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I think most of us could write a book on owning a GS1200,
I remember when it first came out the biggest complaint I heard about it, was the lamp being of a short life and expensive to buy. At that time I never owned a GS1200, it was a very expensive projector around the $3000 NZD mark new, so owning one for me was out of the question. As video became more popular, Super 8 in general began to fall away and projectors like the GS1200 became a lot cheaper and easy to buy. That's when I bought my first one, up to that point I had been happy with my ole reliable ST1200M which never had given me an ounce of trouble. That first and much more expensive GS1200 was to change all that.
I still have that first GS1200 bought around 1995-96 and use it all the time. That particular projector has done well over the last 25 years or so, and that particular machine is the one I use and have modified the most. I have one other GS1200 I have left alone with a three bladed shutter for home movies, apart from replacing a film guide.
For anybody thinking of buying a GS1200 I do feel they really need to be prepared to do some work on them themselves, or at the very least know someone that can fix it. If not I would suggest getting a Super8 projector less complicate. All up I am pleased with the GS1200, for something that was built back in the 1970s early 1980s it has lasted really well. In fact I can't think of anything else electrical/ mechanical from that time period in our house that has survived eg TVs VCRs Stereos etc.
One important item I think for any GS owner is to keep a hard copy of the around 176 page service manual in case that one day you will need it.
That original GS1200 projector has had some work done to it over the years, one being a two bladed shutter I made myself, modifying the guides, cleaning the take up/rewind motors, replacing the recording capacitor, using a external power supply for a 250watt lamp, and thanks to Thomas on the forum here, the idea of mounting the Xenophot ELC 10mm further back from the gate.
All up that original GS1200 has done well, here are some below photos of work I have done on it over the years.
I remember when it first came out the biggest complaint I heard about it, was the lamp being of a short life and expensive to buy. At that time I never owned a GS1200, it was a very expensive projector around the $3000 NZD mark new, so owning one for me was out of the question. As video became more popular, Super 8 in general began to fall away and projectors like the GS1200 became a lot cheaper and easy to buy. That's when I bought my first one, up to that point I had been happy with my ole reliable ST1200M which never had given me an ounce of trouble. That first and much more expensive GS1200 was to change all that.I still have that first GS1200 bought around 1995-96 and use it all the time. That particular projector has done well over the last 25 years or so, and that particular machine is the one I use and have modified the most. I have one other GS1200 I have left alone with a three bladed shutter for home movies, apart from replacing a film guide.
For anybody thinking of buying a GS1200 I do feel they really need to be prepared to do some work on them themselves, or at the very least know someone that can fix it. If not I would suggest getting a Super8 projector less complicate. All up I am pleased with the GS1200, for something that was built back in the 1970s early 1980s it has lasted really well. In fact I can't think of anything else electrical/ mechanical from that time period in our house that has survived eg TVs VCRs Stereos etc.
One important item I think for any GS owner is to keep a hard copy of the around 176 page service manual in case that one day you will need it.
That original GS1200 projector has had some work done to it over the years, one being a two bladed shutter I made myself, modifying the guides, cleaning the take up/rewind motors, replacing the recording capacitor, using a external power supply for a 250watt lamp, and thanks to Thomas on the forum here, the idea of mounting the Xenophot ELC 10mm further back from the gate.
All up that original GS1200 has done well, here are some below photos of work I have done on it over the years.
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