8mm Forum: Gambling Time: I Bought a GS1200.

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Posted by Claus Harding (Member # 702) on November 25, 2009, 01:26 PM:

After some 27 years of faithful service, my ST1200HD will finally welcome its 'big brother.'

No excuse for this (!), except to say I guess I finally slayed the dragon in my mind that, since age 17 said, "You really want (NEED) one of those." And this just before the Christmas expenses....but it looked like a good deal (the classic line.)

The machine is in Buenos Aires, and I got the seller to knock $100 off after he had re-listed it without a sale, so the price was $900 + $170 in shipping.
He says it has been used about 5 times and is immaculate inside and out. The pictures are very nice.... [Roll Eyes]

I wish I knew all the things between the film paths that ID a machine as a series 1, 2 or 3; the best I could do was to compare with a photo of a known series 2 machine, so I am somewhat positive this is a series 2. I will post an image when it arrives, so someone can tell me with more certainty.

I am writing this with a smile on my face, but also with an awful knot in my stomach (I am sure you know what I mean), having gone out on a limb with money I should have saved.

The one thing I cling to: you only live once.
If I am going to have one, it's now. Not later.

Pray to the celluloid gods that this one shows up intact and as advertized. I will post an update when it arrives.

Claus.

Posted by Alexander Vandeputte (Member # 1803) on November 25, 2009, 01:56 PM:

Well, your description fits exactly how I feel myself, having recently bought 2 (yes two!) GS1200 Elmo's. Yeah, I know... I simply couldn't resist.
Except my machines have to come from Germany to Belgium so I trust they will arrive in one piece.
I am sure that putting aside my trusty old Chinon 7500 machine in favor of the Elmo's will make for a hughe quality leap forward.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on November 25, 2009, 01:57 PM:

Good for you Claus! The GS is a great machine, and is the brightest projector you can get for super 8mm. The stereo sound quality is excellent, as is the optical mono sound. You will be immediately impressed by its superb design solid construction which is in the Bolex class. It is a real beauty to look at. Being all electronically controlled, they do have their own peculiar quirks, most of which have been documented here. The most common problems are with the micro- switches on the auto-thread/release mechanism, which fortunately are easy to replace. The good news is that the sound heads seem to last forever and no one has yest found a GS problem that cannot be fixed. Hopefully your machine will be entirely free of problems, in which case it will probably last for as long as you will ever need it. First thing I would do Claus is check the transformer setting is 115 volts, and then check the lamp - make sure it is 200 watt ESC or EJL, NOT the 250 watt ELC (which some people like to use, but which will endanger the transformer).

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on November 25, 2009, 02:08 PM:

My first ST-1200 is now on the way...

Guess I'll be catching up in 27 years!

Posted by Claus Harding (Member # 702) on November 25, 2009, 02:08 PM:

Alexander,
Welcome, I see it is your first post. You don't fool around: TWO at the same time! [Big Grin]

Good for you.

Paul,

Yes, I noted in the listing that the seller says "250W" and I remember that one shouldn't push the machine with that lamp. I will try to get some of the Fuji 200W ones Kevin recommended.

Claus.

Posted by Greg Marshall (Member # 1268) on November 25, 2009, 05:53 PM:

Claus,

Congrats on the GS! I was eyeing that unit, and noticed he had even dropped the price on the second listing. I had won a GS a few weeks ago, but problems arose with the original owner, so for now, it has been cancelled. Once the owner releases it to the seller, I have first option to buy, but in the meantime, have been keeping my eye out. I should have tried to bargain with the guy you bought yours from! Ha! Being so far away, scared me a little.... let us know how the shipping and arrival goes! Looks like it is a version 3, as was the one I wanted.

Oh, and I feel your pain on the expense. I ate mac n cheese and peanut butter sandwiches for two weeks to afford the GS! (Not really, but close to being accurate)

Have fun!

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on November 25, 2009, 06:33 PM:

Claus and Steve

Well done in buying "Elmo" you really cant beat them [Wink]

although the GS1200 is the Rolls Royce it can be a real pain compaired to the ST1200 which as far as reliability I think is much better.

I bought my first GS1200 in the mid-ninties it cost $1500, and that was a lot of money compared with my "old reliable" ST1200 which had never let me down I bought back in 1979 for only $150. Well when that GS1200 arrived it would not go, [Frown]

I tried everything and in the end I gave up and sent it back to the person who had sold it. After convincing my wife and getting her OK to buy it in the first place I was not a "happy chappy"....well the gentleman concerned that sold it phoned my wife and said there is nothing wrong with it, [Confused]

Yvonne passed the phone to me.. he said........listen...its going in the background still unconvinced he put the phone receiver next to the projector and left it there while he went and did something else, so there you have it I had a 10 minute phone conversation with a GS1200 [Roll Eyes]

at the time I worked for an airline so the next day got a free return flight to Wellington. The seller picked me up went to his place and I gave the projector the big once over...it was perfect and bought it home. I did spend a wee bit of time fine tuning it and to this day "14 years on" [Eek!]

its my favourite machine and the one I made and fitted a two bladed shutter to.
I have always liked "Elmo" projectors, they are not perfect by any means but the ease at which the lens holder opens to clean the gate and general film path is a big plus and certainly I have had a great run "30 years worth" out of them.

Graham. [Smile]

PS Still kept "old reliable" though just in case [Wink]

Posted by Claus Harding (Member # 702) on November 25, 2009, 07:41 PM:

Graham,

I know, the aging "all-electronic" design can be a pain from some of the posts I have seen here, so I am hoping for the best.

My ST1200 isn't going anywhere either. I know it works, and it will always be available 'just in case.'

