Pioneer

Origins of Pioneer

Pioneer Corporation, founded in 1938 in Tokyo by Nozomu Matsumoto, initially focused on speaker production. The company ventured into turntables in the early 1960s and fully committed to them in the 1970s. Pioneer’s turntables, known for their precision and quality, became popular in both home and professional settings. Notable models include the PL-12D from the 1970s and the high-end PL-70LII. Due to the company’s success, vintage Pioneer turntables are readily available in the used market.