Why not just play them on your main system? You are not going to damage the cartridge, if you have properly cleaned the LPs, even if they are scratchy due to excessive wear.
Inexpensive turntable to play old records
I am looking for an inexpensive turntable to play old records that are not in the best shape but very important to me. I have a lot invested in my vinyl rig and I am about 80% vinyl system. Running a VPI Prime 21 - Hana Umami Blue combo into a Manley Chinook. My dad passed in early January and I found all his old Elvis records when cleaning at my mom's house. He loved his Elvis records and they traveled with him while he was in the military in Germany and Korea, so they are not in the best shape and I would not feel safe running them on the Umami Blue. I cleaned them up and put them in sleeves to preserve them. For me, it would just be cool to hear the same records my dad loved and traveled with him in the the army. Was thinking of an inexpensive table with a phono pre that I can just plug into my Primaluna Integrated and not have to disconnect my VPI from the Chinook. I mean this is really only something I might plug in a couple times a years for sentimental reasons. Would like to keep it under 250-300. Any thoughts?