Works, with one new needle. A few older needles come with it too but be careful. Make sure you have it fully cranked up (don't overdo it but should be pretty tough to crank when you stop) and have a good needle, as it needs to glide across the record to not damage it. If the record starts to slow down and/or the needle gets worn out it will start to carve into the record itself! It was a lot harder back then to listen to music, but this completely mechanical, non-electrified way of listening to albums is a magical experience.