I bought a brand new Weller WTCPT soldering station (left) to replace the old GC Supertemp (right).  The WTCPT is reputed to be one of the best temperature-controlled soldering stations.  I could have bought one years ago, but I didn’t need to.  The GC Model No. 12-070, that I’ve owned since the late seventies, was more than adequate to the job of building my synthesizer.  The remarkable fact is that my entire synthesizer, hundreds of modules built over the last ten years, was soldered with the same tip on the iron!  I never had to change it.  That tip is finally approaching its end of life.  I had thought I had a replacement tip, but when I tried it out, it didn’t fit.  Sadly, tips aren’t available now for the old Supertemp (although I saw a 12-070 for sale on eBay for $49 just last week).  So it is with a bit of sentiment that I now retire the trusty Supertemp and consign it to the shelf.  I hope the Weller lives up to it reputation.