $321.99 with free shipping, the seller has a 100% positive rating. Not a MK2, no quartz but still...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/323986918694?autorefresh=true

[orthobiz]

Then look at eBay. There is a Technics SL-1600 for $321.99 with free shipping, the seller has a 100% positive rating. Not a MK2, no quartz but still...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/323986918694?autorefresh=true

"Do not purchase if in the state of FL"
What gives??

Paul

[chgolatin2]

Not the first bad experience I've heard about this eBay seller.  Sorry to hear about your issues.

Well, lesson learned~

[chgolatin2]

Regarding the repair, how much do you think a professional, experienced electronics repair person should make an hour? With 40 years of experience I can repair anything made of wood and make the repair invisible, my shop rate is $60/hour, the shop rate in Chicago will be more. The cost of a repair includes more than sitting at the bench, it also includes talking to the customer, shopping/ordering parts, overhead, insurance, and customer's attitude. Usually a repair will take 4 hours but can take more, a broken door jamb I repaired last week cost the customer $250.

Just for fun let's assume a Chicago rate of $75/hour, 4 hours is $300.

Then look at eBay. There is a Technics SL-1600 for $321.99 with free shipping, the seller has a 100% positive rating. Not a MK2, no quartz but still...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/323986918694?autorefresh=true

Not the same turntable, I prefer the 1600MK2.  But thank you

[S Clark]

Not the same turntable, I prefer the 1600MK2.  But thank you

Yeah, the quartz lock technology took DD tables to an different level.  But there are lots of good ones out there... Technics, of course, but also all the other major names.  Personally, I'm a fan of JVC, a bias I picked up from our past moderator, JohnTCG.  There are soooo many good one out there under $400, and a few near great ones under $600.  From what I read, the chips are stable if you can recap them.  That was my approach on my Victor TT-81.

[arem1460]

I’d check in with Kevin at KAB Electro Acoustics, he’s known as THE expert with 1200’s but I’d bet he knows a thing or two about 1600 models as well.