2. analog
  3. 1317949815

Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?

I have just acquired a 32 year old JVC/Victor TT-101 DD turntable after having its lesser brother, the TT-81 for the last year.
TT-101
This is one of the great DD designs made at a time when the giant Japanese electronics companies like Technics, Denon, JVC/Victor and Pioneer could pour millions of dollars into 'flagship' models to 'enhance' their lower range models which often sold in the millions.
Because of their complexity however.......if they malfunction.....parts are 'unobtanium'....and they often cannot be repaired.
128x128halcro
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,289 posts
 
Hi JP,

It's so valuable seeing a complete NOS boxed TT-101....
Just like a vintage car 'barnyard' find.....
The finish I'm referring to is INSIDE the casing with the turntable removed where you can see on mine there is no tarnishing on the aluminium?
It would be great to hear the full story of how you came upon this 'virgin' example...👀❓
I hope I don't get reprimanded like Lew did for using that word....😎

jpjones3318's avatar
jpjones3318
117 posts
 
Hi Halcro,

Not NOS, but rather good shape considering.  The main bearing in this one is in spectacular shape - extraordinarily smooth. 

Yes, we're talking about the same area.  The exposed bit is brushed, and the inside bit is unprepped.  The full piece is anodized and therefore protected.  On the other two TT-101 I resurrected that area was painted. 
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,289 posts
 
Oh...ok..
My Serial No. is 07301160.
Yours is 11100690.
Now they can't have made over 12 million TT-101 turntables so did Victor just number consecutively every turntable they made?

totem395
196 posts
 
halcro
Mine is 10200997  much closer to the one JP has, but painted.
So it looks like sometime after mine and before JP's they Victor made 
the change.

Most often serial # are coded to indicate things like day, month,year
and even production line.
Decode the numbers and all will be told.
theophile's avatar
theophile
87 posts
 
The Yamaha GT 2000 does things that I didn't think turntables could do. Ultra Direct Drives are the most overlooked components in the Vintage Roster.
More to discover