Lenco arrived. Next steps?

[atharva]

After checking with you all on the effort of rebuilding a Lenco, I've jumped into the pool. A big thanks all those including Joshua, Reuben, Arj, Sachin, Greenhorn etc for their suggestions on acquiring one and the encouragement to DIY.

Now that the table is here I have a few questions.

1. Thinking of a 2 arm plinth. Which two arms would you suggest? One could be a Jelco 750/250? I think I remember reading Raghu and some DIY guys making a magnetic unipivot arm. How was this as compared to the commercial arms? In the spirit of DIY could this be a good option? What is the price of this? Who should I contact? Any other pre-assembled DIY arms?

2. Who should I contact for a 2 arm plinth?

3. While CLD plinth is generally accepted I am confused about
- the ply. I believe many including Kuruvilla and Shafic have used Baltic Birch ply. EximPly is willing to ship but who will be the person to do the CNC cutting?
- the layers. Have read suggestions about slate, aluminium, bitumen, acrylic etc as either layers or isolators. Not sure about availability/cost/peformance. Would love to hear experiences.

4. Servicing. Will do bearing oiling and teflon tape around the speed selector arm. Will check Om's thread on motor cleaning. Anyone here who can provide bitumen sheets for lining the chassis?

5. Polishing the platter. I had asked around for my Thorens but could not find anyone. I tried a few polishes but did not get satisfactory results. The best I got was from scrubbing the platter with utensil soap and light to medium pressure of very used scotch brite (to avoid scratches). Chrome plating may be the best but I heard it could damage the platter. Buffing may be better but may not last very long.

Thanks for reading!

 

[ajeshkumarts]

Congrants on the Lenco.
CNC cutting may not be required for the Plinth.
A good carpenter with Jigsaw can do the cutting as per the drawing

 

[reubensm]

Congrats on your acquisition. The Lenco 75 is a brilliant deck and my experience with it has been great. When it comes to Lencos, please also seek Mr. Kuruvilla's advice as he has a lot of experience with them.

Regarding the tone arm, I too am quite curious about Raghu's tonearm. I know that our FMs and my good friends, Record Player and Sachu888 are using them. They are long tonearms (12 inches I think). Would be particularly interested in hearing about the tracking capabilities and inner groove handling.

 

[jls001]

What's the status and condition of the Lenco?

I mean does it have the stock arm, and do you plan on retaining the arm? Does it have the stock plinth, or is it just the motor assembly? Have you tried spinning records? Any funny noises from the TT when playing? etc.

Also, why two arms? And which tone arms/cartridges/phono stages do you have in mind?

It's easy to plan two arms but tough to optimise both chains (personal experience). Physical mounting is not difficult as long as we know the second arm parameters (mounting distance, mounting hole diameter).

 

[atharva]

@ajeshkumarts, thanks. I keep reading rave comments about a CLD plinth.

Reuben, thanks. Look forward to suggestions from gurus.

Joshua, the chassis itself is quite clean. No dents/rust. The idler and rest of mechanism is in fine shape. Motor runs silent. Platter can do with polishing. It came with the stock "suspended" plinth which is in great shape. It is with stock arm. Will mount my AT95 cart on it soon. Need to replace the original tonearm wire with RCA connector wires. No funny noises. Dead silent.

2 arms is just for fun. Another option is a plinth with removable arm boards so I can use try arms IF needed. I am currently using Hypnotoad's HQMCPS with DL103R but am open to suggestions. Since the Lenco is more of DIY I thought a DIY arm will be in the same spirit.

 

[jls001]

Need to replace the original tonearm wire with RCA connector wires. No funny noises. Dead silent.

2 arms is just for fun. Another option is a plinth with removable arm boards so I can use try arms IF needed. I am currently using Hypnotoad's HQMCPS with DL103R but am open to suggestions. Since the Lenco is more of DIY I thought a DIY arm will be in the same spirit.

One way of using an universal arm board is to turn the TT like in the picture in this link:

KINTA VALLEY AUDIO: Lenco L75 turntable modified SOLD

Of course the aesthetics may or may not appeal to you but turning it this way allows using a large arm board that can accommodate both 9 and 12 inch arms. The idea is to make a large removable arm board (could be rectangular or circular shaped). For example if we want to use 9 inch arm then drill the mounting hole for the nine incher. Use a different arm board for 12", etc.

Alternately, one can mount a second arm as done by Shafic here, while retaining the stock arm too:

http://www.hifivision.com/phono-turntables/4689-vinyl-i-am-listening-401.html

Unfortunately the stock arm mounting hole is good only for the stock arm itself and a couple of other non-Lenco arms as the spindle to pivot distance is very short, just 211 mm, which is at least 10 mm shorter than most 9 inch arms.

