In another thread, RJohan mentioned his LP12 will turn 20 in August.

So does he have the oldest working LP12 here (irrespective of spec)? If not, who dares to lay claim to that with relevant dates and serial numbers if so desired.

Please note that this should exclude LP12 #102 which is stored in your attic or in your workshop to be used as spares ;)

Mine is a Frankenstein LP12. No serial number that I can see. It has been refinished.

All parts come from different vintages. The plinth is so old that it has kick stand holes.

Alll tune up parts and motor are new.

Mine is a Frankenstein LP12. No serial number that I can see. It has been refinished. I seem to recall you have a 25th anniv LP12 as well, no?

Nope.
Not me.

I've just found my Nirvana upgrade receipt from 1981. The serial number sticker fell off years ago!

Simon F

Well, mine is from 1991 serial number 85XXX so I can`t claim to have the oldest here but it is part of the family and will stay for years to come.

February 1981, bought with an Ittok LVII, Asak, Meridian 101 and Active M2s from Spaldings in Croydon; my first real hi-fi and it cost a staggering £1900.

LP 12 serial number in the 032xxx range. It still has the original plinth, smoked lid, platter and top plate.

Mick

Mine's 1993. One of the first to come with Cikus as standard I believe. Originally used with Akito I from an earlier , non linn deck. Added a very late s/h Ittok LVIII around 1994-5 and a s/h Lingo I around 1997.

Hi Folks,

My LP12 is the only original item left over from my initial foray into the hi fi hi end. Bought in 1985 from Sound Org near London Bridge for the princely sum of UK400, complete with Linn Basik Plus arm and K9 kartridge. In those days 1UK pound =A$1.4, so I rounded off the deal with a Naim Nait for an extra ton.

Now the Nait has grown into a 52/6 pack and the LP12 has Lingo, Prefix, Ittok LVIII and MC Rohmann to spice things up. So things have changed, but in a fairly linear manner, I'll admit. Sounds nice now though!

Cheers, Jens

Mine's from about 1983 IIRC, & replaced a dual 505. Started off with basik arm & k9,& has since had ittok, various carts, cirkus, ekos, lingo, & now a Lyra Dorian.
Amps, spkrs, cd players,stands have all changed, & there may be better t/t's out there, but it sounds so good to me, I can't see me changing it.
matt.

Mine is an original "Washington's axe" LP12 originally from sometime in the late 80's I think (075xxx.) The only original part of it remaining is the top plate. Everything else has been changed bit by bit over the intervening years to current spec.

February 1981, bought with an Ittok LVII, Asak, Meridian 101 and Active M2s from Spaldings in Croydon; my first real hi-fi and it cost a staggering £1900.

LP 12 serial number in the 032xxx range. It still has the original plinth, smoked lid, platter and top plate.

Mick


Bugger. Serial No 033xxx. Bought mine second hand for GBP 250 with an Ittok and totally trashed Asak in 1995. Now a fettled Ekos 1/Lingo 1 but still no corner braces and still got the smoked lid so despised by SWMBO.

Keith

Bugger. Serial No 033xxx Not to worry. If doctorf has a Nirvana upgrade receipt from 1981, chances are his is older than mine.

Mick

The only original bits from my 1983 Linn are the wooden plinth the stainless steel top plate smoke lid and the outer platter , so its not really a 1983 model at all.

Mine's a 52xxx, thus about 83ish I quess. It's reasonably original, save that it's been cirkused and had the valhalla board swapped over. From new it had a Basik Plus, but it now has an Ittok, which is apparently quite an early one, with a two-piece counterweight.

Mine's a 045XXX. I don't know anything about LP12s but it has an Ittok LVII, don't know about power supply or these 'cirkus' things.

Just dug out the receipt (and looked at the plate on the back) mine's serial 28xxx, bought from Unilet in Kensington on 5th August 1980, and fitted at the time with my own SME 3009 sIII + Ultimo 20B, for the princely sum of £340!

Nearly time for its twenty-sixth birthday, although there's very little (just the platter?) of that original machine in my LP12.

Mick.

Hi,

I bought mine in 1975 from Brady's in Smithdown Road, in Liverpool.

I couldn't wait for the fluted version so bought an zebrano export model.

It has been used irregularly ever since. There was no serial number on the chassis , I must check the receipt ot see if it states one.

I updated the chassis last year to a fluted afromosa and upgraded the springs, bearing, motor, etc.

