I started off with a P1 Plus (iirc) and that was maybe adequate. But once you start looking at what's available from the 1970-1980s (I) quickly realised that you get a lot more bangs for your buck. And yeah, I thought the P1+ and the P3 I got were rather cheaply made and a bit lightweight literally.
To me, a modern Rega and a Japanese deck from the '70s or '80s are just different, rather than one being better than the other; both options have pros and cons.
Edit: The Pioneer PL-12D does look like a nice deck, just did a bit of googling on them.
I started off with a P1 Plus (iirc) and that was maybe adequate. But once you start looking at what's available from the 1970-1980s (I) quickly realised that you get a lot more bangs for your buck. And yeah, I thought the P1+ and the P3 I got were rather cheaply made and a bit lightweight literally.