Pioneer PL-12D
Thanks for the feedback petherick. I was worried my soldering in off new phono leads was the problem,but i took your advice and moved the phonos away from the mains cable and it seems to have stopped my deck doubling up as a tuner!
I hope someone here can help with my PL12D, just resurrected from the garage after I inherited it from my Dad. I am glad to hear all the praise as i remember it banging out Simon and Garfunkel many times back in the 70s! Straight from the garage, it powers up and the basic functions seem to work apart from the sound. Plugged into my Cambridge Audio amp, sound is there but very quite - i have to put the amp to full vol to get any decent sound. Any ideas what i need to do? I think it will need a new belt, oiling etc and maybe a replacement for the Shure M75ED but any views as to why its not amplifying? thanks
Does your amp have a phono stage otherwise you need an external one.
er.....that is a very good point, and the answer is no! So, the search begins....many thanks for the enlightenment!
I have a PL12D which has not been used for 20 years but seeing this thread has awakened my interest again.
Can anyone tell me what oil to use as I have no idea?
Snake oil ? 
I have to say I used to have a PL12D first time round (ie the 70's - that's the decade, not my age) and wasn't that impressed with it. It was OK but nothing special. Or am I just being a party pooper?
To be fair £40 is nothing in the scheme of things and we all like to play. I bought myself an old Thorens 160 about a year ago but it's sadly now gathering dust upstairs as I've decide to focus on computer audio (not enough space in the lounge basically). Don't write me off as anti-analogue though; any format can sound great if done well, and having bought 2000 records in a very short space of time for about £200 analogue is a great way of getting content cheaply, particularly classical.
I have a PL12D which has not been used for 20 years but seeing this thread has awakened my interest again.
Can anyone tell me what oil to use as I have no idea?
After a bit of research following picking up a PL-12 myself it appears that sewing machine oil is regarded as best. Nice and cheap and free from your mother's/gran's sewing box or a couple of quid at your local sewing shop 
Thoughts of the 70's makes me want to resurect my Garrard 86SB I. Just wondered if the same cartridge choice applies to this deck. Need to get my 10cc vinyl dusted ...
cheers
Ah, fond memories of the debate the used to run in HiFi Answers as to whether the PL12D was better than the Trio KD1033B or the other way around. David@Frank is right, the Shure was always the cartridge for the Pioneer, whereas the Trio tended to have an Audio Technica.
I was a Trio boy then a Rega then my Townsend Rock
Vinyl rules!
I hope someone here can help with my PL12D, just resurrected from the garage after I inherited it from my Dad. I am glad to hear all the praise as i remember it banging out Simon and Garfunkel many times back in the 70s! Straight from the garage, it powers up and the basic functions seem to work apart from the sound. Plugged into my Cambridge Audio amp, sound is there but very quite - i have to put the amp to full vol to get any decent sound. Any ideas what i need to do? I think it will need a new belt, oiling etc and maybe a replacement for the Shure M75ED but any views as to why its not amplifying? thanks
Ive just nabbed my Dads old PL-12D from Mums, because no matter what I do, I cant get The Boxer to sound how I remember it in the 70's. Neither CD or Spotify or AAC, just hasnt got the same scale that I remember from way back then.
I need to give it a bit of a service but other than that it seems in great order.
I've just bought one of these on ebay for 40 quid. It looks in decent nick (from the photos anyway), and hopefully it will give me good playback of my old vinyl (currently gathering dust in attic). How good were these decks? Is there anything i should do to improve sound, bare in mind the deck is from 1973! I've bought a new belt but am a bit unsure of what modern cartridges would be compatable with this deck, also should i be thinking of servicing eg oiling of bearings. Thanks in advance.
A very good budget tt which could track some very good catridges I had 1 in1975 I hope it works ok I am sure it will a great machine in its day
The pioneer pl12d with it's standard shure m75ed cart are made for each other. if you hanker for a warm sound presentation and a nice rounded bass response, you can't go wrong with this combination. Different from a Rega with say, an ortofon or audio technica cart. If you don't want a bright and lively sound, and want to tame that treble, the pioneer pl12d with the shure m75ed or a nagaoka mp110 is a great way to go!
Great TT of it's time, in my study at school in the 70s a mate had one with a Sure and I had the Trio KD1033, I'm sure that mine was (of course) better but at the time the overall opinion was that the Pioneer was top dog. Enjoy the listening.
Have a AT440MLA cart on this deck now sounds wonderful. Have spent a fortune on vinyl in the last year all down to this 40 quid deck!
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The only problem i have is the deck seems to pick up either a MW or LW radio station late at night! At least it's in english (world service i think). Any ideas how to cure this strange problem?
Check that everything is earthed (arm wiring etc.) and that the earth connection to the amp is also properly made. Also check nothing 'inside' the deck has stray wiring and that the signal leads don't get too close to any mains cables.
Glad you're getting back into vinyl - it's the future!