Nakamichi Dragon CT turntable

I own one of these. It is the famous auto-centering turntable that Nakamichi made back in the 1980s. If you are unfamiliar with it, look here.

For the past 25 years it's mostly been in the box. I've pulled it out upon occasion for special projects. The last time was November and it was acting a bit funky. It would correct for out of round records when it was cold but after warming up, it would either say they are all perfect or uncorrectable. Not good. I bought the service manual back in the 1980s but I remember at the time thinking I should also buy the service parts package, with jigs, two test records, and extension cables so it can be taken apart and still run. I didn't. Now that's a problem. Nobody has those tools.

I've checked with some folks who I hoped could service it. One said he could but it would be a project and not to expect any specific completion date. Even so, I might send it into that shop. Nobody else wants to touch it.

I'd really like to get it fixed so I could sell it. It should be used again full time. It's a really fun, unique and good sounding turntable.

I'm putting it out to you folks. Do you know anybody who would want to fix my Dragon CT turntable? I wouldn't hold them to anything. After all, it is a high tech piece that's 30 years old. Parts are certainly unavailable. But it might be just an alignment and replacing some power supply caps. I don't know. I would like someone to check. I'd pay them to at least look and give me an estimate.

Who can fix my Nakamichi Dragon CT turntable?

 

You might also try Audio Asylum.

 

You might also try Willy Hermann. He's got a good rep for Nak cassette machines, dunno about TTs.

Northern California.

http://www.willyhermannservices.com/

 

PM Vidiot. He owns one, I believe. He may have a lead on where to get it serviced.

 

Willie rebuilt my Dragon cassette deck. Great guy. I asked him and he couldn't help me. He recommended ESL in Connecticut and they were also unable to do it. Neither had have parts or the service kit. I can't blame them for not wanting to get involved. Heck, I can't blame anybody who doesn't want to dive down this rabbit hole. I have always admired a service tech who knows when to punt.

I'll check with Vidiot.

I need to call Pyramid in Austin, TX. Also good folks. They fixed a Pioneer tuner and a Levinson ML-7 preamp for me. I don't know why I haven't thought of them before today.

I'll check with Audio Asylum, posting on AVS and Audiogon, too, as long as I'm at it.

 

Yeah, that's an awesome turntable with some amazing features...I can see why you're trying to get it fixed!

 

I did own one, but actually opted to sell it last year to a guy in Germany for $3000 (!!!), about twice what I paid for it back in the 1980s. Servicing was a big issue, and mine also stopped auto-centering records a few years ago. I had just been using it as a turntable, and I felt I could get better or equal performance from a Technics SL-1015. What's interesting is that the guy in Germany already had a Dragon CT, and wanted a second one just as a spare! At least he knew exactly what the issues were, and I included my service manual along with it.

The Nakamichi was very reliable for about the first 20 years I owned it, and I suspect if there are problems with the o.p.'s, the circuits are pretty straightforward and it could just boil down to dried-out caps and stuff like that. I don't think there was anything exotic in there at all. But you'd have to find somebody who was willing to do component-level service, which is getting to be a lost art. If Pyramid is willing to do it in your area, I bet it'll be pretty straightforward in terms of parts, provided the switches and motors are all still in good shape.

 

If you are willing to ship it, try calling The Soundsmith in Peekskill, NY.....expensive, but they know thier stuff.

 

Doh... the Nak CT weighs about 60 pounds and has a glass platter, and you have to pack it very, very, very carefully for shipment. Luckily for me, I always keep all my original boxes and manuals, so we were able to ship it all the way to Germany (for about $300) without a single dent, ding, or problem.

 

I, too, have my box but it is beat. It would make a fine inner box, but still, I might even crate the turntable for shipping. Vidiot's right. The thing is a beast and the box is too big. I've also resigned myself to driving to the service center if it is within a long day's drive, say 1,1oo miles.

I will call Pyramid on Monday, Vidiot. I also might try a couple of techs in Colorado I know who might have the servicing parts. I could kick myself for not buying them way back when. I saw this day coming. Thanks for your help.

 

I salute your integrity and dedication to duty!

I've had to do similar things in my time, and it is a drag -- but hopefully you'll only have to get it fixed once and it'll be done.

