Replacing Pioneer Rondo 2000 tonearm Wire

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Gerlach

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Just first thing, respect to alternativeroute, Hi-Phibian and the guys that work's on this stuff. New respect for you guys because this is like a cardiologist work. So small things that can break and go wrong!!

So 2 weeks ago i got a Pioneer Rondo 2000 Turntable. She was in a bad state and left in a box to die. I was actually looking for a stand-alone and was luckily to found this one. With some love and TLC she starting to look again. Under closer inspection i founded that the wiring going to the Tonearm had it's time after 37 years, so decide to replace it. Did a bit of Google reading and seems to be Ok "not easy" to do it.

Got some Tonearm wire from Northern Vinyl and ooooo my word. Can't describe how light and thin and flexibility this wire is. You need to work so gentle with it.

And so the operation started. Most of the DIY posts on the net say you can keep the arm in place and replace the wire, but not with this lady. She put up a fight.

Before the big fight!
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I will be replacing the head-shell with a new one and a new Audio Technica AT95E cartridge and needle. Placed the order yesterday for that.
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Top Photo of the needle arm that's bend
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After a massive fight, it seems to me i need to take the arm off because something is going to break because the bayonet don't want to come off, and that after i gave a bit of heat to with hair dryer. Got a extra set of hands and off is the Bayonet.

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New Wire for the tonearm:
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The old wire, you can see on some places the copper sticking out:
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Close shot of the wire and just to show you how small and thin this wire is:
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New wire's solder. Tip the guys give is when you solder the wire on, is to put the head shell on to act as a heat sink to get the heat away because of the plastic in the Bayonet. After soldering , i tested all the points with the multimeter to check that there is contact on all the points.

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Made a small fish tape with thin flex wire to pull the wire through the tone arm.
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And another good thing i took the tonearm off because this small rubber piece that go's back in to the arm will have made it hell to get the wire through.

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Same story, fish tape to get the wire through the swivel part. The tape around it was to just prevent the small "and they ARE super SMALL" bearings in place:

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Swivel back in and wires in place.
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And everything is back on!! :Whoohoo:
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So now i need to decide, i'm going to upgrade the wire part by replacing the back plate with some female RCA's direct from the tonearm wire or some new 2x1 meter Kerlin microphone cable direct from the tonearm wire to 2 male RCA's to run to the phono stage and add a earth wire with it? and add a IEC Euro Inlet Panel Plug/Switch/Fused. Make it more modern then.
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Some stain spots on the turn table that i polished off:
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Ooooo yes!! and she turns!!!  :winkwink: You can hear the sound softly from the needle when you listen closely.
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Some Before and after photos of how the lid looked like and after i have polished it.

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Thanks for looking :2thumbs:

 

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