Pioneer PL-560: Service, Auto Return & Muting Repair

Does your PL-560 tonearm fail to return to the arm rest? We will fix that and service this beast of a Pioneer deck.

[@morkvomork5557]

There is really a lot goin on in there, i only serviced a PL 518 up to now, but this 560 is a beast. The 1978 PL 518 only needed a some lubrication and the lift screw from the auto return had to be fixed. Teslanol T6 on the speed regulation and all works fine again

[@marktubeie07]

My gosh there is a lot going on in there!!! Looks like an Amp 😉 Surprised there aren't more earthing issues with all that's going on under there. You can't beat a 'quality' TT from 70s, they are well worth restoring. Love your vids !

[@Toyota4Low]

Thank you for this video! I just picked one of these up and need to fix the cue lift. You helped me figure out how to get the thing apart. Definitely going to service this thing and regrease the spots needed. Thanks!!!!

[@wwz1011]

I have one of these myself. It's a great one. Picked it up at a Salvation Army. Fortunately it still works. Mine was missing one foot, so I just replaced them all with reproduction units.

[@dougreid5539]

Nice to see someone have a problem or two, and go and explain how to solve the problem. I appreciate you taking time to share this. I have a PL-540 and a PL-400, and any videos you can share of any service on these tts, and their kin, are fantastic!

[@everettberry6339]

As an owner of this exact turntable which I purchased in late 1978, I really enjoyed your video. I have the same problem with the return coming up short so I may attempt this fix. I would not trust the anti-skate setting. I recently purchased an acrylic turntable platter and used it to set my anti-skate. My stylus is also set at 1.5 grams of weight but the best anti-skate setting on mine is about 0.75. I look forward to more of your videos.

[@ccrm10]

Nice turntable, very expensive on Ebay! Great job on this one.

[@hugobloemers4425]

That is a really cool turn table, I just love the electrical meter for the pitch control and the panel light that comes on when you turn off the PLL control. So if this was a Dual, you would have had to replace the "Steuerpimpel", the "steering nipple". But because it is a Pioneer we have a piece of foam performing the same fucntion. I wonder if Pioneer had service manuals in German. In that case they would have to call the foam piece the "Steuerschaum", which translates to "Steering foam". Talking about Dual, I find them much easier to repair than Japanese automatic turntables for the simple reason that the Dual mechanism is fully mechanical. So you can move the platter back and forth and see what is going on. The Japanese mechanisms have their own drive motor and there is no way I know how to make it go through its routine in slow motion.

[@mariesutube]

My uncle gave me this turntable when my aunt died. I bought a new needle today and went to turn it on and nothing.

[@twelvealo]

thank you for making this video. i own a pl-560 and have fixed the auto return with the foam when i first got it..but having the same issues with the muting circuit, so i am gonna do a full service. is it safe to use deoxit as a contact cleaner or should i use the nu-trol brand? and what should i look for when it comes to the sand paper?

[@TurntableGuy]

Contact cleaner doesn't matter. You can use a very fine sandpaper like 2000, or just use regular white printer paper soaked in contact cleaner.

[@MrSmartAlec]

Thank you. I've been looking for the auto return fix for a while. The foam you used looked very similar to 1/4" foam board used to mount photos. Could that be used for the return fix ?

[@janickimusic]

Nice video. Do you think that in Pioneer PL 570 auto return problem could be the same? In mine PL 570/ 700 XA - The repeat function is usually on, even if it is not, the arm comes back to the beginning of the record, instead of turning off.

[@Spiceman50s]

Thank you very much for posting this. I was able to get through replacing the return arm pad and clean knobs, grease wear points and oil the motor spindle and bearing. However after I reassembled, I have an issue with the motor rocking back and forth and not spinning as expected. Any thoughts? Table worked fine prior to the service.

[@TurntableGuy]

Is the platter on?

[@Spiceman50s]

@@TurntableGuy Thank you for responding! At first no, then I read where you needed to put the platter on, so after I put the platter on, it wouldn't spin at all. Again, TT worked great before I did the service. Nothing in the service would have caused this, I'm sure it's something I forgot to do in the reassembly. Link to my issue kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4KZXpuEqpyHobs

[@Spiceman50s]

First, I am grateful you took some time to help me out. Thank you! I wish I could tell you how I managed to work this out. I was confident that everything was in it's correct position when I first assembled, I double checked and worked slow. I ended up taking off the motor housing to inspect, cleaned and re-applied oil. Seated the housing hold down and re-attached the mechanisms. Then, it all worked great. ??? Again, thank you! I really do learn a lot from your videos! Appreciated very much.

[@snethss]

I was almost ready for a teardown until I realized I accidentally switched it to Manual. I might try new lube based on this video tho.

[@stevenlyon4605]

This was a fascinating watch as I have this exact model but unfortunately my issue is a little different. My tone arm will not raise up. The only way I can currently play a record is to set the turntable to manual and move the needle on/off the record by hand. If I have it on automatic the needle runs across the edge of the record when moving into position and when it auto returns it scratches its way back across the whole side. Would be grateful for any pointers you can give me so I might be able to fix it?

[@TurntableGuy]

Try adjusting the height of the arm lifter. There should be a little screw on the side of it.

[@stevenlyon4605]

@@TurntableGuy hey thanks for the quick response! Unfortunately I cannot see any screw near the ‘arm elevation’ lever. Should it be visible without taking it all apart as you did in the video?

