Reasonable moving coil cartridge

Fremer always goes to extreme with his alignments, his method is not for everyone, his own system is also not for everyone with that $30k SAT tonearm, i remember hot discussion about this tonearm alignment null points etc (some members claimed they are way off).   

Hana made by Excel Sound who released so many cartridges back in the days, no one mentioning them. They made cartridges for SAEC, Argent and many other companies in the 70s/80s.

I've been MC curious for a few years now but have been put off by the high prices and all the talk about how you don't really experience what a true MC cart does until you get above the $1000 price point. So it's always been on the back burner as I will never be able to spend that sort of money for a cartridge.
Of course I still read post about them and wondered if a lowly Denon DL-103 might make me happy. Along the way I picked up a Denon AU-320 SUT, just in case, it was on a gear trade.
I finally bit the bullet after reading several post by audio geeks that had gone down the rabbit hole and worked their way up to multi thousand dollar MC carts.
Seems several of them over the years had started on the lowly DL-103 and still had one in their stash so when their expensive high dollar cart when in for service they put the DL-103 back on to keep their TT up and running.
Not one of them had anything bad to say about the DL-103 after mounting it. Sure it didn't offer the super high resolution of the mega dollar cart but they all said it was just so much more musical and really enjoyed it.
After reading several accounts of this over the years I finally purchased one and am glad to say that I'm delighted with it. It make music sound the way I want to hear it, very musical, not sterile.
My MC "Rabbit Hole" is getting a few broken DL-103 carts and modifying them. I have a DL-103S with a fine elliptical and a wood bodied DL-103 with a hypereliptical sitting here to play with.
I've been using this DL-103 on a fairly new to me JVC QL-A7 TT. That was a revelation switching to that TT in itself.

BillWojo

For $200-300 MC????
Save your money and time until you will have around $1000
For now get Goldring 1042 and I think you will be happy

My MC "Rabbit Hole" is getting a few broken DL-103 carts and modifying them. I have a DL-103S with a fine elliptical and a wood bodied DL-103 with a hypereliptical sitting here to play with.

Could you summarize the cost of the broken cartridge, new tip, new cantilever, and service fee ? 

In my opinion this is how most of the people invest more and more into Denon 103 step by step, upgrading this cartridge with modern cantilever, advanced stylus tip, new body. This is all fine, but the total cost is equal to a better (different) cartridge with better stylus tip and cantilever (and even better cartridge body). 

I always ask why you have to bother with DL-103 and all the time consuming upgrades if you can simply buy a better cartridge for equal price ?  

Ok, I picked up the DL-103S with a worn stylus for 100 bucks, the DL-103 with broken cantilever for 80 bucks, seller gave me a wood body that he never used with it as well. So 180 bucks for two rebuildable carts. Got a new fine elliptical replaced on the stock cantilever for the DL-103S and the DL-103 was potted into the wood body, new cantilever with a hyperelliptical stylus installed, all for 390 bucks. So for 570 bucks total I have 2 rebuilt Denon MC carts or 285 bucks each.
Where can I get better carts for 285 bucks?
Heck, I can't buy a new DL-103 for that price and these are upgraded. Turn around time was two weeks.
Maybe they are not the last word in MC carts, I don't pretend them to be, but they sure are a bargain in my book.

BillWojo