One important piece of information regarding the MMC1-5 series cartridges...It is quite common for the suspensions on those cartridges to fail after all of these years. There are a lot of used MMC1-5 type cartridges around that probably have a good stylus and cantilever but don't work properly because of a suspension problem. Places like link and link here in the USA and Axel Schürholz in Germany.
I have heard that Axel is more or less retiring from the MMC cartridge repair and turning that work over to another technician mentioned here. 
Those places can do a full restoration as well as just a suspension repair.

I only mention this so you are aware of the benefits and pitfalls of finding a cartridge. If you have an old MMC4 available I would start with that. It is a fine cartridge as other people here on the Beoworld forum give it good reviews. If you end up buying an MMC2 then I would look at the rebuilt ones from Germany as well as the new manufactured ones from SoundSmith.

-sonavor

Yes good info again. I should have mentioned that I was referring to the sound-smith mmc cartridges. I spoke with them this morning and they stated that MMC 3 and 4 would be about a 2 week wait. But mmc 2 were in Stock. Obviously there version of the MMC. 

I would test out your Grandparent's Beogram 3300 with your 5000 system and see how it sounds.

-sonavor

@Sonavor I mentioned in my OP that I had tested that series - it did work, but the sound was significantly muted and didn't have as near the same sound or power as the other pieces. I have read that the turntable may be slightly less 'loud' than the CD or tuner but this was different, in my opinion. Could that simply been the cause of a failed cartridge? At the time, I wasn't nearly as interested as I am now and didn't really know much about the beogram I had in my possession.

I will say that it's a very cool looking turntable and if I remember correctly it had wood accents and a slanted dust cover. My dad has the matching 3300 system in his office with a pair of beovox.

TortugaX5 wrote:

@Sonavor I mentioned in my OP that I had tested that series - it did work, but the sound was significantly muted and didn't have as near the same sound or power as the other pieces.

It could be a cartridge issue but are you certain you had the cable in the Beomaster phono input?

-Sonavor

It has been awhile but I do believe that I and my dad played around with it for sometime. He was certain that it would work and was stumped when ithe didn't. It was in the phono slot above the CD port. 

Okay, as long as you had to select Phono on the remote to get sound then it was plugged in correctly. The cartridge may well be the problem then. The only way to know for sure will be to try out another MMC cartridge.

-Sonavor

I was able to have a family member snag a look at my grandparents beogram and it turns out it's not what I thought it was. It appears to have a MMC20EN cartridge.

EDIT: Turns out it's a Beogram 3404, the image is blurry but I could just barley make out the '3404'.

I'll post a link:

I've placed my order for the second Beogram 5500 that I had listed in my previous post. I was able to get the turntable for $189 which left room to pick-up a MMC 4 cartriridge from Sound-Smith for $199. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that things are shipped this time around! But for the $370 I was refunded by eBay for the last beogram mishap, I only had to pony up $48 bucks more for a brand new cartridge.

I'm a watch guy and one of our mottos in buying used or vintage products is buy the seller not the watch. I do feel much more confident in this seller than the last one that I dealt with. I am looking forward to hooking it up to my beomaster. I will come back for advice as I'm really impressed with the knowledge you all have.

TortugaX5 wrote:

I also wanted to ask you all about restoring/buffing the plastic dust cover. Are there any proven methods that you all prescribe for removing scratches and swirls from the dust cover plastic.For my older vintage Panerai watch which has a plexiglass crystal, I use polywatch and brasso.

 

If you only have some small scratches and swirls to deal with then try using something like the