An interesting question. When I bought my LP12 second-hand in around 1980, it was approx 2 years old being manufactured in 1978. The first upgrade it had was the Nivarna upgrade, which I did myself in 1981 shortly after it was released. It took me a full weekend, an experienced LP12 person would have done it in a few hours. A couple of years later the Valhalla upgrade arrived, which I duly fitted. However, back then Linn only sold one spec of deck, when they upgraded this spec, the released an upgrade kit as well.
It was much later that Linn started selling LP12s at different spec levels, I think this was around the time the first Lingo was released in 1990 or so.
As with @Skeptikal very little of my original deck survives. Plinth, top plate, smoked acrylic lid and of course the box it came in, though that is a bit battered now.
If it’s any help, you can also start with a clean slate now and start compromising (pre-loved instead of brand new upgrade items) later 
Excellent advice so far. FWIW, I started out with a used LP12 and took what I could get/afford at the time and have upgraded from there. Would have been easier with Peter’s help, but I am in the US.
The thing that is unknown (I think) is where you want to end up. There are two schools of thought. First, if you know where you want to get and can afford it, go there immediately as it will save money in the long run. Or, if you enjoy seeing what each change does and maybe get that dopamine hit from each improvement, start with Majik and go incremental. Of course you might decide that Majik is a great end point, then you are done.
In your shoes, I would rely on Peter, but I would want to pick the plinth and to get Karousel and Kore. Though focusing on subchassis over PS violates Linn hierarchy of bearing, PS, subchassis in that order, my rationale is that the structural foundation is done (because I don’t see going beyond the Kore). Then I would let budget and destination be my guide. Minos and Krane would be great starting point though Cymbiosis has an ex-dem Akito 2B on their site. Kind of a hybrid approach.
If I needed convincing of a “Cymbiosis build” vs buying new, I would remind myself that buying used from him isn’t like buying used from some random person on eBay, whatever he sells will have Cymbiosis’s warranty, and he will be able to fix any issues.
And if you need buy-in from your wife, the plinth might be a great place to get advice - or to turn over the decision.
She will definitely get involved, have her say, then tell me it’s my decision, and then tell me afterwards that something else was better.
This approach is very sound advice chris_s
Peter Swain is the world guru on building and setting up Linn Sondeks
Cannot go wrong there at all - he probably will be able to assemble a Linn from a few significant parts he has in stock and the SQ may well sit above the Majik as a starter
Here its starts getting more difficult already, because I have different ears and priorities and, respectfully, would make different choices in the individual components and combinations thereof.
Where I absolutely do agree is your good fortune of Cymbiosis as the dealer involved. He has a demo room unlike anyone else, where you can actually see & hear all the different combinations in action.
That is, only if you’re interested in SondekOlogy (LP12 studies?) which your going through this entire topic might suggest. All the possibilities and choices will give you food for thought and it depends on whether you find that pleasing. If not, Majik LP12 (with Minos or Lingo 4)…is the “neutral” start.
The best strategy here is to have a “phantom choice” that looks worse and is more expensive than the one you actually want but say it’s the one you want. You then ompromise to get what was really your preferred choice 
Cunning as a she r*t you are 
Totally understand!
The thing I intended to add but forgot is that I don’t think there is a wrong choice here. My choice is probably influenced by not having a dealer close by and feeling a bit more confident in changing PS or arm compared to sub chassis.
I would love to visit the demo room!
Whatever you choose you’ve won a watch having a Peter in the tool box.
He looks after mine too hundreds of miles away in another country. 
Also here I wouldn’t do this LP12 adventure if I didn’t have the Benelux equivalent of Cymbiosis nearby.
A knowledgable dealer, who can take me through all the various steps, helps build up my own knowledge through hearing and experiencing first-hand what I read here and elsewhere. Even helps to correct steps that weren’t entirely satisfactorily, and offers good deals and great humour going forward! That is essential for me to make this a viable journey, even if an expensive one.
Otherwise I would have bought another Rega from the local dealer who is equally friendly btw.
My wife really surprised me after I’d been talking up Fraim and my dealer suggested an ex-dem one that saved quite a bit…I anticipated she’d strongly suggest there was nothing wrong with our Quadraspire when I showed her a photo. She thought it looked great and agreed we should go for it instantly. I almost fell over!
I am not looking to buy until the second quarter of the year, I have a lot of outgoings over the next few months so will assess and finalise budget for the LP12 around April.
My idea was to match the cost of the Majik at that point in time but I may have a little extra available based on where I am now.
Between now and then I am trying to learn as much as I can about the LP12 and reach a decision as to which direction to head.
If I am going to start this LP12 journey I wonder if it is better using my LP12 rather than a mix of mine and someone else’s LP12.
Sorry everyone I’ll probably drive you all mad over the next couple of months or so whilst I jump left then right and back again.
@Oxfordian
Get your own deck and grow with it as your musical partner.
Just enjoy the journey at your own pace and budget.
Good advice, thank you
If you haven’t seen this it’s worth a little of your time I think 
For sound-per-£, a new LP12 looks hard to defend to some of us, despite its iconic status - and I write that as someone who has used an LP12 (bought s/h) almost every day for over 30 years and upgraded it several times. However…
The ability to buy lots of bits s/h, to move at your own pace from quite-good to startlingly-good SQ and the support network are the key pluses of picking an LP12 imho. After all, this is (mostly) an old man’s hobby, and the flow of s/h bits is never-ending. Why pay for a new power supply, lid or plinth when a non-new one is vastly cheaper and 100% as good?
Given all that, a Cymbiosis- build is surely the best answer for you, esp as you can compare (say) a Lingo 1 or 4 to other PS options, an arm choice or two and so on. You can also get the right base (Trampolinn if it’s going on a sideboard, perhaps not if it isn’t), and you can hear a couple of cartridge choices while you are there.
A trip to Cymbiosis will also show your wife how much money you are saving. If she is less interested in these things than you, this may be helpful.
Good luck and welcome aboard!
Nothing wrong with second hand parts, in fact why not build your own? All the information you need is out there, from detailed instructions, torque values and other specifications, to tips, tricks and instructional videos. Guru’s will do the job faster and be able solve unforseen issues with ease, but they are far from a requirement to get things done properly.
Back when I started working on my first LP12 I embraced the idea that I was not going to get everything optimal the first time around, and it was going to be an ongoing project. You’ll save a lot for sure, but the satisfaction of doing it yourself is priceless. It is no rocket science, and there are no secrets to it. In fact, it is way easier than than those who have never taken the cover off want you to believe.
Haha 
Thanks for the suggestion but you haven’t seen my DIY abilities, to say that I am challenged in that area would be a rather large understatement.
You have summed up where I was a few weeks ago perfectly, then the why don’t you buy a new one spanner was thrown in to the mix.
For example; Mrs O - why do you need an external PS, the on board one will work just fine, you only have a dozen or so LP’s that play at 45rpm, you have lots of ‘normal’ ones, you could get a PS later if you need it.
And she is right I could do that, in fact I can use the 45 adapter that comes with the deck and play every LP from day 1.
I know in the end that it will be my decision but it helps to have your better half onside with these things, it is our savings that the money is coming from.
Thank heavens that I’m not buying this for a few months, at least I can get up to Cymbiosis and see Peter and also chat to my local Linn dealer.