my first 1200 – sabo

myfirst1200.jpg

my first 1200

SABO

what was your first turntable / setup?

2 belt drives, one was a technics 1800-something and it had a pitch knob, the other was some no name without pitch control. i can’t remember what mixer it was, but was just 2 channels and no EQs. i used to practice like 4-5 hours a day on that set-up.

at what point did you get your first technics turntable(s)?

end of summer ’93. I worked construction all summer framing development houses. the guys on the crew thought i was gay b/c i had those little silver hoop earrings in BOTH ears.

did you get the 1200(s) from a store? how did you get the money to pay for the 1200(s)?

I bought my first Technics 1200s set up used, at a pawn shop in North Philly. I went with an older skater friend of mine, and he talked the guy down to $550. They were European 1200s with a voltage converter on the plug. I also got this sick 4 channel Numark mixer with the deal, that had an 8 band EQ with volume faders. It was great for tweaking, but the fader was stuck like glue. That shit was like 2 feet wide and heavy.

how did you feel when you got your first technics turntable(s)?

so excited like i just shotgun’ed 8 Red Bulls.

what is your favorite feature or aspect of the technics turntable?

i used to trip out on the patterns the dots make on the platter. But definately the fact that they don’t stop working, and never lose there value. I sold that same set up 5 years later to someone for $500, and they were psyched.

ed.note:

the visuals

About ph

co-founder of the Lab. grew up in MD, splays in the EV... ends his thoughts in...