Newbie turntable Upgrade

A Technics would be what I would get.  Don't buy a VPI until you have used and heard one!

@elliottbnewcombjr For $5 from KABUSA https://www.kabusa.com/frameset.htm?/m1200.htm  (scroll to bottom of page)   you can get the plans to build a wood plinth for a Technics 1200 if its appearance is so offensive to you.  Any decent carpenter should be able to put one together for much less than the $799 from our friends at SkyFi.

recordbore

'so offensive to you' is overstated, but I guessed, turned out I was right, OP like me, is not in love with the appearance of the Technics. 

Thanks for the link, I'm in walking distance from Kevin, everyone speaks highly of him. I have a friend I met here with two Technics who has used him, and another friend had the ON/OFF switch of the SP-15 I gave him repaired.

We have New Jersey Hardwoods, their web site is not coming up, they have made several custom items for me, refinished a few furniture items, and made a few custom plinths for Thorens TD125 for VAS that I helped them with.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/new-jersey-hardwoods-plainfield

Thorens has a DD with replaceable headshell. Anyone here have any experience with them? 

New? what model?

I loved my Vintage TD124 with SME arm, but my springy wood floors made too much vertical motion for it's bearing design.

Steve Leung at VAS had me make them half a dozen custom wood plinths for the TD125 model.

I agree with whoever it was who said that unless you are into vintage stuff just for the thrill (and the difficulties), I would stay away from vintage TTs, at least for now.  This is in some ways hypocritical of me, as I own 5 of them.  But I DID deliberately seek them out for the fun of it.  Anyway, if you keep score, you have had more recommendations for the 1200GR than anything else.  Why consider a Thorens DD (first one they have ever made so far as I know) when a more obvious choice is the 1200GR?  If you are in it for the looks, then pick a TT for looks, or buy a wood surround for your 1200GR.