Frequently asked questions
How much will it cost me to get my turntable serviced?
My standard service fee is $80 for most turntables. Linear tracking turntables start at $120 due to the complexity of these and the extra time to service them. Some turntables, especially fully automatic turntables start at $100
Are there other costs?
If your turntable needs parts, accessories (such as belts or styli) or complex repairs, then this cost is additional. I will let you know what these costs are before progressing though.
Do you guarantee that my turntable can be repaired?
I have serviced and repaired 100's of turntables over the years, most of them have been succesfully restored to operation but some are unrepairable due to parts no longer being available, or because there is too much damage. In these cases, the service fee is still payable as I would have spent a lot of time trying to get them to work.
Typically I am happy to accept your unrepairable turntable in exchange for the service fee - and will offer a 10% discount on one of my turntables for sale - just to ensure you can spin some vinyl! ;)
Do you have a warranty?
Any turntable that I service, sell or repair has a 3 month warranty should problems arise.
What are your business hours?
I run my service from my home, and the day job still has to pay the bills, so my hours are somewhat restricted.
Typically during the week these are from 6PM to 8PM, and from 9AM to 11AM on weekends.
I do ask that you check in with me at least a day in advance so I can plan to be around :)
What don't you repair or service?
I don't repair or service the following:
- turntables that were made before 1970
- turntables that are part of 'all in one systems' - typically these have a tuner, amplifier, tape deck all in one unit
- B&O turntables
- Garrard 301 or Garrard 401 turntables
- Rewiring tonearms
- Tonearm bearings
Also, I only repair and service turntables. I leave amplifiers, speakers, tapedecks, CD players etc to people who specialise in them. I do know some very good people who repair them though :)
Other than that, almost everything else is good to go.
Do you service or repair 'modern' turntables?
Yes I do. This includes typical DJ turntables such as the Technics SL-1200MKII and the many variations of these fine decks.
If I don't live in Auckland, can you still service my turntable?
Indeed I can. You just need to package it up and send to my address - you can find this on my homepage.
A few things to keep in mind when sending your turntable:
- make sure you have a sturdy box. Typically a banana box works great
- mark the box clearly as FRAGILE
- tie the tonearm to the tonearm rest. Otherwise the tonearm and stylus could get damaged in transit
- remove the counterweight at the back of the tonearm, wrap it separately and place in the box
- place bubble wrap, scrunched up paper or something similar between the platter and the lid to ensure the platter doesn't fly off in transit. If this happens it can wreck your turntable
- place scrunched up paper between the turntable and box where possible to cushion it as much as possible.
- if you're not comfortable packaging your turntable, take it to someone who can package it properly and send for you. Packnsend has various options available and they have great boxes
Please note that if your turntable is not sent in adequate packaging and gets to me damaged then you will need to sort that out with the sender.
If I receive a turntable that isn't in a decent box, I will opt for repackaging. This is an additional cost to you.
While I take great care to package and return your turntable to you, I cannot be responsibe for damage in transit.
How do I pay?
When your turntable is ready, I will email you an invoice with the details of the work carried out and total cost.
You can choose to pay on collection (or before I send to you). You can pay in cash, by bank transfer (I will provide bank account details separately) or you can pay online by credit card (there is a 3% surcharge for this)
