Technics 1210 repair | blowing fuses & target light replacement

In this video I repair a Technics SL1210 turntable.
This one was brought to the workshop in a non-working state as it was blowing fuses. The fault was repaired, along with the target light (stylus illuminator) which was also faulty. I replace it with an LED lamp.
Recorded March 2021.

[@MrLurchsThings]

I’ve seen plenty of videos on the 1200/1210, but never one in pieces. Nice work, I really enjoyed it.

[@RetroWorkshop]

Thanks, and keep up the good work in the garage yourself! Best wishes Mr Lurch.

[@enriquemata9657]

One of the best explaned service video !

[@RetroWorkshop]

Thank you!

[@xinam]

Great production values as normal. This channel deserves many more subs than it has.

[@1krista1969]

Its nice to see someone use a manual screw driver on this turntable. Using a screw gun can strip threads.

[@djmalue1]

Great work keep them 1210 alive

[@RetroWorkshop]

Solid machines, well engineered.

[@themoog]

Very polished Dave.. always enjoy watching

[@davewild644]

Thanks Neil!

[@hardkore360]

While the cover was off, it was probably also worth it to check that the pitch fader was correctly calibrated (i.e. zeroed in) as the slide pot resistance also seems to stray over time and is extremely important when beat matching on two turntables. The service manual you had also walks you through that procedure. Thanks for the video!

[@RetroWorkshop]

Good shout there. Mark only had one deck, so no beat matching going on there! When I had a pair of 1210's a few years back, I remember removing the ball bearing that forced the centre lock on the fader. This ball bearing meant there was a small space either side of the centre click, which you couldn't use as the ball would pull the position back to the centre.

[@ironrobot]

Well done indeed. Donna Summer at the end, icing on the cake!

[@mikengo9306]

Very helpful with the teardown repairs. Thank you

[@la_clave]

Excellent work! I’m going to get that same lamp assembly and replace mine!

[@RetroWorkshop]

Slightly fiddly job, but a good end result. Good luck with your repair.

[@SL1200MKII]

First Time i see your video, I love it ! , you speak very well and this is very easy to Heard (i'm french :) ) ,it's also very interesting !, i have 3 1200s at home! , your explications when you were open the deck was very interesting too! Keep making perfect videos like that !!!! Have a great day :)

[@RetroWorkshop]

Thank you! I’m currently looking for a record deck. Trying to persuade myself to pay the extra and get a Technics over a cheapo AT!

[@SL1200MKII]

@@RetroWorkshop mk2 on top! or mk7 is pretty good too

[@taoufikkirchaoui89]

Very informative ! Just bought an mk2 in japan....unfortunately living in france where we have 220v....i have to replace the pop up light too...

[@RetroWorkshop]

In my video I mention a voltage selection switch. This may be worth investigating if your unit can be switched to use 220v. Possibly that option wasn’t fitted to Japanese units though.

[@MarcosAurelio-hp1hp]

Seu vídeo é maravilhoso aprendo bastante com a tecnica de linpar e restaurar...sucesso..

[@iTomAnks]

This is a fantastic guide!

[@martinb2553]

Very professional as usual . As other comments you deserve more subscribers 👍

[@icollect2]

Good video, very informative!!!👍🏾💯

[@Grimwriggler]

Great video , seeing the Technics brought back to life was nice, and the Technics is still sporting an original Gold Stanton 500 I have a late 60s Garrard zero100 with an the 500 and they are going strong after 53 years though getting original styli are near on impossible but Jico do a replacement

[@RetroWorkshop]

Thanks for the nice comment. They are great machines. To be honest I thought the sound from the stylus wasn't as good as I remember from the Ortofon Pro S's that I used when I had 1210s. This stylus may have been worn. Or my ears may have deteriorated!

[@dj-Irineu]

great job ... I wonder where can I order the light led ... I hope it's not big diference than the original light since my other mk2 still have the original light. it will look weird on my setup

[@RetroWorkshop]

Ebay. No idea how well it will match the original in terms of brightness, or colour temperature. You could of course buy two, and replace both so they match.

