I have recently been buying and restoring vintage 70’s turntables. Technics, MCS,Kenwood, JVC, Akai, Sony, even found a ADS/Braun P2 and Brought it back to life. Gotta love that German engineering. I really enjoy working on them, but I really want to take a crack at some of the behemoths out there, Gerard, BIC, Thorens, Yamaha, Pioneer, but even in poor shape, they are expensive. But today it happened, and it happened big time.  A FB ad for a pioneer PL50  
The photos were amazing, the description said works as it should, I kicked around spending $300 - it probably wouldn’t need  
More than a good service and new Cart. But I decided no. As I want to repair one and then enjoy the hell out of it.  A week later it’s still for sale reduced to $200, hum, nobody snatched this up ???? So I make the move. I ask a few simple questions, has it ever been serviced? Does it function. The reply, it works as it should. I tell the seller I want to buy it, but first I need to inspect and check the speed. Check the oiler for the motor and check the nylon bushing for the spindle.  Seller goes radio silent.  I figure I’ll give him some space. An hour later I look at the listing and it says sold, my heart sank, I F’d around and lost the opportunity.  After beating my self up over screwing around and loosing the purchase. I text the seller and say Congrats on the sale, someone got a great deal.  But really I was hoping that he would come back and say, he marked it sold because I said I wanted to buy, but nothing, all quiet, then after about an hour he text back and said he marked it sold because it was broken.  It had worked fine the last time he used it/tested it. he had recently moved and assumed it still worked and so decided to sell it.  Actually it was his dad’s and he recently passed away, and he really doesn’t do vinyl. I take the opportunity to ask him if he would just sell it to me for $100 - telling him, I always wanted a big old TT to restore and he can make a few bucks.  He goes radio silent again for an hour. Now I think I really messed up and I kinda feel like a dick because it was working before and now its not and it’s probably a simple fix and well worth $200 and I tried to be a cheapskate and probably blew the deal.  Then I get the text. “I want you to have it, for free. My dad would want it to go to someone who will appreciate it and use it. I insist on paying, he refuses. I set up a time to pick up, thinking I’ll just pay him when I get there, I’m almost to his house and he text. Can’t be home, it’s on the front porch, enjoy.  When I get there, it’s not there. I ring the doorbell and his wife answers  
Hang on let me get it for you, she come out carrying this beautiful Pioneer PL50, I try to pay, she refuses, said her  husband really wants me to just have it. As I walk away she says, after you put that in your truck come back for the other one. What other one?  Oh his dad had two, we think the other one was for parts because it’s not as nice and the dust cover is all busted up. She brings out a Pioneer PL41D. I am floored, and extremely excited, I try to pay again, she refuses.  
All the way home I can’t believe what just happened. I’m so excited to get these back in service, they are going to look awesome side by side, spinning the vinyl.

It happened- vintage Pioneer