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
How much do you have in the Garrard 301? A restoration by a quality rebuilder will be a few hundred. You could keep your plinth for a cost of zero $. A tonearm will cost at least $500 unless you find a real bargain. No idea on the cost of a Denon. $2,000 will be a tight squeeze depending on what you have in the 301.
|
There are a number of plinths on eBay. I would get one with a removable arm board in case you change tonearms. My reason for this is the plinth will be the biggest PITA to sell if you upgrade. So I would plan to not upgrade the plinth later. I think you should buy plinth in the $800 - $1,000 range. A friend recently bought one and eBay and it was very nice, but not as nice as the ones from Woodsong. You should spend the least on the cartridge, and maybe tonearm with a plan to upgrade later. If it all does not fit in your budget keep the existing plinth until you can afford to buy something you will want to keep long term |
@dekay +1 I think my real point, although not well articulated, was don't buy a base that you need to upgrade. I agree with you, and I am always happy to see another person put a Garrard back in service. I have one and I am very happy with my Garrard 301. |
