Your turntable history

My first "turntable" was part of an all-in-one record player by Zenith in about 1958.  I had a Dual turntable after that, in college, but I do not remember the model.  I went into the Army in 1967 and still had the Dual until about 1977, when I purchased a Thorens TD 126 MKII while stationed in Germany.  I "retired" it in about 1990 when I purchased a CD player.  In 2021, I began upgrading my 1990s system, and three years ago I brought the Thorens out of retirement and had it thoroughly serviced and an Audio-Technica VM540ML cartridge installed.  It is now getting frequent use--I have several Sheffield and 45 rpm LPs I purchased in the late 1980s that sound incredible(!), and I am considering upgrading the cartridge.

1. High School: Motorola Portable Suitcase (the original boom box?), detachable speakers, flip down turntable, flip over stylus 33/78.

2. College: BSR from Sam Goody’s, I don’t know what cartridge it had

3. Age 25: Garrard Changer (in the Fisher President II I inherited) (still had the BSR).

4. Working Youngster: Gift, to repair: Thorens TD124 with SME 3009 II

Helped my elderly friend choose/setup new stuff for himself. (also gave me his Fisher 500C). This is when I started buying better MM cartridges, up to Shure V15VxMR & AT440ML. Avoiding MC, they all hummed back then.

5. My ’CDs are Better’ Era: Audio Technica AT-120 (with adjustable arm height). Replaced my Thorens because it’s bearing didn’t like my springy wood floor. This is still my recommended ’starter TT’ to prove you will stick with vinyl. Still MM.

6. Covid Era, joined Audiogon 2019, with help here: Overhaul Everything: My current beloved JVC TT81 with 3 tonearms. Finally tried MC with SUT, no hum.

7. Office Overhaul: Mitsubishi LT-5V Vertical TT

8. Garage Shop: Technics Compact Programmable SL-J33 (gave to my son)

9. Garage/Shop Overhaul: Stackable Sony FL-1 with upgraded cartridge with ML stylus, allowed a taller stack below (no need to open the top of the SL-J33). My Vintage ’everything’ system: 8 Track; Dual Cassette; CD Changer, Full Featured Yamaha Receiver. Of course a Chase RLC-1 for remote volume and mute while working down there.

Receivers back then were wider than other components.

Here's my list, early to current:

Sony- TTS 3000

Transrotor- Forgot the model 

Technics- SP 10

Goldmund- Studietto

Luxman- PD 444

Current: J A Michell GyroDec

1970ish--plastic craptastic with clip on speakers

1978--Technics SL-B2

2012 or so--Project Debut Carbon--still have

2017ish?--EAT C Sharp--still have

2018ish--Pioneer PL-518 restored by Freeman, the Magnolias band founder--still have

2026--in a month or so I will add a sykfi hopped up Technics SL-1300G.

1970s. Blue plastic turntable 

Realistic belt drive turntable in late 70s - early 80s

Sony linear tracking turntable? PS-lx55ii

Ariston Q Deck

Thorens TD 180

Project Debut with speed box

Music Hall MMF 5.1

Fluance RT-82 - passed on to my son

Denon DP59-L recapped and restored since around 2019 with AT VM540ML cartridge