The arm made by Raghu is very, very good sounding but IMO it's beyond the capability of most of us DIYers to make as it needs precise machining in a sophisticated CNC. But do talk to him - he could possibly make one for you. If you're hell bent on making an arm, the Nanook 219 will be more accessible.

Do check out the motor cleaning and tuning instructions over at Lenco Heaven. That's the single most important task in rebuilding an L75.

 

[kuruvilajacob]

Honestly, there is no better TT than a Lenco L 75 for modifying. The best plinth that can be build without much hassle is multi layered plywood plinth using birch ply if available at reasonable price. Before building the plinth, there should be a clear understanding where you want your two arms to be fixed. If you can get a Jelco 750, that is a drop in replacement for the stock arm. The DIY arm of Reghu's is excellent . I have used it on a Lenco L 75 and it can pick up many details many other arms cannot. Regarding the Lenco motor, I have found that however mint the Lenco may look, the motor will perform better is you can find someone to overhaul it.

 

[atharva]

Will definitely speak to Raghu.

 

[shafic]

Hi Atharva,
If you are interested I can help you to make a CLD plinth for your lenco with Baltic birch or any other exotic plywoods.
Regards,
shafic

 

[banner]

Hi,
I am looking for garrard plinth. I think if we make together then we can deal better price and quality. Also we can discuss with Mr. Shafic. I have some of beautiful plinth design.

Regards

 

[Beginner_N]

Congrats!
For any CNC machining I can help.
I am based out of Pune.

Sent from my MotoG3-TE using Tapatalk

 

[atharva]

Shafic, Beginner_N, thanks for the offer. Had asked Raghu also. Will get in touch with you guys.

 

[atharva]

Has anyone tried a PTP or PTP style upgrade?

 

[atharva]

@banner, what kind of plinth are you looking for?

 

[reubensm]

PTP upgrade without even getting started eh? Please don't make that mistake. When working with Lencos and Duals, always start with the stock OEM config and work your way up. People plaster the L75's tonearm but I found it quite enjoyable with a Shure M70 cart, when I owned one. Just ensure that the v-blocks are in good shape or your arm will have tracking problems. You will soon realize the tonearm's limitations and your next tonearm upgrade will definitely throw up the differences. Go one step at a time, plinth, tonearm, etc. A good start is to get a multi-layered plinth done. Then, make the existing chassis more stable and that can be easily achieved by bolting it down to the plinth through the central region, under the platter. That was my first upgrade and I found that it reduced vibrations quite a lot

Our approaches will vary but in my humble opinion, many turntable enthusiasts of today, seek direct suggestions on various forums and adopt suitable ones. This is probably due to the lack of time, funds, patience, etc. The art of setting up a turntable, learning how to use it, learning how to tweak it, upgrade it, etc has to be learnt through experience of trail and error and more importantly, one has to experience the difference stage by stage, in order to master the process. In our days we did not have the internet so had to use logical trial and error methods, but we got quite good at it and got a kick out of it too

 

[arj]

Has anyone tried a PTP or PTP style upgrade?

I have the PTP5 and moved to it after some years with the original top plate. it has its advantages but IMHO the original top plate is also pretty good. just damp the bottom of the top plate with bitumen sheets and also put plumbers tape on the idler arm and its very good with no particular need to change.

The key to a Lenco is a heavy and well damped plinth and a good tonearm. the stock versions of both in the original suck big time and drag it back several levels and my perspective is that anyone looking for good sound should blindly replace unless you like to play around with the tonearm since it takes quite and effort. a Jelco or a Linn is a Drop in replacement for the original top plate

the CLD is good but the birch ply is also very good. I do have a birch ply plinth for the original available which i am now considering putting on sale

 

[jls001]

Agree with arj :thumbsup:

Substantial mass loaded plinth which MUST be mated directly to the top plate's pan, and a good tonearm will leapfrog the performance of the Lenco from the mundane to a top flight spinner.

My Lenco had been in hibernation for many months now. The other day I started spinning it again and I'm rediscovering how good it sounds.

 

[shafic]

People plaster the L75's tonearm but I found it quite enjoyable with a Shure M70 cart, when I owned one.


+1to Reuben

 

[atharva]

Reuben, just checking if PTP is the ultimate goal. Seems like Arj is saying that the benefits are not that much.

Arj, I assume you mean that the Birch ply plinth was not CLD. So a Birch ply CLD should be ideal.

Is the CLD plinth heavy enough by itself or are you guys loading it with something?

What are the dimensions of your plinths?

Shafic, can the CLD plinth be made with a removable arm board?

 

[shafic]

Shafic, can the CLD plinth be made with a removable arm board?

Yes, it can be.