Turntable Restoration & Custom Builds
The turntable you’ve always wanted, restored or built in your colour
We bring turntables back to full working order on our bench, and we can find, service and custom-finish a classic deck for you, like the purple Technics SL-1200 Mk II on this page.
The short answer
- Custom builds: we source a Technics SL-1200 Mk II, give it a full service, finish it in any colour you choose and fit our Radique Audio upgrade cables. About 60 to 90 days from order. Quote on request, paid in full when you order.
- Restoring your own turntable: a bench fee at intake, then a quote. The bench fee is applied to your final bill.
- Every serviced turntable is tested again by a different tech before it goes home.
- Drop-off and pickup at our Kanata location. We don’t ship turntables, because the risk of transit damage is too high.
Custom build: a Technics SL-1200 Mk II in purple
We built this SL-1200 Mk II for one of our customers: sourced, fully serviced and refinished in purple. We also replaced its old stock interconnects with our own Radique Audio Gold Series Interconnects, for a quieter, more detailed signal from the cartridge to the amplifier. Want one like it in your colour? We can build it for you.
What’s in a custom build
- We find the deck. We source a Technics SL-1200 Mk II for your build. Have another model in mind? Ask us.
- A full service to our turntable bench standard: platter bearing, speed, tonearm, cueing and wiring, plus whatever that deck needs. On the one pictured, the tonearm was rebuilt.
- Custom paint in any colour you choose, a multi-coat finish by a tech with an autobody refinishing background.
- Radique Audio Gold Series Interconnects in place of the old stock cables, for a quieter signal path. Here’s why turntable cables matter.
- The dust cover restored, buffed and lightly sanded as it needs.
- A second bench test by a different tech before it’s yours.
Price and timing
- Price: quote on request. It depends on the deck, the finish and the options you choose.
- Payment: paid in full when you order, so we can buy the donor deck right away.
- Timing: about 60 to 90 days from order.
Finding the right deck is usually the longest step, so the clock starts as soon as your order is in.
Restoring your own turntable
Bring us the deck you already love. We service belt, direct and idler drive turntables.
Full service
Platter bearing cleaned and lubricated, speed set at 33⅓ and 45 rpm, tonearm balanced with tracking force and anti-skate set, cueing and automatic functions tested, and wiring and ground checked.
Tonearm and cable repairs
Tonearm rebuilds, replacement tonearm cables, and Gold Series upgrades for decks with fixed cables.
Cartridge and stylus
Cartridge aligned, and the stylus or cartridge replaced when it needs it.
Custom paint
Your deck refinished in the colour you choose, with the same multi-coat finish as our custom builds.
Dust cover restoration
Scratched or hazy covers buffed and lightly sanded.
Wood plinth work
From small cosmetic repairs to full restoration, through our custom wood veneer service.
How restoration pricing works
Restoration starts with a bench fee at intake, sized to the issues you describe. Most bench fees are $45 to $195. We diagnose the deck and give you a quote. If you go ahead, the bench fee is applied to your final bill. If you decide not to proceed, it’s retained to cover the diagnostic bench time. The details are on our Audio Service page.
How it works
A custom build
- Tell us what you want: the model and the colour.
- We send you a quote.
- You order and pay in full.
- We build it: we source the deck, then service it, paint it and fit the cables.
- Second bench test by a different tech.
- You pick it up, about 60 to 90 days after ordering.
Restoring your deck
- Email us the model and what’s wrong. Photos help.
- Drop it off. We take the bench fee at intake.
- We diagnose it and confirm the work and the price with you.
- Bench work, then a second bench test by a different tech.
- You pick it up, with a 90 day warranty on the work completed.
Turntable restoration FAQ
How much does a custom Technics SL-1200 Mk II cost?
Custom builds are quoted on request, because the price depends on the deck we source, the finish and the options you choose. Email us the model and colour you have in mind and we’ll send you a quote.
How long does a custom build take?
About 60 to 90 days from when you order. Finding the right deck is usually the longest step.
How do I pay for a custom build?
Custom builds are paid in full when you order, so we can buy the donor deck right away.
Can I choose any colour?
Yes. Tell us the colour you’d like, and we’ll finish your deck in it.
Can you find a turntable other than the SL-1200 Mk II?
Ask us. Tell us the model you’re after, and we’ll let you know whether we can find one and what it would take.
How much does it cost to restore my turntable?
Restoration starts with a bench fee at intake, sized to the issues you describe; most are $45 to $195. We diagnose the deck and give you a quote. If you go ahead, the bench fee is applied to your final bill.
What does a turntable service include?
Every turntable we service has its platter bearing cleaned and lubricated, its speed set at 33⅓ and 45 rpm, its tonearm balanced with tracking force and anti-skate set, its cueing and automatic functions tested, and its cartridge, stylus, wiring and ground checked, then a play test. Belts, drive mechanisms, cartridges, tonearm cables and dust covers are done as each deck needs. See our turntable bench standard.
Do you ship turntables?
No. The risk of transit damage is too high, so turntable work is drop-off and pickup at our Kanata location.
Is restoration work guaranteed?
Yes. Restoration work on your turntable carries a 90 day warranty on the work completed, and every job passes a second bench test by a different tech before it goes home.
Ready to start?
Tell us the turntable you’d like restored or built, and the colour you have in mind.
Want your turntable as quiet as it can be? Read our Turntable Connectivity FAQ.