I have recently acquired another pair of SL-1200s and have taken it apart to clean and service. I am having difficulties dating one of them. I have been to all the usual places for info on dating but none of them seem to help me on this occasion.
The serial number is MJ3K01D077 with SL-1200MK2-XGE written above it. The base has no provision for the extra metal bottom base I have seen on all other SL-1200s and SL-1210s and there is a larger diameter whole where the RCA and ground cables go. The power pack is also mounted differently to all other Mk2s I have seen with 4 screws holding it in place rather than 3.
The problem I have is that the serial number appears to be a later Mk2 but the base and top (plus internals) appear to be of the earlier spec. It doesn’t make sense, the serial number sticker looks very untampered and original.
There were two formats of serial. Yours appears to be an new format. If it was assembled from spare parts, that will only tell you when the base was manufactured. MJ3K01D077 would be either 1993 (if it has the 4" plate around the wiring) or 2003 in November “K”.
I agree with you… that LOOKS like an early one, but the serial format fits a later model. I believe original manufacture started CIRCA 1979. Later serial format started in the mid to late 80’s (if someone can confirm).
That base looks like it’s in pretty poor condition… unless you’re in the process of restoring it.
Yes I am restoring them and are completely stripped now. I got them in payment for changing my mates tonearm. The chap who gave them to me knew I had restored a pair in the past and I was happy to take them off his hands. They had been lying unused and unloved in the back of a club for about 10 years but they both function, just need a very good clean and de-gunk!
Some more info I just found
“early production units that both lacked mounting provisions for the internal “bottom base” (Technics part # SFAU122-02) and possessed a different style of dust cover hinges”
“the SL-1200MK2s from the 1970s and early 1980s have a 4-inch-diameter (100 mm) plate where the RCA and ground wires enter the chassis in the rubber base of the unit”
if technics uses the same serials universally, then anything other than a GE.. is pre-95. In your case, it’s either nov 93 or nov 83, I would bet the former