I think my backup deck is about 1979 or 1980. I certainly remember getting Nirvana/Valhalla upgrades, and later replacing the Mission 774 arm with Ittok. Smoked lid with silver trim on the front, "afrormosia" [note spelling, nothing to do with 70s hairstyle!]. I'll have to look up the serial :)

1979 serial 2624x, mine since new. Mint condition. Still has original packing.

:D

Mark

My final LP12:

http://freespace.virgin.net/tony.lonorgan/pics/lp12_zeta.jpg

IIRC it had a 1989 serial number - eventually I had replaced everything bar the plinth, top plate and cross-brace! It was a damn good LP12.

Tony.

I have an LP12 serial number 16xxx, upgraded with Nirvana and Valhalla. Original dust cover with prop. Don't know which year it was made, somewhere around 1977 I think.

David

I've got an Asak receipt for 18/3/81 @ £160 along with a QED MCA-1 headamp @ £26.04. The Nirvana kit was added along with a centre bearing & inner platter for £29.32 on 30/7/81.

Simon F

In March 1987 I purchased a black lp12 costing £412.01p along with Ittok for £346.97 from the long defunct Audio Venue in Crystal Palace. One of the better purchases I made during the 80s:)

In March 1987 I purchased a black lp12 costing £412.01p along with Ittok for £346.97 from the long defunct Audio Venue in Crystal Palace. One of the better purchases I made during the 80s:)

WoW! you got a good deal. I bought my kit September 1987 and my walnut LP12 cost £486, the Ittok £399 and the Troika £546.25. Guess I paid extra for living near Wimbledon Village - or are your prices less VAT?

Circus installed December 1997. All still in use! And sounds very good.

Cheers,

DV

The prices do not include VAT, I may have got a good deal as the shop had just opened and I was one of the first few customers.

The rest of the kit consisted of K9(£52.00), Kans(£230.40), Kan2 stands(£64.00), Nait(£210.00), Creek 3140 Tuner(£130.35) and 2*SoundOrg Table(£89.00). A fair bit of cash to drop on an outdated technology that was gong to be crushed by the perfect rendition provided by CDs :D

Mine is a bit of a hotch potch
Deck :043xxx Fluted Afro
Motor: Bought new in Dec 1999
Outer platter: age unknown, bought s/h off e-bay to replace a 'dinked' one ( casued by the screws in a transit box).
Clear lid: bought new Dec 1999
Belt: less than 1 year old (Linn )
Felt mat: bought new about 1 year ago ( Linn )
Basik PSU: Bought as unused/NOS about 2½ years ago ( to replace a perfectly good Feb 1999 zener Valhalla - so there :) )
Moth 'Flutterbuster' PSU: Old but recently serviced by moi and working fine now, used in conjuction with the Basik PSU for electronic 33/45 operation.
Akito 2B : New in 1999 but bought as a s/h minter by me to replace a tatty Basik LVX.
All screws, bolts, washers, nuts, grommets, clips, etc replaced for brand new items during a complete strip down, service and rebuild by Robert Richie Hi-Fi about 3 years ago.

Like i said its a bit of a hotch potch but its mine and i like it....

Mine's 19 this year but sports a second hand Ittok bought at the same time. Nice to see so many in use and proves that despite it age, the design is still viable.

Mines 1976 "family owned" (brothers mates brother, brother, then me).

I noticed the other day while underneath it, it was stamped on piece of the orange box wood it is made from :-)

S

Number 3126 - god knows how old she is, but older than me for sure!

I bought her in the summer of 1993 for £200. I was 16, had just finished my GCSEs and was working a badly paid part-time job. My friends thought I was mad.

We've discovered, explored and endured a thousand types of music, women, drugs, joy, despair, success, failure, death, despondency, hope, elation and contemplation.

She's seen broken hearts, lost virginities, drunken destruction, friendships forged, broken and remade anew.

She's been a constant companion through thirteen years of good times, bad times, hard times and all stops between, spinning hymns and lullabies, inspiring and consoling in equal measure.

Regardless of her sonic qualities, I'll not part with her. No other deck can do what she does.

Mine's a young 19 years old. Last of the pre-Cirkus, braced plinth, glued sub-chassis models.

James

" This brush has been brilliant... I've had it for 20 years.. It's had 15 new heads and seven new handles......"

Number 3126 - god knows how old she is, but older than me for sure!...Regardless of her sonic qualities, I'll not part with her. No other deck can do what she does.

