I found a Pioneer PL-71 at a second-hand shop for $12 (this was probably during the 1990s). This was Pioneer's top-of-the-line TT in 1974 retailing at about $300. Like a dumbbell I offered it to my friend and like a true friend he turned it down, so I bought it. And am I ever glad I did! It wasn't holding its speed very well, but after replacing a micro-switch and cleaning the speed adjustment pots, it worked great. I had to buy the lateral balancer for it because that was missing. I replaced the cheezy hardboard bottom with a massive aluminum plate (designed specifically for it... bought on eBay). I put a Grado Red on it and it sounds great! And it's beautiful to boot. I LOVE my vintage TT. I read a review that said you'd have to spend way upwards of $1000 on a new TT to get one that approaches its quality. And that was 20+ years ago. I have no interest in spending huge dollars on a modern TT when I have a beauty that sounds fabulous.
