Fun with an Acos Lustre

[unkouth]

I recently picked up a great condition Acos Lustre arm for what would be around 20 pounds UK or 30US, which was a bargin IHMO

I had plans to mount it on my old Pioneer Pl51A (which I had sucessfully mount a SME 3009 II on a while back) but a stuff up with the alignment meant it was a flop.

Now I have a nice arm with no deck to match it so I was wondering what you guys out there would suggest as a match for the arm?

I have a good con. lenco L75, all fine except those bloody bearing blocks (which are extremely hard to find here in NZ) which I was thinking of tinker with but the Acos sits higher than the plater throwing the VTA out :/

So what does one suggest?

Thanks all

[rturja]

Mount the Lustre on the Lenco - The original arm is an arm design disaster Those V-blocks and the "loosely coupled" weight rod, headshell mount etc... it looks retro stylish though.

[unkouth]

Mount the Lustre on the Lenco - The original arm is an arm design disaster Those V-blocks and the "loosely coupled" weight rod, headshell mount etc... it looks retro stylish though.

Yes it is a stylish looking arm the old Lenco one I don't know about a disaster but the arm isn't the best designed one.

The only hic up with using the Lenco is getting the VTA right as the Luste stands quite high meaing the arm when in use has quite an acute angle... :/

[rturja]

The bearing blocks can be handcrafted or ordered if you decide to keep the original arm, see Lenco arm page for details.

One possibility might be designing a new armboard under the subchassis. There are couple of arm mods done for L75 actually, usually done on the heavy plinth Lencos inspired by the Agon giant thread (search for home despot there). Some involve cutting the corner off from the deck and some armboards are mounted on the plinth.

I'm doing a heavyweight plinth for my L75 at the moment and considering strongly the cutting corner off approach - I might actually cut a rectangular opening in the corner where arm is attached and make a some kind of adjustable armboard from hardwood compositeto keep the corner neat looking.

[unkouth]

One possibility might be designing a new armboard under the subchassis. There are couple of arm mods done for L75 actually, usually done on the heavy plinth Lencos inspired by the Agon giant thread (search for home despot there). Some involve cutting the corner off from the deck and some armboards are mounted on the plinth.

Yes I started reading that thread. It goes on for awhile
I've been to the links and searched the net for Lencos and new arms/plinths and the idea certainly is tempting

I was thinking along the lines of a Garrard 301/401 but they go for stupid prices over here in NZ. Ditto for the Technics Sp25s etc

My thoughts where to find a nice JVC/Pioneer/technics etc DD unit and [try to] mount the Luste on one for those (since I am a DD man at heart ) but this Lenco idea...it's tempting...be a shame to let a good mech go to waste... ....hmmm

[blueintheface]

Before you cut the corner off the Lenco, consider rotating the chassis 90 degrees, that should get the arm close enough to the platter.

(The Lenco Chassis Preservation Society )

[unkouth]

Before you cut the corner off the Lenco, consider rotating the chassis 90 degrees, that should get the arm close enough to the platter

My thoughts where to take the arm off, don't chop anything off (the arm needs to sit past the end of the chassis anyway) and use 'bog' to fill the holes left, sand back and paint.
Failing that, use rubber bungs to fil the holes

[rturja]

I was thinking along the lines of a Garrard 301/401 but they go for stupid prices over here in NZ. Ditto for the Technics Sp25s etc

My thoughts where to find a nice JVC/Pioneer/technics etc DD unit and [try to] mount the Luste on one for those (since I am a DD man at heart ) but this Lenco idea...it's tempting...be a shame to let a good mech go to waste... ....hmmm

Im a belt-driver myself, but after reading the thread about Lencos in 'gon and hearing one cleaned & relubed even with the original arm was an eye opener. And of course one can never have enough quality tables if space & money permits

L-75 is really a dilemma - one of the best idler mechs ever but coupled with a plinth and arm which were really not up the par. But the simple mechanism makes it a easy DIY project comparing to Garrard et al and the results are not that bad either - And of course the simpler mech means there are less possible points of failure.