Garrard 401 or Thorens 125

Steve Leung and his son Ray at VAS have several TD125’s, I helped them design and my woodworker made several nicer looking wood plinths, but even then they have zero appeal for me.

I had, loved, still miss my Thorens TD124, (my wood floors are too flexible for it’s bearing) never had or knew anyone with a Garrard 301 or 401, but I have seen and heard them at audio shows, I get the appeal of them.

@billstevenson is correct, flexible floor: go with spring suspended Thorens TD125; solid floor: Thorens TD124 or Garrard 301 or 401, their bearings are very sensitive to vertical motion.

maybe on a wall shelf

Bill, I would not say they are examples of Old World craftsmanship so much as they are examples of an industrial era when things were "built like a tank", which probably is a post WW2 meme, since tanks played such a huge role in fighting that war. A time when, in this country, Sears ruled the world. I still have and use a few of the tools that my dad left on his workbench when he passed away in the 70s. The difference between them in quality of construction and their modern counterparts that one encounters in a hardware story these days is notable. Let's not forget that a new Garrard 301 chassis sold for around $50 in its day. (On the other hand, accounting for inflation, that was probably big bucks.)

On the hearth in our NH home there is an old wooden plane made by my wife Bonnie's great grandfather, a professional furniture maker.  That is Old World craftsmanship in the true sense.  Point taken, lewm.  In my defense I did use small rather than capital letters.  I also have some old tools such as you describe inheriting from your father, except in my case, at 77, I bought them when new.  

Hey, I am old too.  I do have old tools bought by me in the last 40 years or so, and you can see the evolution from overbuilt to underbuilt just looking at those.

I understand what you mean about hand tools.  On the other hand, when it comes to turntables progress has been made.  I believe it would not be controversial to say that the turntables being made today, at least the ones that concern those of us who participate in forums such as this, are the best ever.  Now, let me pose a question for open comment.  What is the price point of diminishing return for a high end sound system?  Let’s keep it simple and confine my question to turntables only.  And let's assume new, current models only.  No used, discontinued or other screaming deals need be considered.