Way to go.

Regards,
RolfeZ

p.s. mine's a 69xxx bought late 80's. Gone from Basik+ to Ittok LVIII/2, from Valhalla to Lingo 1, new belt, motor etc. and DYI bolt-mod. Sounds really good.

" This brush has been brilliant... I've had it for 20 years.. It's had 15 new heads and seven new handles......"LOL very well put indeed. You just decribed Kuma's deck, but I suspect most owners of older decks would have had mods put in to a greater or lesser degree.

My Old girl will be 29 years Old this September. Serial No 17565 and a build date of 28-SEP-77 stamped on the inside the wooden Plinth.

She’s not all 77 Vintage; I have had it Nirvana’d Valhalla’d and Cirkused plus a new arm board, a new clear lid, hinges and a new motor fitted. I also have the ITTOK LVII fitted which is her third arm. The only bits that are still “Class of 77” are the main plinth, top plate and Outer Platter.

Despite her age the plinth is still in very good condition and there is no sign of corrosion around the outer platter (A common problem only if you polish off the lacquer coating – so only polish the platter with a soft dry cloth, nothing more).

Despite her age I’ll be keeping her for a little while yet and most likely she will be my last Turntable. She is definitely the “Something old” element of my system but is by no means the least element. She sits well with the rest of the Electronics which is an Arcam A80 amp, CD192 CD Player and a DT91 Tuner. When ever I listen to her she still plays the tunes like no other. So, we are not all Naimies on this forum – Although I have been impressed by the Naim Arriva speakers which worked quite well with the Arcam Amp and CDP and may even be my next HiFi purchase. (Has any one else had any experience with these speakers ….? – I may yet become a Naimie - Flat earther.) :D

I have listened to and auditioned other decks during various upgrade operations but each time I end up just getting the “Old Girl” serviced and set up, then settling in for some more music making. The Last round of upgrades I went through I was prepared to spend a large amount of cash on a new deck and nearly all the dealers talked me out of replacing the Linn and just getting it upgraded (and they weren’t even Linn dealers). I also lamented to one dealer that I wanted a CD player that sounded as good as the Linn; He replied that I wouldn’t – at any price.



LPSpinner

Hi,

Summer of 85' vintage Afromosia, clear lid, Ittok LVII with one piece counterweight, Karma retipped by Linn in 2000, Lingoed September 2006. Cirkus and Trampolinn installed on 2002, original motor.

Serial # still attached but need to do some gymnastics to see it...

I bought mine in 1975 from Brady's in Smithdown Road, in Liverpool.



God those people intimidated me when I only owned a Pioneer PL512/Sansui receiver and Goodmans RB20 speakers. Be forgiving, I was only fifteen ;) .

They finally succumbed to all things Liverpool and couldn't compete with a "whole HiFi" from Comet for 79.99. At least Doug took the wreckage to ?Warrington.

Keith

How does one date an LP12 from the serial number? Mine's 72861, black ash plinth. Not the finish I would have chosen, but the best second-hand LP12 I could find for the money around the time (early 90s).

Steve.

Mine is SN 053xxx dates to about 1984 I think. Bought from Westwood and Mason in Oxford. It still has the original Rega RB300 arm. Now ftted with a Heed PS (Valhalla board has died twice) and has been Cirkus'd. No further changes planned.

Works very well.

I remembered that the sticker is under the platter!! The serial number is 001982.
Has anyone got an older one??

Simon F

Mine's 20 this summer. Bought from Cleartone in Manchester on 1986.

Cheers,

Nic.

from this side you can get a clue to what year your TT is from by the serialnumber.


http://www.nornan.se/linnsite/#Sondek%20LP12


Mine is from august 92 serial 089402 bought from one person on this forum I don't remember his forum name. it has the cirkus upgrade and an Akito1, Valhalla and an Adikt. I had one LP12 erlier also from august 92 bought new but not with Cirkus but with Akito2B and K18II but I was stupid and sold it I'm not going to do that misstake again.

Bit of a cheat here because I sold mine six years ago, but I bought it in 1974.
(mail order, would you believe!) It came with an SME cut-out armboard and was duly set up by myself with an SME 3009 MkII and Shure V15 mk III.

Can anyone beat that date?

Bit of a cheat here because I sold mine six years ago, but I bought it in 1974.
(mail order, would you believe!) It came with an SME cut-out armboard and was duly set up by myself with an SME 3009 MkII and Shure V15 mk III.

