Hi and thank you Pecavvi, I have appropriate tools and a background in electronics or would never have located the problem nor started the repair. My real problem is that the cartridge socket is at the end of the hollow tube tone arm and I do not know how to safely remove it without damage. My fear is that unless I rewire from that socket, it will not be a reliable repair. That's why I remain hopeful that someone has a suitable tone arm from a scrapped player that is available. My next option is to sell mine as parts and put that cash toward replacing it.
David, May 2013