Posted by daave [ 151.203.195.7 ] on March 10, 2005 at 07:37:34:

In Reply to: Re: LAB 80 posted by mike on March 09, 2005 at 22:43:23:

Hi Mike-
A couple of tidbits for your consideration-if you get the Lab 80 to properly run.
First-after I cleaned as much of the black "goop" that Garrard had used as lubrication (by doing a section of the mechanism at a time)-I relubricated it with a product I found on Ebay-called "Once". I have no interest in promoting this product (comes from Australia)-but it sure seemed to smooth out the operation of the Lab 80 for me.
Secondly-Joel at "The Turntable Factory" gave me a few helpful hints-especialy on recommending a cartridge. I had always used a very light tracking weight cartridge,i.e. Empire 2000, Pickering XV-15,etc.
These track at about 1 1/2 grams. He suggested that I use a heavier tracking cartridge-3 grams-such as a Shure MC-25-basically a DJ cartridge. Evidently the wooden arm requires a heavier tracking force.
Anyway good Luck. As far as dating the Lab 80, Mine is the original version (believe that there was a MK II with the levers a little different). I purchased mine new in 1966 while I was a cadet at the Air Force Academy.
Hope this helps-Cheers-Dave

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