(not Audi) Thorens TD124 Turntable parts wanted

[marcz]

Hi all

I need to replace the main shaft in my 1959 Thorens TD124 turntable. The bearing surface is fine, as is the captive bearing in the base of the spindle but the top is now damaged and near to impossible to repair. If any of you know anyone breaking a TD124 or maybe has a complete TT for sale at a bargain price, I'd like to know. Maybe keep your eyes peeled at car boot sales and pawn brokers?

This is the TT...


The part required is the centre shaft/main shaft... the bit poking up here and fixed to the platter with three screws...


I am NOT playing any of my vinyl until I get this sorted and I am in no position to replace my TT with a new one of this sort of quality... I really need to fix this one and I need to be mindful of the costs too as there is a quattro in the garage requiring all my money

Thank you very much in advance!

[SteveCat]

Sex......of the highest order...

Good luck mate!

[marcz]

Ha, you know your turntables then

It is sex... I love it! But without a replacement shaft, it's next to useless now. I've owned this TT since 1983 and I have never even considered replacing it.

Unlike the example in the photo, mine has an SME 3009 tone arm fitted:

[SteveCat]

Hi Marc!

First time we've chatted on the more fully classic side of the webfence of life!

Yes old equipment like this is a hobby I plan to always get into more.Its mainly finance which holds me back no thanks to my old Audi!!

I did have turntables in the past but not of that ilk.It hasnt stopped me appreciating quality craftsmanship and such fine attention to detail.
The weighting and textures of the various materials used is enough to get my Groomy knee a-trembling!

Steve

[amanda]

Originally Posted by Groomus

Yes old equipment like this is a hobby I plan to always get into more.Its mainly finance which holds me back no thanks to my old Audi!!

I did have turntables in the past but not of that ilk.It hasnt stopped me appreciating quality craftsmanship and such fine attention to detail.
The weighting and textures of the various materials used is enough to get my Groomy knee a-trembling!

Steve

I have a linn here with trokia arm, cirkus bearing and trampoline kit...........along with the dragon cassette deck, mcintosh pre /power amp/cd player and m1 speakers. Most high end stuff is available from specilist suppliers but be prepared to pay for it

[Lofty]

I run a Thorens 2001 turntable through a Rotel RQ970 BX phono pre amp then through a Rotel RC970 BX control amp then through four RB 970 BX Mono block power amps to finally burst forth from Castle Howard Mk II speakers..........certainly loosens the ear wax.....

[marcz]

Originally Posted by Groomus

Hi Marc!

First time we've chatted on the more fully classic side of the webfence of life!

Yes old equipment like this is a hobby I plan to always get into more.

Oh yes, don't start me on classic audiophile equipment There are only three turn tables in the world, the Thorens TD124, the Garrard 301 and the rest! I didn't know this when I bought mine in a garage sale in 1983 for just $75, it just looked like a nice old TT and it worked. I soon figured out it was something special when I took the platter off and realised it was 5kg and that every part, as you say, was machined so beautifully.

But be warned, if you intend turning to classic audiophile equipment as a hobby, your Audi(s) will start to look like a cheap hobby

EDIT: and a note worth remembering... the LAST place you look for classic audiophile equipment is a "specialist" as they will take the piss and rape your wallet. You get and idea of the components you want and you go looking in junk shops, pawn brokers, car boot sales, deceased estate auctions, etc. I DO NOT BOAST about how much my gear is worth but I do brag about how cheaply I have picked it up. The only big expense for me were the speakers but then I bought them new in 1984 and I still have them and they still blow me away when I get to crank them. They have given me 26 years of faultless service, they were obviously a good investment. The rest of my gear has been a bit of luck, good fortune and being in the right place at the right time and having half a clue as to what I was looking at. Don't worry, I'll admit to having bought a few dud items too but at stupidly cheap prices so the risk was minimal.

There are bargains out there and the "specialists" grab them too and make a motza, selling them to people who think they know a bit about hi-fi... avoid "specialists" like the pox. They know what they have and they know the value.

Sound familiar?... sounds like quattro bits

[20vcqdriver]

Originally Posted by marcz

Ha, you know your turntables then

It is sex... I love it! But without a replacement shaft, it's next to useless now. I've owned this TT since 1983 and I have never even considered replacing it.

Unlike the example in the photo, mine has an SME 3009 tone arm fitted:

Oh yes, have one of these arms too, though no room to appreciate it here so is presently residing in my mums house inside an old piece of 1960's Grundig furniture. Get some pics later... But just to add that the original turntable used to come with interchangeable needles depending on what records you were playing... And as seen in the film 'Summer holiday' with Cliff Richard

[marcz]

Yes, the SME 3009, 3010 and 3012 are very probably the best tone arms ever made!

You're showing your (young) age there

My first TT (when I was 10) had the 33/45 <-> 78 stylus too, both mounted on the opposing sides of a flippable stalk. I have a selection of stylii for the Shure V15 headshell as I have three grades of vinyl here, my archive stuff that is mint, my old (all the way back to when I was 10~11 years old) collection and then a bunch of "junk shop" and 78 RPM discs.

So, the appeal is out there everyone, my only slightly tarnished soul, with FSH, in exchange for a main shaft for the Thorens

[Martc]

Oooooo a Dragon tape deck!!!! - pure sex on a stick! They were like £2000 back in 1985!

My mates dad was the sales director for B&W in the Uk, and they used to import Nakamichi stuff. My mate was 10 years old and he had a Dragon tape deck and one of the first Yamaha CD players, along with some other very nice gear!

The stuff he recorded off that deck was better quality than pre-recorded tapes. Abosolutely amazing and the auto reverse was sooo cool, the tape actually spins round in the base