[@riddim07]

Any idea where I can get my 1210s restored and target lights repaired after watching the video I'm confident that I can't do it myself lol nice video btw subbed

[@MIXMASTERRONEDEE]

HELLO Dave Dave Dave ,,, its RON the editor from BBC London, just came across your channel, wow, while looking for help with a Sony PVM-L2300 with some white pixel problem and a JVC DT-V24L1D with a white balance problem, I am now one of your new subscribed with the little bell too hahaha, keep up the good work, love the production very slick, John Ramsden & Keath Palmer would be proud ... would love to see some some more stuff on Professional broadcast equipment & monitors as no one doing that pro stuff on KZbin .... love what you did with the old CRT and the SL1210 Wonderfull stuff ... i'll be checking out all your video uploads ...

[@RetroWorkshop]

Hi Ron. Hope you’re keeping well and nice to hear from you. Hopefully I will get my finger out and make some more videos soon!

[@davidminton]

Fascinating, Dave. No idea what you're talking about, but fascinating to watch nonetheless.

[@davewild644]

Thanks David.

[@Thesvyatful]

Hello everybody. I noticed that my turntable didn't turn on after yesterday is this a problem with the electrical fuse?

[@Steadyawake]

Clean professional work

[@MrFabRom]

Very Nice and thorough... was just looking for a way to fix the needle light myself and it feels doable even though i'm not a technician like you are...just wandering if you would be so nice to share a link to the proper led light you took instead of the original spare... and a question... is it warm and soft like the original or just warm but more powerful ( that is what it seems by the video) tnx a lot

[@RetroWorkshop]

The eBay seller i captioned in the video no longer sells it. It was similarly warm to the original. Maybe a touch more light output. EBay seller thescratchstore sells something similar not sure if they are warm white, send them a message.

[@kalledisco]

I want that Donna Summer 12" 🙂

[@RetroWorkshop]

I now realise this is a famous remix. Great track.

[@asteriosmood]

Hi really nice video and very well explained is there any chance telling me the part number of the rectifier? Thanx.

[@RetroWorkshop]

Yeh it is on-screen in the video at 7'47" kzbin.info/www/bejne/enzXopaOetOeZrM

[@mrfish4572]

Great video. Is there any way to remove the scratches from the body? I have a couple from years of transit to house parties that I'd love to be able to remove.

[@RetroWorkshop]

I think it’s painted so you could touch it up or re spray it.

[@mrfish4572]

@@RetroWorkshop isnt it powder coated or something similar?

[@lulkLogan]

Thanks for this! I picked up two Technics 1200's for $500 a couple years ago, and one of them has sort of the opposite problem of yours with the brake. It basically has low torque. The platter slows down when I'm holding the record and takes a second to get back up to full speed after I let go, making it VERY hard to beatmatch. Do you have any idea what component could be responsible for that?

[@domuzo]

very clear and enjoyable video - thanks for this. Any chance you have a link to where you got the replacement LED lamp with warm glow?

[@RetroWorkshop]

The eBay seller is shown on the on screen caption. Unfortunately they don’t seem to have them in stock at the moment. You could try messaging them via eBay.

[@colexz5255]

Hello, I have a technics sl1300 and all is well expect it doesn't turn, everything else seem to work. Any advice ?

[@RetroWorkshop]

One of the main things a record player does is turn, so all is very much not well I’m afraid.

[@jotisidhu362]

subbed .. great video 🤓

[@tehnodrom403]

Thank you Dave for this video, it is my favourite. Is it safe to clean the platter and dots with Cif? Thanks in advance

[@RetroWorkshop]

The platter dots paint was quite faded on this machine and Cif didn’t do them any harm.

[@tehnodrom403]

@@RetroWorkshop Thank you very much

[@silvijemusic9410]

Great!!! Thanx

[@BalthazaaR64]

Hi, does it means the led works directly from supplied 21 volt without resistor?

[@RetroWorkshop]

If you watch the video, you hear that I say "this one comes on a little PCB with the required resistor". 9'47"

[@misterhamied]

my 1210 get wet cus flooding. how to repair it?

[@RetroWorkshop]

Start by drying it out.

[@carlgeddes8612]

3 in 1 oils are the wrong type, it's too viscous for the tolerance on the bearing, you have too use really fine electric motor oil otherwise the bearing keeps sticking as the platter is rotating

[@Acthungbaby]

Lame qwestion but cant u just replace bulb in pop up light

[@davewild644]

no, it has wires soldered on