Goldring GL 75 tone arm

[Eric Tronics]

Hi there I am new to this site and would like to pose the following question,
I have recently purchased a Goldring/Lenco GL 75 and would like to know whether there should be a side to side movement where the tone arm meets the weights. I had one of these decks back in 1980 and replaced the knife edge bearings but cannot remember if it was for this problem (if any). In addition does someone know what cartridge was originally supplied and can I fit any old cart.
Many thanks Jim

[vidjoman]

The original Lenco turntable was imported by Goldring and did not come with a cartridge. Usually they were supplied with a Goldring cartridge as that and styluses were Goldrings business and they obviously wanted to sell their own products. A G800 was often used but many alternatives are available.

[greg_simons]

I also owned on of these decks, the heavy tone arm soon cut through the rubber bearing inserts, no, there should be no lateral movement at that point.
Greg.

[Cobaltblue]

There is a kit to replace these bearing surfaces on these turntables, from memory I think they are called V blocks.

Cheers

Mike T

[fetteler]

Yes, they are called vee blocks.

The arm's knife edges sit on these vee blocks - little rubber inserts which fit into the top of the arm pillar. The original ones only lasted a few years so if yours have never been changed they will be in a very sorry state. Replacements are available in modern rubber compounds which don't deteriorate, other materials such as plastic, brass, lead, and even glass have all been used by enthusiasts over the years.


There is an excellent guide to replacing them here:
https://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/in...?topic=13058.0

As for the cartridge, a Shure M75 EJ type 2 is a brilliant match for this arm.

Steve.

[Electronpusher0]

The above comments about V blocks are quite correct, I changed the blocks on mine.

However the OP refers to "a side to side movement where the tone arm meets the weights". The GL75 has a rubber coupling between the tone arm and the end of the arm where the weight is mounted (just to the rear of the V blocks). This rubber coupling does not age well and the rear of the arm with the counterweight takes on a decided droop and seems rather "loose" with the sort of side to side movement described.

The standard "fix" seems to be winding dental floss moistened with superglue into the slight groove where the rubber coupling is to make the arm solid. I have not tried this, I just live with the droop (as the bishop said to the actress).

Peter

[100series]

Thank you for identifying my particular query regarding these Lenco 75/78 decks.
I think he was referring to the end drooping as if hanging on like a broken candle is held together by its wick.
Can I ask why they made such a poor design as every single such Lenco deck I have seen has got the "droop" at the rear most portion tube which I presume is called the tone arm.
Is there no Industry "fix kit" to restore the tone arm to "as new" condition?
Thank you.

[fetteler]

Originally Posted by 100series

Thank you for identifying my particular query regarding these Lenco 75/78 decks.
I think he was referring to the end drooping as if hanging on like a broken candle is held together by its wick.
Can I ask why they made such a poor design as every single such Lenco deck I have seen has got the "droop" at the rear most portion tube which I presume is called the tone arm.
Is there no Industry "fix kit" to restore the tone arm to "as new" condition?
Thank you.

Yes, it's an appalling design isn't it? Only lasts for 40 or 50 odd years... utter rubbish! Of course the phones we pay almost £1000 for these days ( to pick the first thing that comes into my head but also microwaves computers mp3 players you name it) are designed to last much longer

Steve.

[Ted Kendall]

Originally Posted by fetteler

Yes, it's an appalling design isn't it? Only lasts for 40 or 50 odd years... utter rubbish!

About as rubbish as the Quad amplifiers which develop faults after four times their design life! Trouble is, the real of the time has long since disappeared, so the hardy survivors catch the carping. Anyway, as I understand it, the decoupled portion is retained by a steel wire under tension. Technical and General were (or are) the go-to people on Lenco kit, but I think even they fought shy of making a repair kit. The other solution is to make the joint rigid by one means or another, probably not to the huge detriment of performance.

[Electronpusher0]

As I said I have a complete GL75 with the droop that I just live with.

I also have a second GL75 arm that I have fitted to a Thorens TD160B MkII.....except that I have replaced the whole arm tube.