Can anyone beat that date?


I belive that doctorf's LP12 also is from 74 or erlier by the serial number. And he still got his.

Hmm my second deck that I referred to earlier is 026310 so that makes it 1978. No record, then :) Les sold me an Ittok for it later.

Bought mine from Graham's in Pentonville Road in late 79 or early 80, serial no 25xxx for around £340, which was half my budget at the time. It has a fluted plinth, walnut I think, smoked lid and had the basik arm upgraded to an Ittok in '84. The Ittok was about £250 to buy without fitting (don't ask). Had it Nirvana'd and Valhalla'd over the years and I love it to bits.

I still have the original packaging and it has been to South Africa and back twice. Does that make it the furthest travelled LP12 ??

Team

mines circa sn 1500 so must be 1973 which makes it 33 this year.

Hi as per Linn mine was built november 1982...24years already:cool:

22xxx - '77 or maybe '78

36xxx, bought in about 1981/82. nirvana & valhalla in the early 90's

Bought 1977 from a Hi-Fi shop in an arcade in Reading - dont know no as plinth replaced 1990 ish. Only original bit is the top plate, and I am not even sure about that!! Only on second bearing too - - not a Cirkus

Currently sounding better than ever with Armageddon, Aro, Dynavector XX2, certainly a better listen than my Densen 400XS (which is in turn the best CD player I have heard by a country mile).

There's progress....

Bought my first one about 1980 basik arm ortofon mc 30 quad 44 pre 405 power and Quad 57 all brand new

I got xmas cards from ortofon for about 15 years after I registered my cartridge

My was new from the The StereoShop in Ipswich ( where are you now Richard ??) in black ash, (because they sounded better :rolleyes: ) 19/10/1990..85xxx .hey soon be sweet 16 !! Think it was just after the pinth and top plate mounting mods came in. Used with the Akito/K18 taken from my Axis.
March 91 updated to Lingo.
Some time in 91 had used late spec Black Itok LVIII ... and Asaka.
Dec 92 New Ekos 71xxx, exdem Troika and new motor and base board. Still from the SteroShop.
Took a loan out to buy the Ekos and a KarikII the same week as signing up my first Mortgage !!! How did Mrs 9D allow that ;) .... had to do it as the shop was closing down and Richard let me have Staff discount for my Saturday working in the shop !!!.
1994 Cirkus Mod done by Peter Swain at Listen Linn (now Cymbiosis) This guy is excellent at setting up an LP12...
Several years ago replace Troika with a Lyra Evolve99.
2005 fitted a T-Kable
Aug 2006 new hinges.
So not far off max spec

Future plans, a dealer service instead of my DIY ones, and change to the latest Lingo.

Sell it ??? very unlikely as CD is now such a big part of my music listening, Even if it does get a regular slagging off here in PFM !!! tempted to take it to a dealer just hear it again some more recent decks :(
Akiva would be nice, hard to justify with the lower amount of use...
Hope soon Linn will find some more updates it can do....did here stories of a near 20K replacement !!! :o

Number 2228 resides here with me, which makes it the 3rd oldest on the forum if I'm not mistaken. I am the 3rd owner, because a friend of mine's father was the second owner and he gave it to me for free!

All original except for cartridge (Ortofon 320), new Linn belt, bearing oil, grommets and springs. Even original Basik LVX, which has does have shot bearings though.

Mine is a veritable youngster being a 25th Anniversary edition in cherry.

does anyone have one older than my 15xx ? I think it is about 1973. must be due for service and blimey its older than the mrs.

I bought mine new in 1997, with Akito and Armageddon and Goldring 1042. A few years later I got the Aro, which was a massive improvement, first with Linn K9, later with Adikt. About two years ago I went MC, with Prefix/Hi-Cap and Klyde. LP12 is doing very well, but I seem to be somewhat 'in flux' at the moment, which might result in a new record player. This should have no springs and no wooden coffin and it should sound even better than good old LP12, while being simpler and cheaper. No mean thing, I know, but I'm in no real rush.

