What are your top 3 favorite turntable companies (manufacturer) and why?

For anyone considering an AR table, look for one from the 1980's, the ES-1. The 60's model has a terrible tonearm, the ES-1 could be had with no arm or a Jelco-sourced (I belive) one.

I have had three AR's, starting with the original back in 1969. In the 80's I bought one and cut the arm "housing" off the floating subchassis, mounting a unipivot in it's place. It worked okay, but when AR introduced the ES-1 I got myself one (and mounted a Rega RB300 on it), and liked it even more.

I then discovered the VPI HW-19, and the AR was history.

@slofut: I too have a special fondness for the Townshend Audio Elite Rock. If I could have only one table, it would be the one. With a Zeta arm mounted on it, and a London pickup tracing the LP groove, I get the sound I'm most satisfied with.

I can't speak for VPI the company, but I sure can about founder/owner Harry Weisfeld.

About five years back I bought myself nice used HW-19 and Aries model tables. A little while later I acquired a (used, of course) TNT-5 platter and bearing assembly with which to upgrade the HW-19 (the Aries already had a TNT platter, the version with the 7/8" aluminum bottom section with a layer of lead bonded to it's underside and a 3/8" top layer of black Delrin).

When I received the platter/bearing, I found the ball bearing on the end of the spindle shaft had it's bottom worn flat (the TNT-5 platter is pretty heavy). Try as I might I could not dislodge the ball bearing from the bottom of the spindle (I had tried freezing it and heating it with a small torch). I checked the ball bearing on the Aries spindle while I was it, and it too had been worn flat.

I emailed Harry, and he told me to send him the bearing assemblies (spindles and housings). He consequently emailed me, telling me he too was unable to dislodge the ball bearing from one of the spindles, so had his machinist fabricate a new one and secure it to the thick platform upon which the platter rests. He put new ball bearings on both spindles, and sent them back to me, charging me for none of it!