The original GL75 arm is straight with the head offset. I made a replacement out of Aluminium tube that I bent into an "S" curve. This is of course a single piece and removes the drooping part.
I ground my own knife edge "V" bearings from a 3mm HSS drill and fitted new rubber V blocks.

I used an online calculator to find the correct angle and offset for the arm.

It works well.

A similar new arm could be made straight to use the original head and still eliminate the droop.

Peter

[analogadikt]

Originally Posted by 100series

Can I ask why they made such a poor design as every single such Lenco deck I have seen has got the "droop" at the rear most portion tube which I presume is called the tone arm.
Is there no Industry "fix kit" to restore the tone arm to "as new" condition?
Thank you.

The stub and the main armtube are held together by a wire that resembles a piano wire. The design goal was to isolate the counterweight so it's resonance does not affect the cartridge. Unfortunately, over the decades, this wire stretches and the droop results.

On a side note, the SME 30** series arms suffer from the same problem due to the dried out rubber coupler between the main tube and the stub.

Regards,

[Electronpusher0]

Looking at the photos its time I dusted the deck. I have banned SWMBO from dusting it after she knocked off the stylus with the duster.

Peter

[analogadikt]

Originally Posted by Electronpusher0

The original GL75 arm is straight with the head offset. I made a replacement out of Aluminium tube that I bent into an "S" curve. This is of course a single piece and removes the drooping part.
I ground my own knife edge "V" bearings from a 3mm HSS drill and fitted new rubber V blocks.

I used an online calculator to find the correct angle and offset for the arm.

It works well.


Peter

That is looking great! You should consider selling these on Lencoheaven

Regards,

[Whaam68]

The droop on the back end of the Lenco arm is a very easy fix...unwaxed dental floss wrapped around inside the joint and a drop of superglue soaked into the floss then push fit for a few seconds and job done. Did mine years ago and its been fine.

[100series]

Thanks to all and appreciate the advice and candour.
I guess most things droop after 40 years of being straight. I thought better of using another term as I am new to this forum and hope to remain so for longer than the forty hours since I registered.

[Uncle Bulgaria]

Welcome!

This is one of the few areas where I have something to offer.

I have a GL59 which my grandfather had upgraded with the GL75 arm back in the day.

While trying to fix 'the droop' (the superglue trick didn't work) I decided that what had been made by the hand of man could be replaced by the hand of man, and broke the weakened end off to see about rebuilding the piano wire suspension.

My brother and I made what I hope is an improvement, while retaining the rubber isolation from the counterweight section, and thus the compliant counterweight mounting. I had a report on it over at Lenco Heaven.

To paraphrase the thread there; we drilled out the brass plugs with tapered slots that were pressed on to the wire to hold it in place, then replaced the one in the tonearm with a newly fabricated plug and pressed it in to hold the end of a new piece of piano wire.

We drilled through the axis of the counterweight section and made a tapered brass plug at the end, drilled out to clear a length of threaded rod. A nut on the rod bears on the brass tapered plug, keeping the wire centred. The threaded rod is drilled out to take the piano wire. Bending the end of the wire protruding through the threaded rod into a slot filed at the end of it locks the assembly together.

The nut can then be used to tighten up the wire and pull the counterweight stub up against the tonearm proper. This adjustment can take up slack from the wire stretching, preventing future 'droops'.

I'm using an ADC K8 cartridge I found in a box at my grandfather's.

I hope that's of interest!

[Electronpusher0]

Brilliant, far more elegant than the "floss and superglue" method.
Looks like I will have to finally fix the droop on my other GL75 using your method.

Peter

[Ted Kendall]

I like it! Could perhaps put something (butchered toothpaste cap?) over the nut, but who's going to look?

[knobtwiddler]

A counterweight that's decoupled via a compliant joint is a common feature in several arms - as is a drooping weight several decades down the line! The ubiquitous Technics 1200/10 (about 3 million in existence apparently) arm suffers the same fate, as do some Jelco (sadly RIP) models.

[Eric Tronics]

Many thanks to everyone who responded to my query. Lots of useful info .As I am new to this forum I wasn't sure how many replied as the thread went on for quite a few posts so you all get a thumbs up.