ES-1, AR the Turntable, EB-101 Turntable Restorations
What does service include?
- Initial evaluation of motor, platter bearing, and basic tonearm function including bearings
- Remove platters and other items that are removable
- Clean smaller items in ultrasonic cleaner
- Clean top plate with appropriate cleaners discovered over years of working on them
- Detail tonearm and area around motor
- Remove residue from motor pulley
- Lubricate motor, run several hours
- Clean out platter bearing well
- Clean drive platter surface where belt rides of oxidation and staining
- Clean and polish drive platter bearing shaft
- Lubricate drive platter bearing and test for quiet and true (Truing the platter, if needed, is additional $40)
- Clean and polish drive platter edge to satin finish
- Evaluate cables.
- If nicks or cuts are found in cables, owner is notified of cable options
- AC and tonearm wire solder points checked. Re-solder if needed.
- Clean ground connections
- Replace studs and springs with VN upgrade spring kit
- Check corner blocks for splits. Glue, if needed.
- Vacuum underside. If parts are corroded, they are treated with WD-40 to prevent further corrosion
- Clean and treat mat, if included
- Clean and treat plinth. (I can sometimes eliminate shallow scratches as part of this process)
- Clean and polish dust cover, if included. (One coat polish inside, three coats outside)
- If parts are highly corroded, owner is notified of replacement options. This rarely happens.
- Detail all tonearm surfaces
- Clean headshell terminals, in and out, with de-Oxit
- Check cueing function. Clean out and replace damping fluid, if needed.
- If cartridge is used, evaluate cartridge and report results to owner
- Mount new cartridge, if needed
- Reassemble/reinstall all cleaned parts
- Align cartridge, setting VTA, tracking angle, offset, and azimuth
- Replace belt with new
- Adjust/tune suspension to maximize performance**
- Play test
- Re-adjust suspension and/or cartridge alignment as needed.
- Clean/vacuum bottom plate and re-install
- Install upgrade feet
- Re-pack turntable for shipment.
- If you originally used the box rental option, I charge $12 for boxes and bubble for return.
Note: All replaced parts are returned to the owner
**Every AR turntable is slightly different in terms of adjustment of the suspension. I have resisted making a Youtube video about suspension adjustment because there are many small factors based on the idiosyncrasies of that table (spring tension, tonearm weight, platter weight, drive platter material, mat weight, cartridge weight, and whether or not a clamp of some kind will be used. Tuning AR suspensions is something I have done literally hundreds of times over the past 15 years. I know the nuances that lead to the very best performance.