I want advice on buying a turntable please. I am looking for an affordable 3-speed turntable, with cartridge and stylus to handle the different speeds. I would like to purchase one new or used to play records from the 1910's, 30's, and 40's. I have an old Fisher system with a phono input on the back of the amplifier. What brand would you recommend? A retail salesman selling new and used turntables recommended a used Dual turntable with stylus for all speeds. Might this be a good move for his quoted "under $200.00"? Thank you.
In the current market a used Dual 10** or 12** series table would very likely be your best choice given your price range. The higher the last two digits in the model #, the higher the quality of the table.
Hold sufficient money back for a good refurbish job as any of those models will be at least 30-40 years old. All but a few of the 10/12 series tables would be in need of new rim drive pucks and a clean up of the bearing grease at a bare minimum. They might work as is but you would be spending wise money to have a qualified tech look at the table.
Automatic functions vary from table to table with most of the Duals capable of stacking discs though most of the stacking spindles no longer function as designed. This does not mean the mechanisms controlling the auto functions aren't in need of refurbishment. Extra $$$ for dustcovers though, if you have one, you should play your discs with the cover removed.
Your Fisher might not be capable of working with a magnetic cartridge and expects to see a ceramic cartidge's output. If that's the case, then the Dual is not your best choice in turntable. Check the owner's manual for the Fisher for more information on phono inputs.