Of course, assuming all is well with the machine, then there is always the 2-bladed shutter install to spend more money on [Big Grin]

Claus.

Posted by John Skujins (Member # 1515) on November 25, 2009, 08:34 PM:

Alexander: I just got a mint-condition Chinon 7500 a couple of weeks ago. Glad to hear it's been trusty for you. I love it so far. A big step up from my trusty old Chinon SP-330 in sound quality and brightness. The pictures are still up:

http://cgi.ebay.com/CHINON-SOUND-7500-SUPER-8-MOVIE-PROJECTOR-EXCELLENT_W0QQitemZ280420137556QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item414a57ba54

I thought I got a great deal on something so pristine, inside & out!

Posted by Alexander Vandeputte (Member # 1803) on November 26, 2009, 01:31 AM:

John, I think you had a great deal there ! Also, seeing the original box brings back a lot of memories. In Europe, a well maintained and pristine looking 7500 sometimes goes as high as 300 € !
This machine is very reliable in operation. My decision to upgrade was mainly for two reasons: Technical, as the Elmo has a brighter light output, bigger reel capacity and easy acces to the filmpath. The other reason however is purely sentimental, as I have been drooling over pictures of the Elmo GS1200 and its original 1200 feet reels ever since I was a kid...

Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 67) on November 27, 2009, 08:20 AM:

Congratulations...I know how you feel. I got MY first GS this past summer myself. A real real bargain...someone put it on ebay with a short auction time at a super duper 650 dollars buy it now. Couldn't pass that up. I must have been the first to see it..so I hit buy it now. Despite arriving in a horridly shabby and flimsy box....it was in immaculate condition...with all accessories including the remote control box. And instead of the usual f1.1 lens, this one had a 1.0. I did send it , along with a two blade shutter I got from Steve Osborne , to Leon Norris for installation of the shutter and a total looksee......there were a few parts that needed replacing to get it mint, but still the cost added to the purchase price was less than the GS's usually go for. So far, it's behaved nicely..but I only use it for library and other public shows, for the most part. I found the projector (with the new fuji bulb from Osborne) is visibly brighter/whiter than the ST1200...with f1.0 lens on that one , too. The sound is where I really have noticed a difference. Less flutter...much better reading on the balance track for stereo. Zero backgroung noise or hum....and I like that, unlike the St1200HD, I can control the line output volume to my amps from the projector. It's also a quieter machine.
Reliability? Hard to judge it, but on Halloween night, in the rain...I put on an outdoor show at my church in which I had to haul it up a wall....climbing up a ladder...and it performed just fine...filling the 12foot inflatable screen beautifully.
I hope you have a similar experience with your new machine. I almost bid on that Argentina machine myself...but balked at the distance involved and the fact that even at the 1200 dollar figure, no one had bid on it when it was up a couple of times before. Let us know when it arrives. and thanks for sharing .
gary

Posted by Neil Townsend (Member # 952) on November 28, 2009, 09:42 PM:

Claus. I bought a GS1200 from Argentina last year. I think I saw the listing of the machine you bought; before it was discounted. When I saw the listing I could have sworn it was from the same person I got mine from. In fact, I think I have seen him sell a total of 3, including the one I got. I could be wrong, but it looked like the same shot of the machine to me each time. Someone finding 1200's in Argentina to sell? Again, I might be mistaken.
Well, anyways, I too was very worried about how the machine would arrive. It took a while, and when it did come, the packaging was in horrible shape! the box was about falling apart. the shipper had wrapped the original Elmo box in cardboard. He hadn't added any additional foam or anything. only minimal styrofoam was protecting the projector in the original box; which was in bad shape. when I opened it up a few little pieces fell out. I was worried. Well, once I plugged it in, and figured out how to run the different functions, the machine ran fine. Over a year later, continues to run great. The only shipping damage was the handle on top was chipped. I glued the piece back on. also one of the rubber feet on the front had broken off. The top handle was also bent downward. almost like the machine landed on its top, or had a lot of weight on it. Despite it all...it works very well. Overall its a great machine and I don't regret getting it. I use it quite a bit. Hope your GS arrives in good shape.

Posted by Greg Marshall (Member # 1268) on November 28, 2009, 09:48 PM:

Neil.... those types of worries/issues is why I was afraid of considering that machine from Argentina. I'd freak out if something arrived like that that I paid mucho bucks to have shipped. I'm still looking for one in the States.

Posted by Neil Townsend (Member # 952) on November 28, 2009, 10:02 PM:

looked up the seller I bought my GS 1200 on paypal. There is still record of the transaction. The Ebay seller was Dany11881.
Just curious. Is this the same seller?

Greg. don't blame you....def. much safer. I lucked out...but man was I worried!

Posted by Claus Harding (Member # 702) on November 28, 2009, 10:45 PM:

Neil,
"Dany" is the seller's ID; his name is Adrian Armentano and he did mention to me that this was the 5th GS1200 he had sold "and never any problems"...I really hope so.

I specifically told him to pack it safely in double boxes and he said
(quote):
"Don't worry, always I ship the projectors in a double box well packed.
For that I need some days for prepare well that."

Finger-crossing time.

Claus.

Posted by Neil Townsend (Member # 952) on November 28, 2009, 11:09 PM:

Claus,
yeah, that is the guy I bought my projector from. Wonder were he is finding them? I have been happy with mine...again; other than some minor things easily fixed...continues to work great!

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on November 29, 2009, 06:42 PM:

I do remember that this seller also selling quite few of 3 parter Marketing releases (in Spanish dub). It was quite high though. Seme were not sold.

Probably there was a photographic shop closed down and sold the unsold machines for pennies? who knows? that is always my dream [Big Grin]

cheers,

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