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Vinyl Old timers: HK's and Rabco's

Need some help here. I have seen several old HK ( Harman Kardon ) TT's that had Rabco linear trackers on them. I always assumed that this was the Rabco 8 arm. I recently saw a Rabco 8 for sale on a website and it was completely different. The arms that i remembered looked like a regular linear tracking arm with a straight tube and a headshell. The 8 as displayed on this website looked like a much wider and flatter piece of metal i.e. almost like a piece of flat-stock.

If this really is a Rabco 8, what model arm is it that i recall as being stock on the old HK tables ? Sean
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sean
kr4ef94
208 posts
 
1. It would be very difficult, but not impossible, for an adept person to remove an arm from an ST-5,7 or 8 to install on another turntable since, on these, the main turntable motor drives the rotating armtube via an additional pulley on the main shaft of the platter.

2. The rubber drive wheel that engages the rotating arm tube can deteriorate or wear but it is replaceable by an "O"-ring used for plumbing. A ring with 3/8" i.d. and 19/32" o.d. is available and a perfect fit. I get them from Home Depot at 5 for 79cents.
rcrump
427 posts
 
Hasn't been that long ago (13 years ago) I had a Shreve modified Rabco SL8-E.....I had an SL-8 for a while until David built the one with the electric cuing for me....Had them on a Goldmund Studio Mk IV and it was an awesome combination as both ate the ET-2 I used before that on the same table.....Balsa wood arms with class nine bearings were pretty special.....Just a mess to keep working and even the brand of battery made a difference in the sound with the Kodak being the best....Sold the outfit to a friend and he is still using that combo today.....
albertporter's avatar
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albertporter
4,927 posts
 
Jeez Crump your as bad as me with the mod thing! Why don't you build a preamp and name it BlowTorch or something?
oldears
208 posts
 
Hello Sean,
If you are still interested contact me as I have an original Rabco SL-8e in the original box with all paperwork and instructions. (i had slightly trimmed the arm to decrease mass.) I put in a C battery and both the vertical and lateral servos still work fine. It will fit any turntable with a long flat mounting board. I has used it with a Thorens TD125 (I think). I think it will work fine with a MM cartridge, but you may be able to hear the servo with an MC cartridge.
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