Richard,
Just a quick side issue . . . .
I’m about to do a restoration project on a pair of 1973 Cambridge Audio R50’s. Would it be appropriate for me to post it on this forum as a thread : “R50 restoration Vlog” ?
I was thinking that if you are agreeable and enough people are interested, I could do a stage by stage video log of the process? Comprising of perhaps, eight x 4minute movies, spaced over a few weeks. I do not need advice on the work as I already have advice at hand if I need it. But I thought it might be interesting and fun for the community to see what its like to open up a pair of 1970’s speakers and see just how there were built at the time, and how I might restore them, keep the original look and maybe do upgrades whilst rebuilding. Ending with a final test and first listen. your thoughts please. Obviously I would take care not to encourage others to do the same unless they were completely confident or mad, have the correct tools, knowledge and space to do the work.
I’m game for that, great idea. I am sure Richard will be fine with that as long as it stays within forum rules.
if my memory serves me right - someone else has done it and i think i saw pics…
maybe you might want to look it up…
regards
As Gaz writes above, I’m fine with it so long as no forum rules are broken.
Yes, I mooted the idea in April, and did a general search for R50, but could not find a similar thread here?. Your suggestion at the time was to look at lenco, which I did, and was really useful and interesting, thank you.
Thank you. I’ll be sure to have another read of the forum rules before i start.
ahhh… now i looked… that was your post the cambridge audio R50 
my memory is good though ! 
I suggest that it predates 1981. You can tell by the on/off switch which is the original rocker type, and the cover strut. I use that year as the baseline because that in when I bought mine and by that time they had the big red push button and spring loaded hinges.
Edit: there is a history page on Wikipedia that notes that the cover strut was changed to spring hinges in 1979. The page also notes that the on off switch was changed in 1974 from two buttons to one with a mains light.
So the verdict is “Vintage 1974-1979” 
See around post #20 - purchased August 1973.
The Cambridge Audio R50s were very good speakers in their day back in the early to mid 70s. I ran a Cambridge Audio P50/II in those days, and the R50s were on my shortlist of speakers alongside Celestion Ditton 66s, Spendor BC/1 & BC3 and a couple of IMFs (can’t remember which - ALS-40?/TLS-50?TLS-80. They weren’t my ultimate choice, but they certainly belonged in this elite (at the time) group of speakers.
Best of luck with the restoration.
Ah missed that one.
Had a few other things to do, so only just got around to lifting the platter, and there it is.
A serial number typed on a white paper sticker : 001107
Again, thanks to all regarding the great information and encouragement.
I’m getting it serviced, setup and ready to play soon.
Cheers
If the Stanton can’t be resurrected, I have been very happy with my Nagaoka MP - 50. Like you, I would have to buy a moving coil step up transformer to put into the path to my MM phono stage if I wanted to listen to my Sumiko and Shelter MC cartridges. I read something by someone named Raul in the USA who tried every single MM available or not on two turntables each with two arms and several head shells and then rated them into best, good and avoid categories. The Nagaoka was in best so I took a chance. On my system, sounds better than my MC carts used to! Everyone started buying these so Nagaoka stoped making them, but came back out with basically the same cartridge with a new name (MP - 500) for much more dosh. Just one opinion if you need to consider replacing the Stanton.
+1
I have lived happily with a Nagaoka MP 50, first on a Planar 3/RB 300 and then on LP12/Ittok LVII
Amazing sound for the price
Claude
Well you have a very early LP12 right there as evidenced by the red rocker switch and the prop up lid. You should find the serial number underneath the platter on a sticker by the way.
There are a few things I would do. As suggested by many here, take it to a dealer for a set up. They are very fiddly to set up and the springs and grommets will be likely due a replacement. If you do want to do this yourself then make sure you join the facebook group “Linn Sondek LP12’ because its full of very knowledgable folks, especially on the earliest models, that are willing to help. They also have a good files section with service manuals, set-up guides and product histories. Nice and friendly bunch too.
The tonearm and cartridge have also been correctly identified above. The cartridge is a bit of a classic and will probably still work very well if the stylus is OK. Since you gave no way of knowing how many hours are under this you’d do well to see if you can get hold of a replacement stylus or get it inspected by a knowledgable dealer under a microscope that is trained to know what they are looking at. Stanton/Pickering was a US cartridge manufacturer that is long gone so original replacement stylus for the 681 are extremely rare now. There are aftermarket ones available from Pfanstiehl and possibly Jico. I have had a Pfanstiehl for a related Pickering cartridge to yours and it wasn’t that great so it may, in the end, just be easier to get a new and more modern moving magnet cartridge. The best place to start is with the Audio Technica ATVM95 series of cartridges. They have a full range of stylus shapes so buy whichever you can afford. These will pair well with your tonearm too. In terms of value, you deck is worth around 1000 to 1500 GBP in that collector condition.
An aside on the little brush on your Stanton. The tracking force you use differs a little if you use the brush or not. Without the brush set the tracking force (using a stylus gauge) to 1g. If you are using the brush, set it to 2g because the brush has a 1g counterforce so the stylus sees 1g with the brush down and stylus playing. This was with all Stanton and Pickering cartridges and detailed in their instructions if you can get a copy online somewhere.
Don’t be tempted by upgrading this, it looks to be a very rare early original and literally every single part of a modern LP12 is different. Most parts are interchangeable but with something this early, everything has changed and in most cases several times. Linn pricing on LP12 parts is eye watering so enjoy your old classic by getting it set up and fettled by someone knowledgable. A Linn dealer that services lots of LP12’s would be safest but Peter Swain at Cymbiosis in Leicestershire is not only regarded as one of the best, he’s very sympathetic to servicing these earlier ones and knows their set up idiosyncrasies inside out. Peter wrote the set up guides you’ll often find on the internet.
Anyway, best of luck.
This is an instruction manual from a closely related cartridge to the Stanton 681. Hope it helps.
Cracking response and sums up what many of us say.
Fordy, thank you very much for all your information
I posted the serial number about 6 posts back if you are interested 
And I will certainly have look at the facebook LP12 group you mentioned.
It may be worth contacting Len Gregory (the cartridge man) if you want to try to stay as original as possible. He may be able to help with a stylus re-tip, or offer some advice.
Not sure I can agree with a lot of comments about your inherited LP12. In August 1974 I bought the same LP12 with SME 3009, but with the Shure V15 111 cartridge. With my Spendor BC2 speakers it sounded pretty good. However the early 80’s upgrades transformed it beyond recognition. I really don’t rate the SME 3009 which I replaced with Rega RB300 and the Linn K9 cartridge (£69). Also I had the Valhalla and Nirvana upgrades (£100). I’m not in touch with Linn’s upgrade prices at the moment, but am sure you only have a very ordinary turntable if you don’t do, at least, some minimal upgrades. Although my LP12 is recently serviced and with a new cartridge I tend not to listen to vinyl much now. Like you I have been listening to hi res streaming but with Naim NDX, Teddy Pardo amplification and Focal Aria 948’s. The sound is far closer to vinyl than I ever got with CD’s and is definitely more detailed and dynamic than my vinyl set up. I have quite a few vinyl records so its still nice to listen occasionally with a pretty good front end.