 

ggerm,
I see that you are in MN. Have you talked to Dave at HiFi Sound in Minneapolis? He'd be my first choice...or he may just refer you to someone else qualified. Also, just today I saw an ad posted on Craigslist (Minneapolis, electronics section) where someone is looking to buy one of these..

 

Thanks for the lead. I live down by Winona but am going up to the Twin Cities on Wednesday and will have a day to kill. I'll talk to Dave and follow up on the Craigslist listing.

 

Here's a few links to service repair:
http://www.soundadviceblog.com/recommended-repair-centers/
http://www.eslabs.com/nakmodels.htm
http://www.nakremotes.com/Geo/Nak_Belts.htm

 

Thanks, David. I've contacted a few of those repair centers listed in the links but certainly not all of them. I'll make some calls.

I also still haven't called Pyramid Audio in Austin, TX. This has become a back burner project, especially knowing if they say yes, I've either got to drive it there (doable in a day at 1200 miles) and/or create a shipping crate, or at least triple box it. In any case, it would be both work and money.

 

Too bad you can schedule it when SXSW is going on. That would be worth the trip.

 

Now you're talking but it just passed. Maybe the Austin City Limits Music Festival. That's in October.

 

The Dragon CT is a very rare bird to begin with. And a beast to find spare parts or knowledgeable repair technicians to repair. I have heard that Micro Seiki (regrettably defunct) had a heavy hand in it's build and design.

 

I've heard the same thing. The original Nak self-centering turntable, the TX-1000, was built by Nakamichi but it was never designed to be a mass merchandised product. Micro-Seiki at least built if not engineered the Dragon CT.

Yeah, it's rare. If I get it fixed, I'm sure I'll sell it. The top price I've seen so far for a Dragon CT is $3,500 and that was a few years ago. Imagine I had a fully restored one in very good condition for sale. How much would that be worth?

 

GGergm- this may seem like an obvious, and therefore stupid idea, but why not try to reach somebody at Nakamichi? Sure, this is a 'legacy' product, but there may be somebody that knows who was around from the old days. I've found this to be true with all sorts of defunct stuff, not just hi-fi, where somebody who worked at the company is the keeper of the flame or at least knows the people who were involved back in the day. They, in turn, might know somebody who has parts, etc.
Does it have a repair manual that you know if?
Cool 'table. Legendary, in fact.

 

Ggerm, here's one to keep an eye on to see what it bids out:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nakamichi-D...pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item1e7989acaa

 

I've got the service manual. The problem is the servicing parts - test records, jigs, extension cables to make it work when torn apart, things like that, that I can kick myself for not buying in the 1980s. As I mentioned upthread, they were available to me and I knew this day would come.

A call to Nakamichi is an obvious one I haven't made. I know from twenty years ago that Nakamichi USA completely disappeared for a while so any legacy information or parts would be second hand. But it's worth a shot.

Thanks. I hadn't seen that. It will be interesting to see what that Dragon CT goes for. It's already at $1,925 with 7 days left in the auction. The final price could inspire me to get mine working well.

 

Forget the US subsidiary. Reach out to japan. Isn't the founder still around? He might be a good source. It may take a little detective work, but that's part of the 'fun,' right?

 

Etsuro Nakamichi was the founder and he passed twenty years ago but his only son, Ted Nakamichi, who brought the product to the US in the 1970s, may still be around. He was involved with the company a decade ago. He'd be in his 70s by now. Worth a shot. He was always helpful back when.

A story from 1977: I was working my first stereo job in Ft. Collins, Colorado, in a small independent store. I had a customer interested in Nakamichi's microphones (a product of Nakamichi Research - they were strong advocates and heavily invested in three microphone recording systems and techniques). The literature was minimal at that point and what existed was a bad translation from Japanese to English. It was unclear whether they were low or high impedance microphones. My customer would stop by the store and I'd call Nakamichi USA. I never could find anybody who knew the answer, or could communicate it as the language barrier at that point was a big one. Once I even got the Japanese janitor. Everyone promised to call back. One day I got a phone call at the store. The voice on the other end said, in perfect English, "This is Ted Nakamichi. I hear you have a question about our microphones. What is it?"

He knew the answer.

 

I have a Nakamichi CT for sale in 100% working order, original packaging with all the jigs and alignment records and a Nak1000 moving coil cart
Any ideas what that combo would be worth?