Garrard 301 - Project

@larryi 

I agree with you on the mutual admiration for Hawaiian Koa — it’s nothing short of stunning. The way the grain catches the light and reveals such depth is truly special. Whether it’s on a 401 or a 301, it brings an undeniable elegance and soul to these classic machines.

Expensive, no doubt. I approached the Woodsong plinth as a “one and done” upgrade. The DAS plinth, while very respectable for the money, still left quite a bit on the table in terms of both performance and aesthetics. The Koa build, on the other hand, feels like the complete package — something I can live with long-term without second-guessing.

My local shop, Deja Vu Audio, makes their own horn-based speaker systems.  A customer ordered Koa veneer for the finish of his speakers.  The cabinet builder had enough leftovers to finish two plinths in koa.  The owner of the shop kept one, the other went to an employee for his Thorens 124 table.  Unlike Woodsong and Artisan Fidelity, Deja Vu prefers lighter wooden plinths (simple boxes) because the sound is livelier.  But they have made heavy plinths for customers preferring that kind of plinth.  Although most of their customers speakers and electronics employ very old vintage parts and their favored tables are vintage idler tables, they don’t use vintage arms on their tables.

@larryi 

That’s really interesting — I didn’t know Deja Vu leaned toward lighter plinths. Artisan Fidelity also makes lighter plinths with single tone arms. I honestly didn’t care for those given the asking price…when you’re spending four figures It makes sense (to me) to go all out. I can see why some would prefer a more lively presentation.

I’ve seen plenty of 301s with vintage arms like the SME 3012, and they definitely have that nostalgic appeal. But once you step into a Woodsong or Artisan Fidelity rebuild, it’s a whole different world. Pairing the 301 with modern arms like Reed, Schroeder, Graham, or Acoustical Systems takes the table into another league altogether. The energy, precision, and musicality these arms unlock is just breathtaking — it’s where vintage charm truly meets modern excellence. 

Lalitk,

One of the problems with liking certain vintage gear is that it gives some people the impression that we like the gear because it is old and quaint, not because it sounds good.  That is not true of all vintage gear owners.  I agree with putting the best arms on these vintage tables because they are good and warrant using the best arms.  I agree that the new arms you mentioned are terrific choices.