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What to consider with used Sota Sapphire??

A local pawn shop has an old Sota Sapphire: Sumiko MMT arm (I think), detachable headshell, oak frame w/ black plinth, the headshell has been replaced with a Stanton, cartridge is a Stanton as well. Has hinges for a dustcover, but no cover. Had been $375, but recently marked down to $275.
I already HAVE a good table, so I'm not really in the market for another; still, I got my thinking cap on just for the hypothetical "purchase" of the table.

The manual for the SOTA is available on Vinyl Engine and points out the somewhat elaborate box that SOTA uses for shipping: the table is locked down to plywood, so shipping stress is minimized. I've read that the bearing of the Sapphire is somewhat fragile and the manual suggests locking the transit screws even for a crosstown move.
In the pawn shop, the suspension is quite loose and springy, so I wonder if someone schlepped the table to the store with it bouncing up and down in the back of someone's SUV??? And wonder what chances of damage were if transported this way??
The new SOTA sells a shipping package for $65, but if the damage is already done, a person would have to consider sending it back to SOTA for a tune-up (and of course further expense). A replacement headshell is $40 from Needle Doc, new dustcover is $185, the bearing could be replaced if damaged (~$200?).
doodledog

Showing 4 responses by doodledog

doodledog OP
29 posts
 
What I was thinking of in terms of the springy suspension was whether or not if had been transported to the store properly (i.e. with the transit screws tight) and THEN intentionally loosened back up. I don't think the pawn shop employees have enough expertise to have done this.

If I had been visiting someone's home where the table was in use and for sale, the springy suspension wouldn't necessarily concern me (esp. if the owner showed me the original shipping box and KNEW what a transit screw is).
doodledog OP
29 posts
 
Maniac,
I've read some similar tales on other forums. The new SOTA company offers the official shipping box for $65 (which seems pretty steep for a box) but it might well be worth it if it keeps the table intact. I doubt that I'll buy the table, but I thought it might be good to get this thread in the archives for someone down the road in a similar situation.

With pawn shops, I always wonder whether merchandise has been stolen----that might well explain the missing dustcover.
doodledog OP
29 posts
 
Nrchy,
I have a Nottingham Spacedeck with a Origin Lived Rega arm that I'm happy with. I had considered buying the SOTA just as an experiment and selling whichever table I preferred least, but I'm a bit scared off by the thought of having to invest more $$ into the SOTA.

Daniel,
since I have a table already, I'm less likely to buy the SOTA as is; if I were starting from scratch, the SOTA might well be worthwhile even if it needed $300-600 in upgrades.
doodledog OP
29 posts
 
Thanks everyone,
while I was only half-considering the table, the comments were very helpful. Perhaps someone down the line will benefit from this thread when he finds it in the archives.
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