Technics SL-1200 & SL-1210 series turntables, were first manufactured in 1972 by Matsushita Electronics, Japan.

 

The prefix 'S' is an abreviation for "Stereo" and the 'L'  perhaps somewhat confusingly, is an abreviation for "Player".

 

Originally released as a Hi-Fi domestic turntable, it very quickly became a firm favourite among radio and club DJs.

 

 

Since its release in 1978, SL-1200 MK2 and its successors, became the definitive turntables for vinyl DJing and mixing.

 

The MK2 presented several improvements, having increased motor torque and superior vibration-damping materials.

 

They are regarded as the most durable and reliable turntables ever produced - many made in the 1970's are still in use.

 

 

Over the following decades, several revisions of the 1200 / 1210 models were sold. Each had subtle differences in

 

appearance and functionallity (eg pitch lock), but they all shared the same control electronics as the 1978 MK2 units.

 

 

Technics suddenly announced they were ceasing production in November 2010 after 35 years, to great dismay.

 

Then in 2016 due to mounting pressure, Panasonic announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas

 

that they would resume production with a new line of turntables - namely the SL-1200G, GS and GAE models.

 

 

Like the MK7 range launched in early 2019, these later models were redesigned from the ground-up and use a

 

completely different control and motor drive system. They share no internal resemblance to models made between

 

the production years of 1978 to 2010.  The Malaysian made MK7 weighs 9KG  - 3KG lighter than the original MK2.