Picked Up Vintage Turntables

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thomas1831

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Can anyone give me some info on the Technics SL-1800 turntables. I got the tables and a Numark DM-950 mixer for very very cheap. The tables work great, I am very impressed. I just want to know if they are decent tables or not (for scratching/hiphop).

Thanks
 
Yes, indeed. You have some vintage tables.

However, they are VERY hard to use for "blends".

If I remember correctly, they have a knob for pitch control instead of a slide rule (but then again it might have been the Technic 1100's).

It's been soooooooo long. I bought my first pair of 1200's in 1982. :rolleyes:
 
I would say to hold onto the 1800's as a collectors item....

You still need to get some 1200's
 
Yeah the tables have pitch knobs not a faders.. I got the tables for $50 canadian each. Im just starting out so do you recomend getting the 1200's too??

thanks for the reply
 
Thomas,

you got some ill-assed 'tables for mixing & blends.
I learned on them & still rave about them to this day.
To sum them up in a word, s-m-o-o-t-h.

Smooth, smooth, smooth.

Since you own them, I think you should without a doubt, most definately, learn how to mix with them. It'll give you sensitivity on the wheels that learning on 1200s can't begin to give you. I still swear those are the best training wheels ever (by today's turntable standards). When other manufacturers started making pro-grade turntables that were just as nice (or nicer) than 1200s - with different but equally dope action, my hands-on with the 1800s gave me the latitude to run from 'table to 'table without crying about it - just the sensitivity & manual dexterity to quickly commence to heating shit up.

That being said, (like dude just told you) you still should own a short stack of 1200s (or something comparable).

Lucky guy, you are...
 
Yes, I agree with Huck Hobo.

The 1800's will make thomas1831 the MASTER at "blending". But it will definitely take thomas1831 a considerably longer time to learn how to "blend", if he doesn't already know how to blend.

Yeah, I think that they would be good for him if he was spinning "house" or "disco", but for playing "hip-hop" the 1200's would be a better choice of turntable.

If t1831 is spinning hip-hop, it should take him 4 seconds to get it on beat. Once t1831 becomes proficeint at blending on the 12's, he will not have to pre-cue the record. He can just "scratch start" or "start" the blend and "ride the pitch".

It would be a lot harder for t1831 to do that with 18's (I'm assuming that t1831 does not know how to mix [blend]).

He should definitely keep the 18's, because they are vintage tables.

He should definitely practice blending on the 18's, because they will make him UNTOUCHABLE on the mix (blend).

He should get an extra pair of 12's, because he has to learn how to mix on them.

No matter where he goes on the planet Earth, there are 12's. At EVERY club, radio station, DMC shop, etc... the 1200's are being used because they are the industry standard.

I would tell him similar info if he was inquiring about mixers.

If he wanted to learn how to scratch I'd suggest a Vestax. But if he wanted to get into the DMC, I'd suggest a Technics SHEX.

If he wanted to learn how to scratch I'd suggest a Vestax. But if we wanted to play in clubs, I'd suggest a Pioneer 5000 or 6000.

Once again, I would suggest that you hold on to the 1800's for practice and as a collectors item. But you should also pick up a pair of 1200's, used or new (you could get a pair of covers for them for about $35 USD).
 
If you wanna try to backcue/scratch a bit with them, hold the wax by the edge.

It'll cause you to apply just a bit of lift to the record so it doesn't apply so much pressure to the platter mechanism when you backcue. Be reasonably gentle with them and you can get a bit of work done with them.

As for the 1800s being harder to use (at least on the mix side), I dunno...
Some say stick shifts are harder to drive than automatics, at least at first, but
I can't say that learning to drive a stick in grandpappy's old 3-speed ford truck is
any more difficult than a 5 speed honda. Then again, when I learned both the 'tables & the truck I was a teenager & didn't know enough of the good to know what was bad, nor did I know CARE what was bad as long as I had wheels that worked!!

BTW - the biggest difference for me to adjust to between 1200s & 1800s was the super-strong pulsing the quartz lock does on the 12s.

I can't begin to suggest what 'tables/mixers to use to scratch or blend, except based on budget & need - plenty of 'em work fine (well, fine enough), but I can tell you again to practice mixing with those 1800s you got - if you can work an accapella over an instrumental & not have any bending or warping going on with the vocals as the mix runs, you'll be even better than all good in the 'hood.

Spin is right, 1200s are pretty much everywhere, EXCEPT B.E.T.'s Rap City in the basement. Numark everything all day long - an M.C.(slash aspiring dj) potna of mines hipped me to that a few weeks ago.

good luck...
 
Ok, Huck Hobo. I see that we are both 'old school' DJ's. :)

I totally forgat that back-in-the-day we used to grab the records by the edge to scratch (because most TT's were belt driven).

I don't remember how strong the motors were on the 18's, but if they are not as strong as the 12's he shouldn't take to timt to initially[.i] train on the 18's.

I am not trying to argue with you Huck Hobo. I am sure that we are giving t1831 two different, but somewhat similar views on the subject.

As t1831 becomes proficient at scratching the hold-the-side-of-the-record technique will not be adequate (because of difficultly of the scratch patterns of the present, (ie: "flares, crabs, etc...").

I agree that back in 1981, I didn't care what kind of TT's I used to learn how to mix. Plus, most of us didn't have the money to individual buy some 12's. So, we (see: our parents) pulled our money together to buy a set of 12's to share. We all had belt drive TT's, but on certain days certain people had the 12's.

All I am saying is that if t1831 is learning how to mix and scratch then he should learn on the industry standard.Because if he learns on the 18's then he will have to re-learn on the 12's (or any of the other TT's out there because they all use the slide-rule for pitch control).

I think that the 18's will definitely make him GREAT at blending, because he will learn how to make minute adjust with the pitch wheel and by having to use a weaker motor.

So, once again, I agree that driving a stick-shift gives your more control of your vehicle, but it will also take you longer to learn how to drive.

Peace...

spin

PS: I am not trying to argue with you, Huck Hobo. We are just giving t1831 added information. :)
 
SPINSTERWUN said:
I am not trying to argue with you, Huck Hobo. We are just giving t1831 added information. :)
Click to expand...


I don't know what you're talking about, but it doesn't matter.

:)
 
SPINSTERWUN said:
......PS: I am not trying to argue with you, Huck Hobo. We are just giving t1831 added information. :)
Click to expand...

I was just making sure that we were cool, because some people would take our back-and-forth posts out of context. I am glad that you are not one of those pedestrian individuals. :p
 
what would the 1800's be worth do you think??? I can't find much Info on the net about them..... I am getting to the point where i can mix some acapellas and instrumentals pretty good starting to work on scratching and mixing more now.. Thanks for all the info guys
 
It might be an option if i decide to get 1200's in the future (I have notice that the 1200's are quite $$$$) Everyone says to keep them as collectors items but I want something that is up to date and is industry standard. I am not saying I am going to sell them for sure its just an option incase i don't have enough cash for 1200's in the future.

Thanks again
 
If you look around in some of the trade periodicals or on EBAY, you can pick up a pair of 12's for roughly $150 to $250 USD. ;)

If they look kind of "weathered", you could buy some custom colored covers (the 1200 covers should cost you $25 to $35 USD).

You should keep the 18's, I'm tring to tell ya'........ :p

If you are seriously considering selling the 18's, could make you some serious money (if you sold them in Chicago [to some old school "house" dj's or record stores]).

If you decide to sell the 18's, PM and email me. I will help you.
 
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