With the many new parts installed on my premium turntables, the TD-125, the TD-160 Super Reproduction, and the VN-150 Super, the turntables are almost new. However, I assign a 9.5/10.0 cosmetic rating because there will always be some signs of age on an item that was manufactured during the 60s or 70s. It’s my goal to ensure that these are extremely minor issues that are primarily out of view for an assembled turntable.
One exception to that is the platters. We have been removing oxidation and polishing these platters for 15 years now. We know every trick in the book to help each individual platter achieve its best cosmetic condition. However, there are times when there will be a blemish that has become part of the metal and is simply not removable. I have a pile of platters here that is up to my chest that I have deemed unacceptable. If there is a nick or a gouge, the turntable goes to that pile. If there is a blemish in the finish larger than a fingerprint, the turntable platter is sent to the pile for eventual powder coating.
In short, I’m a very hard rater of these platters, and if you happen to get one that has a small blemish, we did everything we could to get that platter to the condition in which you see it now. Additionally, I’m always using the very best platter I have on hand when I finish any given turntable. As you can imagine, sometimes I have many many near-perfect platters, and at other times I’m struggling to supply platters that are up to my standards.