Needing some help figuring out my Panasonic sl-1000 Turntable


That's right a Panasonic sl-1000. Not National Panasonic or Technics by Panasonic but just Panasonic. I recently bought at a garage sale and I really didn't realize what I have bought. I bought it from the original owners, who originally bought it at oversea in 1969. I have done some research on my own but I really can't pin point the exact origin on why this turntable is different from other 1969 sl-1000. Most of them, that I have found all have National Panasonic, unlike what it is said on mine. Just Panasonic. I do know, my turntable is considered universal do to the adjustable voltage. My serial Number is 600128. Some one told me that my turntable was made in Dec of 1968 but wasn't sure if it was the 6th one made for that month or for the whole production. It also came with three original owners manual. They all have the National Panasonic on them. Everyone has told me that the tonearm that came with the turntable was kind of uncommon. IT'S THE EPA-99. The three manuals I have are for SL-1000, EPA -99 and SP-10. I've also been told, since it just says Panasonic. That my turntable is extremely and belongs in some kind of Vintage stereo museum. I'm a complete noob to the whole turntable world. I originally bought to play in my garage, while I was working on my car but after finding out  a few things. I'm kind of almost hesitant to use it, since it's so valuable. I guess I'm wondering, is it that valuable as there making it out to be. A lot of people are telling me, it's a find of a century. Especially, I only paid 30 dollars for it. Roughly, what is the value for something like this. I've been told it's worth easy 1000 to the sky is the limit do to the name plate calling it a Panasonic.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks
128x128bratsvt
@bratsvt  

Great story on finding a nice table. Sounds like you got great value for the dollar spent, and it if you find the right buyer you could make a nice profit for you audio kitty. 

I am down in the Olympia area and am fortunate enough to have a couple of SP 10 MK II to play, and you could come down and see what the differences are. 
Yes, but Technics countinue to improve every single model and now we have SP-10R and SL1000R in 2018

https://theaudiophileman.com/sound-vision-2018-technics/

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/upcoming-technics-sp-10r-100th-anniversary-model

What you have is from 1969 - early 70s, nice for museum, indeed.

P.S. you know that brand new SL1200GR is only about $1700 

This turntable is an oddity. I know this doesn't perform as well  with EAP 100 but it didn't exist in 1969. As for this this being built back then. This was the best they had at that time.
You have a nice turntable in perfect condition in original plinth. You got it for nothing, collectors could buy it from you, put it on ebay auction and you will see the real price.

The first SP-10 does NOT have a quartz-lock like all later models, so it’s not near the SP-10mkII.

The plinth is pretty simple plywood not as valuable as the obsidian SH-10b3

The tonearm is not as good as the EPA-100

But everything on your pictures looks like new, mint condition, you have all the documents, dust cover etc ...

I think you can start your auction from $1k if you’re looking for collectors.

If you're not a collector of vintage hi-fi then you can buy a much better turntable for yourself, it can be a better Technics is you like this brand. 
as for playability and the power supply.  it has zero issues. I had someone looked at it and made some minor adjustments and added some lubricant. He couldn't believe for being almost 50yrs old, in what great condition it is in. He was no sp-10 guru but he did knew enough to go through it. I'm located in Seattle and as far as servicing my turntable. He was the only one who knew what my turntable ok is. As far as cosmetics goes. The plinth is in excellent condition. Zero tarnish on metal. There's a couple of scuff Mark's on the turntable. One on the per button and the other is a small mark on the side of the turntable. As for getting the turntable restored, as of right now it really doesn't need it but I do know nothing last forever. The tech who went through the turntable, was guessing it was used very little. The couple I got the turntable from. Her husband was an executive at an aerospace company and they both mostly traveled outside of the state for business. The last time he used it was a year before I bought it. He bought a Pioneering elite CD, so he can condense his vinyl library down into cds.His wide told me he used it for about 3 hrs a day for 6 months. After he was done. the turntable just sat.
I bought my SP-10 new, in the U.S. in 1973 and it was the earlier model, not a Mk II, which is the more desirable turntable for several reasons having to do with the motor, controller and platter. Yours is an oddity, perhaps a collector’s piece, but for those who are into vintage SP-10 turntables, not a "sky’s the limit" item for performance reasons.
Does it work? Where are you located geographically? It might make sense to have someone with knowledge of SP-10s go over it, but I don’t think it is worth investing a lot of money in a restoration/refurbishment. (I did have mine refurbished at relatively modest cost by Bill Thalmann in Virginia, who does the Krebs modifications for the SP 10 in the States).
If you want to know the precise history of this unit (i don’t know it, vinyl engine claims the SP-10 first appeared in 1970), you might see if Panasonic has a librarian/archivist who can help you.
The SP-10 (in mk ii or iii incarnations) has a strong following today in rebooted form, usually with refurbished electronics, a better plinth and other tweaks. Albert Porter who posts here in Audiogon is very knowledgeable in this area, but don’t know if he has the historical information you seek on this table. In its complete form, as it stands, with plinth and dustcover, it probably has some historical value, but is not necessarily going to be the last word in performance, and may need some attention given its age. I’m not a guru of SP-10s but since I bought mine new in 1973 (and still have it in operational form in a second system with updates), I figured I’d share what I know.
Technics, National-Panasonic, Panasonic ... this is all the same, it depends on the region of sales and registered trademarks in this region.  

Same analogy: RCA-Victor, JVC, Victor Laboratory, Victor ... 

Why you're so concern about the glued label on your turntable or serial numbers ? Maybe for some collectors it's important, but for audiophiles it doesn't matter. Your turntable is still SL1000, but you have lower quality and much cheaper tonearm on it. The EPA-99 is entry level tonearm, look on ebay and you will see them for $200-300, the EPA-100 is about $1200 and the EPA-100mkII is about $2500-3500 

If you have SP-10 then it's definitely fromm the late 60s or early 70s, but the SP-10 is inferior compared to the SP-10 mkII which was released in the 70s. 

You can check which plinth do you have, the obsidian plinth ? But which model? Brobably earlier version ? Or maybe SH-10B3 ?  It would be nice if you could upload pictures and post the links here. 


Actually, I can't even find the owners manual anywhere online, that even looks anything like mine. The exterior is Blue and White and the inside is black with white writing. They used a really thick stock to print them on.
I think Technics didn't start to sell them until 1978. I can only find the sl-1000 in National Panasonic and Technics by Panasonic but no just Panasonic. There's a sticker on the bottom of the turntable with National Panasonic and my original owners manuals say National Panasonic. 
It's a turntable not a museum piece and it exists to be used. Hook it up and give it a listen! Sounds like you made a really cool garage sale score always a great feeling.