A bit of sad news.
RIP
Panasonic announces Technics production to cease in February 2010

The Technics SL-1200 and Technics SL-1210 turntables have shaped the world we know today. Featured in the London Museum of Science and Technology they are regarded as a major stepping stone in how music is played and presented.

We have just heard the sad new from Panasonic (the manufacturer of Technics) that production of the world famous Technics SL-1200 and SL-1210 DJ turntables will stop at the end of February 2010. This marks the end of an era - Technics have been the industry standard for over 35 years with this turntable and the SL-1200 is synonymous with the DJ culture. It has been released and re-released over 9 times with different models and numerous other manufacturers have tried to compete with this deck, but above all, the Technics SL-1200 & Technics SL-1210 are the undisputed number one deck in the world.

How bling and dainty.

good riddance to toy record players methinks.....

Never been a lover of the SL1200 or 1210, but I am concerned they're being dropped. The DJ culture brought vinyl back to life and still accounts for a significant proportion of vinyl sales. If future DJs can't ge a hold of reasonably priced DD record decks, they won't be able to play vinyl - and therefore they won't buy vinyl.

This is BAD news for vinylistas.

I don't own one of these but have heard a couple that have been highly modded & I think some here may well be shocked by what can be achieved not quite an SP10 but very close!!

On an emotional note, I am sorry to hear this.

On a rational note, I never understood what was so big about them. I've tried out a few with some care, but whatever I did to them, they never managed to beat my trusty old Dual CS604 with an Ortofon LM30 cartridge. In some respects, they were worse, and in some better, but overall, that was about it, no real hard difference between them.

I believe what JSB said to be quite true. They were probably very good bases, but were forever let down by their arms. Best example is an acquaintance, who after fiddling with it for about 3 months, finally managed to install an Infinity Black Widow tone arm from 1975. Now, that was a quantum leap.

I would also remind all that it was not Technics, but Denon (previously named Nippon Columbia) who manufactured professional radio station and studio turntables since the late 1920-ies. Matsushita/Technics simply had a much bigger advertising budget.

dj's don't really figure anymore with vinyl as most of them use cd....even for scratching ! Pathetic ain't it ?
I never agreed with that argument about DJ's saving the record anyway.....how many djs played LPs ???

Us freaks will keep it going like we always did !!!

The technics was in my op a horrible thing when sound quality was taken into account !!
It did lead to a lot of tosh being written by a certain editor of a certain hi fi mag .I will mention no name ( David Price .....oops ) ! So I suppose it had that use at least.
Bass isn't everything David.....ahhh, unless your in a club !!!

Check this site out, It's a dealer but shows what can be done with these 'DJ' decks

http://www.soundhifi.com/sl1200/index.htm

KAB do alot of mods too

http://www.kabusa.com/frameset.htm?/m1200.htm

They can really be made to sing & at a fraction of the price of alot of decks, that they'll embarrass!

Sorry matey....but I heard one with a 400 quid arm and a decent cart n amp ...it was not good !!
Yer can buy a decent deck ready to go for well under a grand so why fanny about trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear ???
OK for clubs and parties though if your not after HI FI quality !

Mark go to the wigwam show, there will be one or two there & give them a listen! I'd put one up against ANY £1k deck you could by new today & my money would be on the 'DJ' decks!

Like I say ...I don't need to I had a listen !
Have You actually heard any £ 1000 serious record players yourself to compare it to ??
I would do or you might end up losing a lot of cash !!!!
Maybe we're listening for different things eh ?
They were'nt made for hi fidelity music re production after all .

Mark if you look into there history they started life as an Hi-Fi deck that the DJ set took over!
http://www.soundhifi.com/images/Hi%20Fi%20World%20SL-1200.pdf

Yes I've heard & owned quite a few decks over the years Systemdek (which I still own) LP12, Rock, Gyrodeck, 401 etc & I'm about to re-plinth a Denon DP-6000 so I've got a little experience.

I don't intend buying a 1210 I'm just saying that there a very good deck with a few changes i.e. arm, mat, PSU, feet which is nothing more than people do all the time with other decks!

May-be we are listening for different things & I thought it was a bit of a joke until I heard one!

If you do get to the wigwam show & you should if possible, just give one another listen & while your at it a Technics SP10 too stunning deck IMO