Kind regards, Klyde

Got mine whilst a student in summer of '89 from Chris Brooks, demo'ed against against a xerxes.
My mate and family(and I think Chris)preferred the xerxes, I didn't and have never regretted my choice

Just dug out my receipt 7/8/83
1 Linn(afr)LP12 £374
1 Linn LVX £74
1 Creek CAS 4040 £114
1 Pair Heybrook HB1s £129

Total £691

Mine's from 1983, bought from Radford Hi-Fi in Windsor - I don't think they are there anymore. Walnut fluted plinth, Valhalla Spec with LVX basic tonearm which it still has. It cost £374 new but I have subsequently had Cirkus Mod and replaced the motor with an Origin Live DC motor which was a huge improvement and it now plays 45s with the bonus of not fannying around with the add-on pulley which I never bought. I'm currently using a Denon DL304 cartridge with it and I reckon it sounds about as good as my CDX2/XPS2.

Rich

Mine's from 1983, bought from Radford Hi-Fi in Windsor - I don't think they are there anymore. Walnut fluted plinth, Valhalla Spec with LVX basic tonearm which it still has. It cost £374 new but I have subsequently had Cirkus Mod and replaced the motor with an Origin Live DC motor which was a huge improvement and it now plays 45s with the bonus of not fannying around with the add-on pulley which I never bought. I'm currently using a Denon DL304 cartridge with it and I reckon it sounds about as good as my CDX2/XPS2.

Rich


Mine too changed the Lvx for a Rega RB300 after a few months ,year later changed the Creek to Audiolab 800 kept the Heybrooks until I moved to N.Ireland in 89 changed the arm for an Ekos & amp for a Naim 72/140 .year later bought Keilidhs still have the same set up will be changing the Valhalla for the Hercules in the New year.

364XX So a 1981 vintage...

Purchased 2nd hand from Chichester HiFi about 1984 with basic arm, which was very swiftly replaced with a brand new LV11. Apart from springs and the glued subchassis it hasn't changed much since then.

Serial number 24.XXX, actually stamped inside with the year 1978. Nirvana and Valhalla. Bought in 1988 from Cloney Audio in Dublin. Couple of years later added an Ittok (black) now in storage, can't get myself to sell it. Currently using a late Alphason HR-100 MCS with an AT OC9.

Hmmm... I think I beat all of you.

My LP12 was imported to South Africa plinthless, so the (locally made) plinth did not have a serial number! However, the top plate says the serial number is 003267. I bought it second hand in 1980 and have finally upgraded to an Ittok this afternoon. It had an SME 3009 when I bought it, which was changed to an ADC LMF1, then a Linn Basik LVX. Also done today: the (original) motor has been replaced with an Origin Live DC motor and external power supply. The only other change has been the Nirvana upgrade in 1981, and several plinths, none of which came from Linn. My current plinth, made by myself, is of aged pine and a very similar weight and size to the Afromosia plinth.

Lots of love and attention have gone into this tt!

My No.1 deck has come of age this year -18 years old, from Westwood & Mason in Oxford

DS

ps Radford Hi-Fi in Windsor disappeared years ago, now a designer jewellery shop. I wonder how many of these revered dealers of yesterday are still about?

Grahams and er.....

http://www.radlettaudio.co.uk/

My LP12 was bought on 1st April, 1975 and cost £121.90 along with the SME3009 arm. I have just brought out of a long retirement and had it overhauled with a Cirkus kit and Hercules, and hooked it up to my new Cyrus kit.

Bought my afromosia LP12 (serial 079784) 1989 ?? for around £450 and just transferred LVX from a Systemdek 2 I traded in for.

Later fitted an Ittok LV2 which I still have fitted.

wouldnt mind trying a Nottingham analogue deck to compare... ;)

Taffyboy

First LP12 was bought in 1976. Australia had such high import duties I bought the Grace and Supex on a trip to Singapore, to make it affordable. Later the aformosia plinth was painted black, and DV505/FR7 replaced the Grace/Supex. Sold it in 1982 before I moved back to UK.

Bought a new black ash/Ittok in 1983, later added cirkus upgrade. The Ittok was recently sold to flatpopely, and the LP12 will soon reappear with a new plinth, keel and ekos. I recently listened to the Xerxes.20 and Orbe, but ordered the keel instead.

Just looked at the serial No. and it is 219## what year of manufacture would this be?

Hayess

Just looked at the serial No. and it is 219## what year of manufacture would this be?

Hayess

Around 1977/8

1979, from Hardman Audio in Birmingham, long since defunct. I bought it secondhand in 1984, since when it has had SME3009, then Ittok, Valhalla various suspension upgrades and Cirkus, then Lingo. Now with a Dynavector D17/3 it still sounds superb. Classic ribbed afromosia frame.