Lenco Turntables? any info, opinions, thoughts?

I remember them from the late '60's and early '70's. They used an idler wheel under the platter which was moved in and out to give continuously variable speed control. They were fairly well made but not very high performance. They were used a lot in schools and PA systems as they were very rugged. Pretty mediocre rumble and flutter compared to any decent belt drive table.An interesting curiosity.

I owned a L75, which was indeed very rugged, but not too musical. Rather stiff chassis, and some lose bearings with the arm, but then again: it was a gift from someone who didn't use it anymore.... If you want a serious turntable, try to get a Rega Planar 2 or 3, don't bother with the Lenco.....

My good friend in the late 60's bought a L75. It was Ok, but nothing spectacular. Probably on par with some of the cheap Dual turntables. I believe the turntable rotated by a couple of rubber wheels that moved the platter, ie. no belt or similar. If I recall correctly, the arm was not replaceable. I bought at Thorens 160 at the same time with belt drive. I felt it was superior then and still believe it is. Say an old AR, Thorens, etc would be a much better used buy.

I've been very pleased with my Lenco L-78. However, it is no longer maintaining a steady speed. I suspect the rubber edge of the idler wheel has hardened with age (nearly 30 years in this case) and is slipping a bit.
So far, I have not found a source for new idler wheels. So, if you buy a used turntable with this kind of drive, be advised that you should make sure the speed is rock solid. Bill Simmons