I have a Technics 1200MKII which I havent used in years. Any suggestions where I can have it repaired or calibrated? I tried all the necessary adjustments but the tonearm simply just skids.
if it skids, likely you have the wrong anti-skating adjustment, too low tracking force, or you have a defective stylus. any of those three, your tonearm would slide inward destroying your stylus (if it's not chipped yet) damaging your precious records.
btw, for those going back to analog, it might be worthwhile to have a good magnifying glass, those used by watch repairmen, to have an idea of the stylus' condition. a stylus tip with too much dirt deposit would surely result in distortion or skating. you also need a small brush to clean the stylus tip. if you can still find cleaning gadgets by Discwasher or other brands, better.
having a magnifying glass, a small mirror and brush would allow you to check the condition of your stylus regularly, depending on how frequent you use your record player. it will also save you a lot of money since cleaning your stylus would result in dramatic improvement in sonic quality. thus, no need to buy a new cartridge or replacement stylus.