Photo courtesy of Drew Bach and DJWorks

Over the years, we heard the rumors and we didn’t want to believe it. Technics was discontinuing the production of our beloved 1200 series turntables. The workhorse turntable we all have used was going away, for good. Blame the iPod, blame the computer, blame cheaper, inferior turntables. You can blame digital technology if you want, but they were going away. These 1200’s just weren’t selling like they used to. How could they at that price (sometimes up to $900 or a single turntable)? A new generation discovered DJing through digital, not analog means. Three years ago, we broke down and bought a new 1200 MK6 and it cost us $660. Mind you, it was the first ever new 1200 series FMF ever bought. We still have the same pair we bought used close to 20 years ago. Sure they need maintenance, but throw some of these other turntables in a flight case or coffin and they won’t last half the time of 1200’s. They are industry standard and have been for quite a long time. So what is the DJ community going to do? Numark, Stanton, and Vestax have put out some turntables, but somehow they never caught on like the mack daddy 1200. Personally, I’ve tried a few others and they just don’t feel like my Technics does. However, there might be a solution for DJs in the very near future.

Skip to 55:25 to hear Q Bert let the cat out of the bag kind of

Q Bert slipped up in January while performing and speaking on the MikiDz, and let on that Pioneer might be working on a secret turntable. While we have no idea whether his comment prompted parent company Panasonic to expedite this new product to the public at a trade show or not, the turntable being displayed certainly got the discussion going. The company had a turntable that closely resembled the Technics 1200 in a case at Musikmesse 2014. It looked very good from what we can see, and not a one off prototype. Let’s call it an updated turntable for today: the Pioneer 1200. While you might expect an tricked out, full of gizmo super tech replacement, it seems that this is very close to the original turntable with a few updates. Removable RCAs and power cord, plus some pitch lever adjustments as well. No ethernet or USB ports. All in all, what it’s made to do: be hooked up to a mixer and play records. Now we have no idea here at FMF what is up, but this looks pretty darn close to a replacement for the 1200s without compromising anything. Only time will tell. Thanks to Doc Nu for passing it along to us.

Check out DJ Work for a more in depth look at the mysterious turntable.

Keep Diggin’!