help needed (tonearm counterweight)

[drakula63]

Can anyone help me with some advice?

Just bought a couple of Soundlab DLP3 turntables - £60 for the pair. Seemed like a bargain. Only thing is, just noticed that they have had the counterweights removed from the tone arms. They are obviously ex-DJ turntables, so maybe, for some reason, DJs don't use counterweights? Anyway, this is all well and good, but I am now scared of playing my old Shads LPs, or any others for that matter, in case I wear them out (the tone arms do seem pretty heavy).

So, can anyone suggest a solution? Does anyone know where I could get at least one replacement counterweight? And what's the likely cost? I'd hate to think I'd just wasted £60, but I can't risk playing my valued vinyl and wearing holes through them!!!

Any help would be more than gratefully receieved.

Thanks.

Chris.

[RayL]

Experiment with Blu-tak to find the right size and shape.

Then go to a craft shop and get a block of 'Fimo' made by Staedtler. When bought this is soft like Blu-tak but can be baked in an oven to make it set. Mould it to the right shape (including the inner tube that will allow it to slide on the arm) and bake. It can then be drilled to accept a fixing screw which will allow adjustment. Try not to adjust it too much, because of wear.

Ray

[drakula63]

Thanks, Ray. If I cannot locate a replacement, I may give this a try! Mind you, might be risky as I usually manage to burn everything!!!

[geoff1711]

Hi

In my vinyl playing days as a DJ I used the Garrard SP25 decks which had counter weights, the odd thing was most people left the counter weights on but stuck a coin on the pickup unit, back then apart from rickety church halls many dance halls and the like had sprung floors, when you played March of the Mods the pickup would skate all over the place!

But I really don't think it did the records too much harm compared with the hammering they got from being shuffled about without sleeves, fag ash, general dirt and grit from the venue and of course spilt beer.

20 years on and I was using proper disco twin CD units but that problem would still raise it's head, too much jumping around on a springy floor and the CD's would jump, too close to a thumping bass unit same thing, with no chance of the added halfpenny (old money) on the arm.

Thankfully now it's all MP3 on computer the problem has gone away.

The point being for 10 plus years my vinyl took a hammering and was still saleable at the end of it (I had a 20 year break)

Unless you play these LP's constantly it shouldn't do too much harm, however, the added weight may spoil the sensitivity of the pickup capsules.

Ray's idea is excellent, although you may need to add a little lead to the mix, my Garrard and later Goldring weights were quite - well er - weighty, they're the wrong end of a lever and have quite a hard job to do.

Of course you could just play them once and record to your computer.

Geoff

[geoff1711]

Hi Chris

just another thought Soundlab is a fairly common brand you could look up your local disco supply company and see if they could order you in some replacements.

Mind you I still like Ray's idea

Geoff

[d jones]

Hi Chris

As Geoff says These are quiet common Decks in essence they are a copy of a technics sl 1200/1210 . you could try a counter weight from any copy brand of which there are numerous ie KAM, NUMARK, CITRONIC, CLOUD or the likes of, you may have to drill out the centre. Try scouting round any audio or disco shop quite likely have a few scrappers in

All the best
Dave

[drakula63]

Decided to buy a Soundlab DLP 12S instead. Second hand, of course, off eBay. Hopefully this will suffice. If I had the money I'd buy a brand new Pro Ject turntable for around £200, but sadly I can't afford such extravagance at the moment!!!! Thanks again for all your comments and suggestions. I shall no doubt enjoy playing my old LPs again soon!