I have a Decca London Cartridge which came with a TT I purchased some time ago, supposedly working but has been tested as “open circuit” even though it was sold to me as working. The stylus looks OK, yes even though I have touched it 
I am wondering if a) it’s worth repairing? b) Does anyone take on repairs? c) How much would it cost?
Answers on a postcard 
Definitely worth repairing but not sure if John Wright is still working.
Hmm looks like London Decca is still going even though he’s retired but the website is shite with absolutely no info 
Thanks Chris 
PS it’s a brilliant cart and one of my favourites. I’ve got a Decca super gold I use every now and then.
Noisy as fuck but sounds absolutely fantastic.
If you plan on keeping it (and it needs a retip) ask them to use a line contact stylus like the super gold.
Thanks Chris, I suppose alternatively maybe I could sell it as it is?
I’ve emailed them so I’ll wait and see what they say.
Its a fussy bugger, but like Chris said, brilliant when set up right. I’ve also got the Super Gold and love it.
Mmmm…£200 inspection fee.
Would that be deducted from the repair costs?
Yes, but I have no indication of what costs could be.
I guess it all depends if it’s a keeper or not.
Guessing if you get it done and move it on,you’ll only get your money back,though I don’t know the current price of a serviced one.
Yes Stu, or it could be fuct and it will cost me £200 to find that out. I might just stick it on eBay and see what happens.
You could try the Garrott Brothers in Oz, although the shipping and hassle with duty could offset the saving in inspection fees.
They are great cartridges in some ways - they are incredibly dynamic. However, they do have issues - they don’t track that well, and can be bright sounding. I used one for years, in a Rock/Excalibur, and it sounded fantastic with an AI300 and Snell Js.
The ultimate thing is whether you want to use it. If so, get a “worst case” cost estimate from London and Garrott; if the £200 covers a rebuild excluding tip, and the tip looks ok, then it’s probably worth it. If you don’t fancy trying it, I would certainly not get it fixed yourself.
