Upgrade my older Linn Sondek or move on?

Couple of great upgrades are available for you with the LP12. Replace the bearing to the current Karousel and replace the arm...look for either a good used Ittok, or if funds allow...a used Ekos or Naim Aro. 

@thermionicemission Setting up the LP12 is unfortunately not that easy. Changing out the bearing, requires a compete re-build. Since the LP12 really needs a good tech to do the set up...and suffers if it is done incorrectly, as many folk here have discovered ( even though they thought their set up skills were up to the task! These very same folk then blame the table. vs. their inadequate set up skills), I would suggest another table , one that is set up by your dealer- or is easy to home set up. The Technics is pretty much open box and play.

To be clear, I do NOT think the LP12 is in any way inferior to the tables mentioned above, including the table( a Technics) I would recommend IF one cannot get the Linn set up professionally. On the contrary, I think the LP12 with its ongoing ability to be upgraded is superior to the others mentioned!! With the proviso that a tech is able to do the set up. I once owned a SOTA, and while it is a nice table, it really is not in the same league as today's LP12 Akurate or Klimax version. YMMV.

@audiovideonirvana  while you are correct that the Linn LP12 Klimax comes in at around $30K, there is also the entry level LP12 Majik, which comes in around $5K. The nice thing is that one can upgrade the Majik to Klimax level if and when funds come available, how many tables can you say the same thing about?

@ddrave44 The problem the OP has is apparently there is no dealer anywhere near him, which is unfortunately becoming more common with Linn LP12 dealers.

I have the exact same issue, as my "fettler' retired and the closest guy now is hours away. This is the one thing that is a negative with the Linn table, it pretty much requires set up experience/expertise and some specialized tools. For this reason, I suggested a different table to the OP, one that is not requiring basically any set up. 

@audiovideonirvana   While the LP12 does require an experienced set up, once it is set up, it does not drift. Since you have had no experience with the Linn table for what sounds like decades, this is probably something new to you. Nonetheless, the LP12 has not had this issue for decades. SO, they are in fact NOT very fussy tables, in fact exactly the opposite, but they do need an expert set up initially. Would i trade my LP12 for any VPI, even though I do not have a local Linn dealer and I do have a VPI dealer....nope. 

@ddrave44   Where do you get the idea that Linn tables need to be tuned up every 3-5 years??? The versions with the old Nirvana springs ( we are talking from the late 70's here) usually did...but since the springs have been updated ( from the mid 80's on), that is not true. OTOH, if the LP12 is incorrectly set up in the first place, then yes, it will drift through time. Who does the set up on your table??

Unfortunately, I believe in order to get the best out of your LP12, it does need a precise and correct set-up. If one is willing to do the set up oneself and can accept the fact that the set up might be at the 80% level ( at best), then the right path for the OP is to do upgrades. The best bang for the buck, IME, is the Karousel bearing, which is at the heart of the table design. If one can upgrade to the Karousel and can utilize a majik subchassis, I think the OP would be off to a great start.