Turntable advice-thorens questions

With over 53 years in this hobby and having been down every route imaginable. My best advise is to buy a VPI or Sota. Both are American made tables, should service be an issue these companies remain in business and are financially stable. Both VPI and Sota have clear upgrade paths so that your purchase does not become obsolete. Plus one can call them and get advice. Another table I recommend is the Rega P2 or P3 as well as the Nottingham. With these tables that are UK built you will have to rely on your dealer for service, should that become an issue but both Rega and Nottingham are well built precision tables.

I beg to differ on the support in regards to the VPI HW 19 MK 1 through MK IV turntables. As a owner of a MK IV, I have always received great support on this table when the need has come about. My last support for this table was about 3 months ago and Harry was most helpful. If things have changed in the interim 90 days then thats news to me. If indeed support is no longer there does not raise a problem as this is one of the most rugged and durable turntables that were produced and is dirt simple in its design. While its true that not all parts of the past are available on the MKIV, Harry has kept supplying upgrades from time to time. I no longer have a MKI, MKII or MKIII VPI so I cannot comment on that. However my interest is now peaked and phone call to Harry on Tuesday is indeed forthcoming. Gad I've know him for well over 25 years now.

However a word of caution on the new Thorens products, They aren't your Daddy's Thorens. Now owned by Project which makes tirntables uner their own name as well as Music Hall, Thorens and probably some others. The current Thorens product is very sad commentary on what was once a very proud name in analog playback. I would avoid any new Thorens product as nothing more or less than rebadged Project turntables.

Viridian go to the VPI website and click on Accesories and there you will find a whole host of HW 19 parts and supplies. Anyway time to call Sheila and get my quarterly dose of New York/New Jersey accent. Gotta love it reminds me of my CBS days in the city.

Prowling around my storage bin and trying to clear out some needless crap I have kept. Came across a Thorens TD 115 turntable. Its been there awhile thats for sure. I can't remember where it came from now or how I acquired. Not a very impressive Thorens. Anyway dragged it home to clean it. Belt is dried out, so it needs that. Looks like a mid seventies offering. Maybe a trade in when I had a store. But really don't think I would have taken this Thorens as a trade though. Can't be worth much though. Has a Shure V15 IV cart on tone arm.

I don't have solid information about this, but was told by someone years ago, that when Thorens was acquired, the new owners disposed of all the existing parts for previous tables and dumped them in a landfill. However just do not have concrete relaible source to document what actaully happen when Thorens was acquired.