turntable q
VeeEight
325 Posts
I'm looking to buy some turntables for my bro and thought you guys could help me out. he's 13 years old so I was looking for something really basic. I rock an old school gemini for listening so I don't know too much about Djing but I had my eye on a couple:Stanton T.60X &Numark TT1650I was looking for something that he could practice on that won't break after a few weeks. Those two brands seem pretty reliable and they are pretty cheap - hopefully you guys can provide some insight for me cause 3 bills is a serious dent in my bank account.. peace
Comments
It's not worth the time or money to go the cheaper route-- the drop-off in torque, control response, sound and quality of manufacturing is substantial.
The larger issue is the investment in vinyl or Microwave. Neither is cheap. If you're just scratching then you would be set with just a couple of Qbert records but if mixing is your game then you have to invest in either the Microwave or a large collection of vinyl. Both are bank. Especially to a 13 year old.
Not saying that it isn't worth getting into.
For real - he can get records from me whenever he wants so I don't think vinyl is an issue. Anyway thanks for all the help gentlemen. I suppose I'll keep my eyes out for some used 1200s peace
also, you really honestly don't need a solid set of tables starting out. i started out with 2 $100 gemini belt drives when i was 14 and at that age 1) i nor could any other friends could afford 1200's at our age 2) the people who i knew that had 1200's were older and said "ya gotta start somewhere"
i used those tables for years because i learned how to ADAPT and OVERCOME with them. i was on stage scratching with people like presyce & spryte1 and no one knew that i was still using those old pieces of junk. i bought a new MIXER before new tables! after i was done with em, i handed em down for starters to my good friend who showed interest, and i moved on up.
so basically going all out at first is a big b*tch move in my opinion. that's what makes me hate all these "new" DJ's today. they're just some kid who's got a good paying job to go all out and buy into the scene with no dues to be paid, and no memories of starting from scratch[/b]
So okay VeeEight, you can listen to me or you can listen to this guy, but I will guarantee you that buying piece of shit turntables will come back and bite you in the ass.
co-sign the durability of the Tanknic
hahahaha, naw i'm not too mad. but i still don't see how buying pieces of shit at first would totally set someone up for failure.
p.s.
same cosmo that wrote that C.E.B. article back in the day???
yeah that's what I was thinking too.
As for buying a basic turntable vs. 1200s right off the bat.. I've been looking on ebay the last few minutes and saw some 1200s going for a little over 200. If I'm going to be paying about 130-160 for the entry level Numark/Stantons and the 1200s are as good as you guys say they are, I might as well go for the technics. I was using cheap ass belt drives when I was young & broke and that sort of turned me away from Djing. Perhaps it is spoiling the kid a bit but if it's something that he's going to pursue in the future, it will definitely be worth it.
If it was a C.E.B. article for On The Go in 1996 then yeah, that's me.
As for the turntables, I've just seen it happen twice. Once with my dude's kid and once with my brother in law. In one case the turntables were so jenky that they actually impeded the learning curve, and when my brother in law got frustrated and just couldn't do it anymore, the turntables were worthless monetarily, so they just ended up collecting dust. In the other case, my dude's son got good fast enough that he had outgrown the shitty turntables within 9 month and was ready for Technics, but he couldn't get them because my man spent all his money on the shitty turntables. So his kid was forced to use them things for way too long. And, if / when his kid eventually did get Technics, the shitty turntables = worthless and collecting dust.
That's just my experiences and philosophy. Save a little more money and take a little more time so that you don't end up getting some Mickey Mouse shit. I mean, I came up with shitty turntables that people gave to me when i started, way before these bargain basement "DJ turntables" were available, but I still busted my ass in a grocery store to get 12s.
my first set up was turntable sitting on a stereo component with an 8 track player, playa. that was coupled with a belt-drive technics. i had no mixer, so i was just switching the phono knob on the receiver on and off.
you eventually graduate and can afford better quality stuff. i moved on to one belt drive and one 1200 that i would try to cut on. then later, another 1200. i've had mine for over 13 yrs, and i got both of them used. no problems with them at all.
That's to cheap. Beware of heavily abused club turntables. You should be able to find bedroom DJ turntables in the $350 to $400 range (each). That's a reasonable price.
Doesn't Guitar Center usually keep some turntables on display?
That's how I started. A 1200, a shitty mixer and another shitty turntable.
my advice
1) buy Tech 12s and watch the kid grow into a good dj and earn a positive lifetime hobby/job/obsession
2) buy crappy tables and watch the kid try it for a year and quit then possibly start using the meth... hard
Total BS dude.
Buying the kid techs will spoil him, he will move up in the drug(oops meant electronica) scene and if there is a quicker way to get into meth than the electronic scene, i haven't seen it.
Keep your eyes peeled for cheap belt drive technics with pitch adjustment, usually about $50 at thrifts, standard carts and everything. An old numark/gemini/vestax mixer are a dime a dozen.
Starting on cheap/belt drive tables gives excellent record control and makes for a much lighter hand when scratching.
This is also a great way to test the strenght of his convictions, if he's still feeling it in 6months-year get him a used tech, it will be the best present in the world.
I think if I am going to go this route, I'll be grabbing them off ebay, so it'll be hard to tell if they are beat up or not. Most of the one's I've read up on claim that they are in good condition but there is always a chance of getting fucked over on used gear
The one 1200, one old table and a crappy mixer seems like a good idea. I have an old belt drive and have seen some mixers at cash convertors for around 20 bucks (though not so much lately). Thanks for all the help gentlemen.
if you do see a pair of used techs in person, here's a good way to check the condition of the tonearm bearings, (out of pitch and a pop up light are an easy enough fix, and you can generally talk the person down in price if either of those problems are present)
anyway, bearing check: balance the tonearm at "0" so it floats (with headshell/stylus/stylus guard on is usually easier). On a level surface, with the anti-skate set to zero, the tonearm will float wherever you place it in its range of motion, if it's not level, adjust the feet of the turntable to as close to level as possible.
as the tonearm floats, adjust the anti-skate knob all the way up- the tonearm moves in. adjust it all the way down, it moves back out. If there are any "snags" in the tonearms movement from the resting arm toward the spindle or back out, (you'll see it, good bearings have smooth tonearm movement) the bearings are maladjusted and possibly damaged.
off topic, but i think you know my friend chris from ardmore
- the_gaffler_nsf