The Thorens TD160

Upgrading a Thorens TD160 with a new plinth and new tone arm wires.

How good can a Thorens TD160 play after a renovation? Can it compete with the dr Feickert Woodpecker ?

I now have four Thorens players renovated with great success. It is a very promising project with great results. Make a new plinth, replace the tonearm wires, make new RCA connectors at the back and add a new fresh cartridge, and you get a very good player for years. A lot of visitors in my house told me this plinth gives a very modern look to the TD160. And this project is really fun to do.

My plinth is made of three layers of 20 or 21 mm MDF or plywood. I made a milling mold for the inner opening. With an upper milling router, I make an opening in every layer of sheet material. Then I glue the three layers of sheet material into a whole. With a belt sander mounted on a shelf, I then sand the outside of the plinth into beautiful perpendicularly sanded surfaces.

The second plinth with plywood. Tree times 21 mm glued together.