Rek-O-Kut K-34H with S-320 tonearm and KB base

Rek-o-kut started in the 40's as a manufacturer of record lathes and professional quality turntables, thus the name. By the mid 50's however they were looking to expand their market beyond record manufacturers and DJs.  Looking at their advertisements at the time, it is apparent they wanted to put a quality but accessibly priced Hi-Fi phonograph in every home. This record player is a wonderful example of that ambition, and both the good and the better decisions that came out of that.

This started unrestored and incomplete, with just the base and turntable.  First shown in the Allied Radio catalog of 1962, these bases were available separately, but also came in a complete kit (the 'K' stood for 'kit') including the case with the holes factory pre-drilled, the K-34H turntable, and the S-320 tonearm. The parts were shipped unmounted and you put it all together yourself, which was another way they gave you a great turntable at a cut-rate price.

These cases were originally only available in a walnut finish. Walnut lightens with age, so it is standard practice to use a dark stain to 'maintain' the color, but the stain they used was a bilious dark brown that obscured the grain and had not aged well from there.  With this example, the veneer was chipped and missing in spots, and there were unexplained holes drilled in odd places.   Worst of all, these bases were not expensively made:  They were made to fill the need of a relatively inexpensive base (and they seem to have sold a lot of them) which presented some fundamental issues for the restoration.  The conventional wisdom is to refurbish vintage items as originally as possible, and there is a place for that, but with something expected to perform at a contemporary level, to continue to be relevant in our age and beyond, some improvements often need to be made.   Custom vintage cars have become a big business, and there's a reason for that.   It just made sense to make some customizations here.   With a nice veneer and some structural reinforcement, I thought this base could have some real magic.  

A matching S-320 tonearm was procured and rebuilt.   The base was reveneered in teak.    The veneers were cut from a plank and carefully hand fitted, mitering the four corner edges just as with the finest furniture.   A special hybrid oil/urethane finish protects it with a modern long lasting coating.    I think the pictures speak for themselves - as does it's performance.

I personally find it interesting that there are so many artists making music these days - but so very few artists making the things we depend on to reproduce the music we make.   Artfully filling this gap is a big part of Lafe Eric's mission, which I believe this record player shows.