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Used LP12 FAQ.

Tony L

Administrator
Tips for buying a used LP12:

The LP12 has changed substantially over the years, note I say changed, not necessarily improved. I’m not going to make any recommendations regarding specification other than giving a general indication that newer = brighter and tighter, older = warmer and friendlier. All replacement costs are my guesstimates based on the last time I was quoted which in some cases is a good few years ago. This FAQ currently covers the motor unit only, not arms.

The most important tip is that condition is everything. A well set up good condition LP12 of any age will sound better than one in poor condition or badly set up.

Essentials to get right:

Plinth – all LP12 plinths are warped to some small degree, placing a spirit level on the frame (don’t use the top plate as this is deliberately tensioned and dips as a result) will give different readings. Choose a deck that sits very firmly on all four of its feet when placed on a perfectly flat surface. Replacement plinth cost is in the region of £220 and the top plate is £140.

Main bearing – remove outer platter and belt and lift the inner platter out, wipe the oil off the bearing shaft and look very carefully for a flat spot. Anything more than about .5mm is IMHO unacceptable. Ideal is no flat spot at all. A good clue that something may be amiss with the bearing is any circular marks on the top plate corresponding to the inner and outer platters – this would imply the deck may have been transported with the platter in place. New bearing cost (Cirkus) about £375.

Motor – listen to it running, it should be quiet, anything louder than a light "ticking" probably means a new motor. Any light ticking can usually be easily cured with a little (very little!) light oil to each end of the motor. New motor £100.

Platter – the Linn outer platter is made from a soft alloy, dropping it from even a low height onto even a well carpeted floor can bend it. Watch the deck from the front when turning under it’s own power and look very closely at the gap between platter and plinth – if there is any up and down movement once the deck has stabilised then it could well mean the platter is bent. New outer platter £165.

Subchassis – look at the assembled deck carefully from the side; does the armboard sit level with the platter? (ignore the plinth). It should! Does the azimuth of the cartridge look right when playing a record? (ignore if unipivot arm). Warped subchassis assemblies are very, very rare, but it’s worth checking as it is a total PITA to put right and realistically usually involves replacement (Cirkus).

PSU – if it works it is probably ok. The Valhalla PSU is no longer made, so a failure here involves either getting it fixed or going for a more expensive external unit like a Lingo or Armageddon (or building your own).

The rest:

Armboard – pull the arm up a bit so you can see the edge of the board, if it is a sandwich construction with a plastic top and bottom it is current, if it is solid it is not. Definitely not a deal breaker as the old one sound fine and a new one is only 30 quid.

Lid – replacement cost £60 (I don’t think you get the hinges, IIRC these are about 20 quid a pair).

Ignore the rest - always work on the assumption that you will be replacing the springs, grommets, nuts, any less than perfect suspension bolt, oil and the belt. This will all be covered with a full dealer service or do it yourself if you can get the parts.

Transporting the deck home:

I strongly advise buying a Linn with it’s full original packaging, it is pretty inevitable that you will eventually need it and the complete box is expensive from Linn at about 50 quid. Pack the Linn as per the instructions on the top lid of the box, i.e. platter / belt in the bottom recess, plinth in the middle and inner platter and arm in the top Styrofoam insert. There should be a red plastic cap that fits over the main bearing to keep the oil in. I’d also recommend removing the arm completely – the less weight on the subchassis the less likely you are to bend any subchassis bolts. If you can’t be bothered at least remove the counterweight and use a elastic band to attach the arm-tube to it’s rest.

It is also possible to transport Linns with the inner platter propped up on a couple of small books, and whilst this does (at least in theory) prevent the main bearing parts clattering together it is still not ideal IMHO as it leaves a lot of mass connected to the subchassis. I always remove the inner platter before putting a deck into someone’s car. The oil will be changed later anyway, so it’s not worth gambling the deck just to save a couple of drops.
 


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