Linn LP-12 still competitive with the very best?

Never. I think, there is worse out there, but at the moment I don't know what.

That said, I believe that a used, recent vintage LP12 is a tremendous value.

Yes, you are right, but I think it depends on the view.
For example:
I'LL go out and screw 4 little pieces of wood to a box.
Price about 10$. Then I paint it, look for some NASA (or whatever) stories, go out and offer it for 1000$....
After finding endless fans who think that is a really top product some will sell it because they want something different, the price will drop a little bit, let's say: 50%less and everyone says "Wow, super, I go for it, it is so cheap now"
That's business :)

What I like most about these LP12 'SOTA' guys, they really believe what they talk. And when I listen to their Systems it is so far away from SOTA that I really always ask myself, hey, is it really so difficult to l-i-s-t-e-n ?
The answer is: yes

Daveyf, yes I listened to all of them, the LP12 with Keel, Ekos SE etc. compared in the same System to another full loaded LP12, I was in so many Linn Demos that I would like to have some money for visiting them in future.
Lots of years ago I was interested in one of those, because full loaded ones were very cheap 2. hand, I compared them in Dealer shops among themselves and after a while I knew the reason.
I am not a Dealer. Just a regular customer.