[@Ricktpt1]

I'm seeking advice/assistance with replacing the strobe lamp. Mine flashes like your does. I have a bunch of Pioneer tables and this one is the ONLY one that's had a strobe issue. Are you planning on changing the lamp? I'd love to see a video on it if you are! TIA!

[@TurntableGuy]

The lamps are special neon bulbs that work at 50 or 60Hz depending on where you live. They are usually soldered in place. Check ebay for the bulbs.

[@Ricktpt1]

@@TurntableGuy Okay-your foam repair advice was perfect. Issue resolved! It wasn't that bad in the first place, it would almost-or occasionally actually reach-the tonearm rest-but now the motion is far smoother and sticks the landing 100% of the time-thank you! I discovered that the neon bulb is actually okay. Something else is causing the pulse. It also showed up on an LED (w/resistor) I was going to use to replace it. I switched the ground connection to another ground point on the PS board and the neon bulb pulse decreased to the point of nearly being imperceptible. I also renewed several of the PS connections while I was in it. I played a record and it sounds GREAT. I was feeling great about the whole thing until I noticed the strobe light on the platter. It's now showing (it might have been doing it before, but I didn't notice it) as rotating slightly slow and when switched to 45 rpm, it shows rotating VERY fast. BUT, when I checked it with my KAB Speedstrobe the speed is dead accurate and the meter (w/Quartz Lock off) is identically aligned at "0". No difference in sound. So, the speed is fine, it's the strobe that's not reading right. I can't find an adjustment for it. Do you know of one? Also, I see no mechanical center adjust for the meter, is there one that's not mentioned in the SM? This one looks about right, but mine is VERY (negligibly, really) resting just to the left side of the wide black center marker. That's not a big deal, I just thought I'd ask. Any advice would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks!

[@Ricktpt1]

I'm actually noticing the same effect off of your studio lights. When in Quartz lock, the strobe effect is showing slightly slow. The Huey Lewis record is playing at the right speed (I'm a musician, it's so close as to not be worth discussing, and I'm betting it's exactly correct) and I didn't see you run it at 45 rpm long enough to see what it was doing. This is a little bit of a mystery...again, I don't mean to be a bother, but this seems pretty weird. The KAB strobe/disc show the speed as locked on without even any visible cogging. I can live with the strobe being a little off, but I hate to get this deck to the one-yard line and not go the whole way. Standing by...

[@everettberry6339]

Do you still recommend SAE 30 ND for this unit's main bearing well? I noticed you using something different on other videos.

[@TurntableGuy]

30 weight is perfectly fine. 3in1 for electric motors is good too.

[@everettberry6339]

Amazing that after 44 years there was still some clean oil in the well. It looked clean enough that I did not feel the need to clean it out but just added some 3 in 1. Also, it is great to have the return mechanism working well. Thanks so much!

[@keithdaniels5918]

I bought a PL 560 in 1979 @ the base exchange Yuma MCAS. It has hardly any use but over the years the feet have deteriorated on one side. Where might I find the aftermarket ones?

[@TurntableGuy]

There used to be a seller on ebay that made nice aftermarket feet for Pioneer tables.

[@keithdaniels5918]

@@TurntableGuy Thanks….I’ll keep an eye out.

[@JimsRandom]

Hello ! Not sure if you could point me in the right direction ? I just came across the same table . Problem is , when I plug it in , the turntable just starts spinning. It doesn’t turn off. Also , when the tonearm gets towards the end of the record it doesn’t pick up or return. Didn’t know if that little bit of info may ring a bell & you could give me a starting point? TIA

[@TurntableGuy]

Sticky grease has gummed up the auto return mechanism.

[@JimsRandom]

@@TurntableGuy - Will look into , thank you

[@lonjohnson9854]

Where can I get a reliable source of micro switches for Dual Cs-515 and Pioneer PL-200?

[@TurntableGuy]

Try Digikey or Mouser

[@Baerchenization]

My turntable manual says it has lifetime lube, but it is 30 years old now, should I re-lube it?

[@TurntableGuy]

Yes

[@Baerchenization]

@@TurntableGuy OK I did it yesterday, it looked like shit and there wasn't much left. Now the platter spins for over a minute, giving it only a slight push...

[@TurntableGuy]

@@Baerchenization "Lifetime" lube does not exist. And these turntables were not meant to spin for over 50 years.

[@Baerchenization]

@@TurntableGuy Well, it barely spun one year... it was in the attic most of its life... :) It doesn't have any features, other than on/off, so not much can go wrong with it.

[@NadeemHayek]

Looking to buy pl 560 does anyone have it and selling?

[@4evaclapham]

never test a stylus with your finger, use a stylus brush instead

[@TurntableGuy]

You test your stylii the way you want.

[@4evaclapham]

@@TurntableGuy well that is not very helpful to your viewers when they bend their stylus with their finger, someone newbie watching your vids will end up wrecking their stylus

[@TurntableGuy]

@@4evaclapham 40 years, not one "wrecked" stylus yet. Relax.

[@4evaclapham]

@@TurntableGuy I am relaxed, I am pointing out obvious faults in your repair/service tutorials, also when turning a deck over you should remove the counterweight which you always leave on, I have even seen you turn a deck over with the platter attached which promptly fell off, any one with any sense would not let you near their turntable, you sir are a chancer

[@TurntableGuy]

@@4evaclapham And you are a troll. Goodbye.