Do we know a name of the person who made the initial design? It’s pretty rare that a design of a product is untouched for so long. I believe that is one of the things which gets Jony Ive going.
That is the later, 80’s version of the AR. The original, introduced in 1961 and sold through the 70’s, looks like this:
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I think the name of the person behind Ariston is known. Think ultimately they went bust, and Linn then took over…?
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@btaney - Linn is unveiling the exact specs next week apparently. Then I guess everyone will be able to make more informed judgments…
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I’m thinking about the name of the person who made the iconic LP12 design as the classic LP12 looks today. Not a company, owner or such. Someone took a pen amd draw the design and said this is how it should look like just like Jony Ive have delivered an updated design to Linn now 
The iconic design is the Ariston RD11 - the Linn LP12 is just a copy, really.
I really wanted that turntable circa 1985 but their distribution in the UK was poor (in my recollection). I’m still not sure I’ve see one even now. Update- I think I may have come across one example but memories are vague.
Absolutely - nothing new under the sun. Not many truly original ideas.
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Ok, and who was the person designing it?
I am looking now… 
Hamish Robertson - and others -
Ariston … was started by Hamish Robertson, who contracted Castle Precision Engineering Ltd. – Ivor Tiefenbrun’s father Jack’s company – to make the deck for him back in 1970. The RD11 was developed by Hamish along with Ivor and Jack, and distributed by C. J. Walker and Company. But in February 1973, Linn Products Ltd. started selling turntables made by Castle Precision Engineering, which were apparently very similar to Aristons. Meanwhile, Ariston was taken over by Dunlop Westayr Ltd and renamed Ariston Audio Ltd, and Hamish Robertson left.
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Sounds like a messy start of Linn stealing the design from Ariston 
Hamish Robertson designed the infamous Ariston RD11 in 1971 with Castle Precision Engineering Ltd machining many of the parts and allegedly having a hand at the design stage.
A Little Ariston & Linn History
Hamish Robertson owned a company called Thermac in 1967, which became Ariston in 1970, and Ariston Audio in 1973. He was the man who invented the RD11 in 1971 with Castle Precision Engineering Ltd. machining many of its parts. Prior to the death of Hamish, Ariston was bought out by Peter Dunlop of Dunlop Westayr Ltd. who reorganized his company as Ariston Audio Ltd.
Hamish became friends with Ivor Tiefenbrun, the son of Jack Tiefenbrun and owner of Castle Engineering. In 1973 Ivor founded Linn Products Ltd. in order to sell turntables made by Castle Precision Engineering. This resulted in a patent litigation against Linn by Hamish, for selling the Sondek LP12 that was almost a carbon copy of his original RD11. Unfortunately Hamish died during the ensuing legal battle that resulted in Linn being awarded the turntables patent(s) and Ariston loosing the turntable battle.
Linn’s iconic company logo is the simple geometric representation of the ‘single point’ bearing which was one of the unique features of the LP12 turntable, along with its precision machined main bearing assembly.
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Thats the one I was looking for, but the Interwebz gave me the later version…
I was not sure… 
As Skeptical said, if you still have the red cap then great - well done. Most people don’t seem to have it in my experience and those that do, normally the cap has not been cleaned before being placed over the bearing let alone protecting the spindle, but I’m glad you are the exception to the general rule.
KR, Peter
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No. No point of course.
Please just be thankful that Linn were amenable to my persuasion regarding having the Keel/a made for the benefit of many owners, out of the 1350 Aros ever made.
(BTW, that’s approximately 1/10. The number of Ekos made).
And it is still available if you know where to look. Currently we are on revision 6. So there’s a respect and as we have seen, a commitment for another manufacturers product, it shows that Glasgow do listen to requests.
Great respect to them for this, and whilst the limited edition might not be everybody’s cup of tea, this is so much better than any of the previous anniversary offerings. In my opinion.
KR, Peter
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Just to put the record right for you, yes it was on every occasion that an LP 12 left the factory in a box for a dealer. There was a spindle sheath covering the spindle. In the early days it was a nearly transparent covering with a yellowish tinge.
I think what is more likely to have happened was that the retailer setting up the LP 12 discarded this sheath and that’s why you couldn’t find one in amongst all your spares, but as other contributors said, wedging the inner platter still remains the best way of transporting an LP 12, avoiding the risk of contamination to the oil. That is the heart of the LP 12. It is by simply a margin, the most important element of the LP 12 affecting sound quality. Consequently the bearing surface is compromised and so is the sound. These days both the bearing cover and spindle sheath are black.
My advice is to hang onto them of course and keep them clean in a sealed snap bag away from any contamination suicide will be ready if you ever need to use them in the future.
KR, Peter
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Ok a fully Klimaxed LP12 is £25100 or so.
The new LP12-50 is nearly double that.
Based on the key features announced, it would seem as someone is joking with the cost increase.
Ok let’s see what the upgrades are over the klimaxed LP12.
With double the cost the upgrade better be a big one 
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Naturally, only having bought one LP12, I thought it was standard. Hardly a big outlay for Linn LOL. To be honest, after almost 40 years stored in various lofts / garages, it has perished slightly. I have cleaned it with isopropyl though.
Yes that’s all very well, but as any fool knows, the thing that makes the LP12 is the fluting.
So, who came up with the fluted plinth? I think we should be told…
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Did that morph into Dunlop Systemdek? I bought a Systemdek IIX 6 months before I bought a LP12. I kept it in my second system until 2012, and wish I had kept it to be honest. A great design but poor quality control, though a bargain price.
Surely Radikal?
It’s just the new plinth that is supposed to be an improvement. The rest is all cosmetic, incl. slight change to the keel appearance, etc.
I’m with you, the price is ridiculous.
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