Lenco L55S info? Pictures Uploaded.

by **Judde** » 14 Jul 2004 21:40

Hi! I just got my hands on a Lenco L55S turntable and hopefully someone can help me with some info about it. I don't know anything about it.
Would like to know if its any good, I cant use it yet because my other equipment lacks Phono (what you call it? :oops:

) (too new Amp)

How old do you think it is? (By the looks of it i'd say Older than Mom)

It has 16 / 33 / 45 / 78 rpm an on/off Switch and something that looks like a Pitch-stick. Wooden box (think its Pine, We all know the value of Pine, it's less then nothing)

So if someone has any info i would be more than happy.

Sorry about my poor english, i'm from Sweden :lol:

by **RMA** » 14 Jul 2004 22:08

If it has 16, you're probably right, it is older than Mom.

Seriously you'll probably get some more useful (not to mention more sensible) answers over the next day or two!

by **Judde** » 14 Jul 2004 22:18

Fast replys

Seen the link before L55 is #2 on Lenco Lightweights no info

by **blueintheface** » 15 Jul 2004 00:36

Judde wrote:Fast replys

Seen the link before L55 is #2 on Lenco Lightweights no info

Hello.

The motor/drive side of these 'lightweight' Lencos are are basically the same.

If you have this deck with its original arm, I would consider it a collector's item and would personally be interested :-)

In terms of turning it into a deck with hi-fi pretensions, them it is probably not worth it as it would require a lot of work and has some inherent design limitations . . .

you'd be better off picking up one of the 'heavy-platter' Lencos.

by **Judde** » 15 Jul 2004 15:05

Hi, blueintheface. My Lenco looks more like the L69 only mine has a tone-arm thats bent two ways.

I powered it up last night just to see if was working, and it was

One thing that I found special was that the Plate take like 4 hrs to stop spinning when you pull the stop-switch.

Don't know if i dare to send a picture of it. What if its a cheap rip-off :oops:

No, seriously. Picture is coming asap. (need to find a digi-cam)

by **Judde** » 26 Jul 2004 16:01

Finaly! Pictures are here

Maybe now someone can tell me something about this player.
Don't know if the Arm is the original but it says Lenco on the Pick-Up (Blury picture, sry)

by **argentinoroberto** » 31 Jul 2004 14:25

[quotMaybe now someone can tell me something about this player.
Don't know if the Arm is the original but it says Lenco on the Pick-Up (Blury picture, sry)
e]

Well, well :shock:

Finally the missing tonearm.
A couple a weeks ago I just disscus with blueintheface about the possibility to fit on a Lenco 78, a Lenco L133 tonearm.
I see this TT on my local ebay of Argentina. I gone to the house of the ouner and mesure the base of the tonearm, with my calimeter. But the base was wther than the L78 or L75. And pass to buyed it.
But now a see in your pictures perfectly instaled.
How to fit this tonearm in the chassis hole? ItÂ´s a new hole? Something else?
Here the picture of the Lenco L133
http://argentina.deremate.com/accdb/vie ... DI=5602799
The Lenco L133 is a belt driven, syncronous motor, two diferent diameter in the motor pulley (33/45) and the belt drive a subplatter (made of rubber I think) like the Thorens TTs.
If you open the turntable, let me know and tell me if you want: how fit this tonearm are in your lenco. The base arm is plastic?
In the section "Library of this site you can download the operation manual of the L75, the mecanical is similar to all this type of Lencos.
Sorry about my poor english, i'm from Argentina :shock: [/quote][quote][/quote][quote][/quote]

by **argentinoroberto** » 31 Jul 2004 14:35

Other web to booked
A reconstruction pictures of Lenco for Lenco fans

by **argentinoroberto** » 31 Jul 2004 14:36

http://www.audiocostruzioni.com/elettro ... /lenco.htm
Ahh the internet...

by **Judde** » 02 Aug 2004 12:39

Hi, argentinoroberto.

The tonearm on my lenco is not plastic, its painted metal. I found the manual you were talking about ( there even was a swedish version

) I'll try to open it up and take some inside pictures for you.

Questions still remains though.

Thing is, i never heard about Lenco before, My father found it at work, some guy was about 5 seconds from throwing it in a dumpster.

1: How old do you think it is?
2: Is it any good or is it crap?
3: Do you think the tonearm is the original one?

I found a store in my town and they were selling Lenco, they got pretty exited when i showed them my L55s

I've ordered a new needle and a pre-amp and some cabels, hopefully i can test it soon.

by **colclarke** » 02 Aug 2004 15:17

Hi Judde,

1 early to mid seventies at a guess.
2 It's good, not the flagship model but still capable of good sound. Probably needs work, lube, damping etc
3 Good question - Never seen one like it on a 55 before but that may be what the 's' is for. People have been fitting replacement arms to these for a long time. If it fits well and works don't worry about it, more than likely an improvement on the 55 original anyway.

Lenco were a Swiss maker of good to high quality turntables, from 50s to 80s.

Lot of excitement around just now for them - see Audiogon thread.

Colin

by **colclarke** » 03 Aug 2004 13:54

Hi

The GL55 is a late 50s Goldring Lenco deck and a grandparent to the one you have.

The B55 and the Goldring GL72 are the same thing as far as I know. This range of decks were produced early to mid 70s and started with the GL69.

The one you have is imo a very late model, when they used different colours and trim to modernise it. The arm on yours could have been another variation in the range.

The site you mentioned has pics of the common variations eg B52, GL69 (older), B55, GL72 - basically all the same deck. Even a Sony variant!

Although yours is the only one I have seen so far with an S shaped arm, as I said before if it looks original it probably is one of the last made.

If it was one of the earlier ones, you'd be looking for a decent arm for it by now, so someone (maybe Lenco) has done you a big favour. Play some discs and Enjoy it :-)

Regards

by **blueintheface** » 03 Aug 2004 21:26

Judde wrote:So.... you have actually seen a 55 before? The only 55 i've seen was here http://www.btinternet.com/~a.d.richarso ... ights.html
and it looks a bit more stone age then mine, i think. You don't happen to have a picture of a 55 somewere?

I think you have a very interesting Lenco there. I have certainly never seen one with a S shaped arm.

It is evidently one of the 'Lenco lightweights' and probably one of the last models to be made, presumably to compete with the S shaped arm/belt drive Japanese decks that were taking over in the mid and late 70's.

Amazing to think Lenco had been using this same basic design for 20-odd years . . .

P.S. Would you mind if I put up your pictures on my site?

by **Judde** » 04 Aug 2004 11:21

blueintheface wrote:P.S. Would you mind if I put up your pictures on my site?

Nope, put 'em up if you like.

"Raiders of the Lost Ark" comes to mind when i look at my Lenco.

Do you think these guys would know anything? http://www.lenco-audiovideo.com/ Or is it perhaps a new started company with an "borrowed" name? I think i'll try to send them an E-mail.