2. vintage
  3. 178671-6254

Garrard 301 restore

Im about to embark on a 301 restore project. I just reached out to woodsong with questions. The unit is super clean but clearly needs work that I would prefer to leave to the pros. It currently resides in the original plinth which I would like to replace as it's pretty but not very dense. I am also pulling the Fairchild arm.

I might be comfortable making my own plinth if I can get a cutout template from someone.

My budget is 2k all in. Table, plinth, and arm. I might pony extra for cart but it will likely be a 103r.

So...I need help with plinth plans and an arm suggestion that wont break the bank. I am pretty well versed on arm types, tendencies etc. I love vintage but sight unseen 40-year-old arms can show up with play due to bearing wear.

Would love to hear from the community- Im an old seller/buyer on AG before it went retail and very expensive.

 

Thanks All

128x128famoej

Showing 3 responses by dekay

dekay's avatar
dekay
5,351 posts
 

Here's a step by step build to look at (lot's of templates when I Googled).

 

DeKay

dekay's avatar
dekay
5,351 posts
 

jperry:

The USA rebuilders I Googled charge $450-$650 plus parts (figure an additional $200-$250 for there/back shipping).

As mentioned, the deck first and then what's leftover for the tonearm.

The OP has a functioning base, which is fine to get it up and running.

I (being a pot licker) would then experiment by "stuffing" the hollow base/plinth with various inserts/layers of plywood, probably using double sided tape in the beginning to hear how the added mass alters the sound.

The use of tape would give it somewhat of a constrained layer, which some seem to prefer in high mass TT plinths, plus it would allow easier experimentation.

 

DeKay 

dekay's avatar
dekay
5,351 posts
 

jperry:

I owned Thorens TD121/TD124 in the late 70's and preferred my TD160's.

This was long before plinths/arm board material was a consideration.

This said, I did like the stock 301 back then, but never found one on the cheap (paid $25-$35 for the Thorens idler/belt jobs @ local house sales).

I used all the decks with SME 3009 II non-improved and 3012 arms (depending upon the base) but even though the older Thorens decks were fuller sounding in the bass/mid-bass they lacked definition there and the mids/highs lacked the reverb quality I got with the 160's.

The TD121/124 were cabinet finds in crappy bases with slide out rails on the bottoms (one was a long base though).

I recall using white glue on the corners of the bases as both were starting to separate/fall a part.

Never heard a "modernized" 121/124/301, but would like to.

DeKay

 

 

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