New Feet for a Busted Vestax PDX-2000
I recently bought two broken Vestax PDX-2000s thinking that I could frankenstein together one working turntable. This was a success. Earlier this year when I did the same thing with some Numark turntables, I found myself left with a bunch of spare parts.
The PDX-2000 (at least the original) has issues with its feet. Not only did Vestax use a plastic "bolt" (which breaks for many of its users), but they go ahead and add insult to injury by charging ~$30 per foot for new ones. Not upgraded, diesel ones, just new crappy ones that can break again. So I needed to find an alternate. Looking through the turntable parts I had sitting around, I noticed how simple and sturdy the Numark feet are. Also, you can get them online for about $6 each. So, I wanted to find a simple way to use the Numark feet (these were from the cheap TT-200, but are also found on the TT-500 and TTX). In digging through the local hardware store, I found a simple solution that costs all of $3.00 total -- the plain steel flat-type speed nut. See pictures below.
*Disclaimer: take your PDX-2000 apart at your own risk. It's simple, but I'm not a certified Vestax repair fella, so be careful. Definitely make sure your turntable is unplugged before opening it up.
First, remove the base of the turntable. I'm not going to show any pictures because it's just a matter of removing a bunch of screws.
About $.30 - .40 each at your local hardware store. Get 8 of them.
Screw one of the speed nuts all the way onto the foot (bowed upwards).
Now take that foot and place the bolt through one of the four foot holes in the base of the turntable. Screw on a second speed nut (bowed downwards) until it gets snug. Don't overtighten it, because a) it's not necessary, and b) since the bolt on the Numark feet is so short, there's almost no clearance between the "bubble" in the base of the PDX-2000 and the surface it rests on (mine has between 1/8" and 1/4").
Here's a picture of both speed nuts clamping down on each other with the base plate in between.
You can kind of get a feel for the clearance between the "bubble" in the base of the PDX and the surface it rests on in the picture above -- not very much.
Then, re-attach the base to the top portion of the turntable and you're set to go. Mine only gets used in the studio, so I don't need a super robust solution, but you could add Loctite to the speed nuts if you wanted them to stay in place more permanently.
The PDX-2000 (at least the original) has issues with its feet. Not only did Vestax use a plastic "bolt" (which breaks for many of its users), but they go ahead and add insult to injury by charging ~$30 per foot for new ones. Not upgraded, diesel ones, just new crappy ones that can break again. So I needed to find an alternate. Looking through the turntable parts I had sitting around, I noticed how simple and sturdy the Numark feet are. Also, you can get them online for about $6 each. So, I wanted to find a simple way to use the Numark feet (these were from the cheap TT-200, but are also found on the TT-500 and TTX). In digging through the local hardware store, I found a simple solution that costs all of $3.00 total -- the plain steel flat-type speed nut. See pictures below.
*Disclaimer: take your PDX-2000 apart at your own risk. It's simple, but I'm not a certified Vestax repair fella, so be careful. Definitely make sure your turntable is unplugged before opening it up.
First, remove the base of the turntable. I'm not going to show any pictures because it's just a matter of removing a bunch of screws.
About $.30 - .40 each at your local hardware store. Get 8 of them.
Screw one of the speed nuts all the way onto the foot (bowed upwards).
Now take that foot and place the bolt through one of the four foot holes in the base of the turntable. Screw on a second speed nut (bowed downwards) until it gets snug. Don't overtighten it, because a) it's not necessary, and b) since the bolt on the Numark feet is so short, there's almost no clearance between the "bubble" in the base of the PDX-2000 and the surface it rests on (mine has between 1/8" and 1/4").
Here's a picture of both speed nuts clamping down on each other with the base plate in between.
You can kind of get a feel for the clearance between the "bubble" in the base of the PDX and the surface it rests on in the picture above -- not very much.Then, re-attach the base to the top portion of the turntable and you're set to go. Mine only gets used in the studio, so I don't need a super robust solution, but you could add Loctite to the speed nuts if you wanted them to stay in place more permanently.
Labels: fixes, projects, turntables
posted by Sheldiack at 11:03 AM
9 Comments:
You totally hacked a record player dude.
I seriously love projects like this though. So many products have that one stupid flaw in an under-considered/under-engineered part of it's vital componentry that simply needs a little $5 hack to make it work better. Nice going.
thanks
you are a legend
My Vestax PDX-2000's have been my gigging decks for a number of years. My 1200's stay in the studio. I got a great deal on a pair and they've served me well. With a pair of heavy road cases they've stayed in great shape.
Except for the damn feet and their shitty plastic posts.
How are four feet going to spontaneously break while being kept in cases?
I just ordered five Numark feet for the price of one Vestax foot. You rule.
Now if I could figure out a way to replace the posts on the remaining functional Vestax feet I'd really be winning.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hey SHELDIACK, brilliant post. I'm having some trouble locating the replacement feet you mention in this post. The breaking feet was the only problem I have with my PDX 2000's and if you could re-direct to me a link I would be immeasurably grateful.
Hi J. Zhao,
You can get the Numark replacement feet directly from Numark at:
http://www.numark.com/content56413.html
Hope this helps -- thanks for stopping by.
God bless you sir!
Do you have any spare power switches for sale?
Thanks!
Nate
Great idea. Thanks!!
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