Our family operated a radio shop in the mid 20th century and sold some records so there were LPs around our house as long as I can remember. My grandfather was a hi-fi rep for Fairchild, Electro-Voice, University and others and very fond of classical music and had a nice collection of LSC and Merc pressings. (which I probably messed up)
As for turntables that were mine and not the home hi-fi...the first I recall was really a record player, a GE Wildcat was what it was called.
Then the "real" TTs in pretty much this order:
Fairchild 412-4 / Rek-O-Cut arm (hand me down when grandmother demanded a Console Stereo *shudder*)
BSR - Everybody had one, right?
Garrard SL-95
(then the Technics Years 1975-99)
Technics (belt drive #????)
Technics DD ??
Pioneer DD ???
Another Technics semi auto died
(tables I still have)
Technics SL-1800 - Manual, good for brushing LPs
Dual 1229 -yeah its Auto, oh well. I have 78's still.
Linn Axis - why did I wait so long?
...and new to me - Oracle Delphi MK I w/upgrade kit and now the real fun begins!
