Garrard 301 with Audiomods Classic II arm
I was very very lucky boy.
I was thinking about building a plinth for the Garrard 401 as it had been a while since I had had one in the house, and a while since I had heard one.
With the work I have done with Lenco's, it seemed a good idea to think about adding them to my repertoire of 'Things I Can Do'.
So, I started to look around for a suitable deck. Ideally, I wanted an absolute old snotter that was in a right state, that I could wave the magic wand over and give it back its former glory, learn about how they are put together, and maybe give a nice shiny new coat of gloss black. That was the Idea anyway, until I discovered that the 401 in a shit state is a rare beast these days, and even the ones that are, command hundreds and hundreds of your hard earned pounds sterling. The last one I had cost me fifty quid........
A friend of mine has a load of old decks that he has squirreled away over the years, so I gave him a shout to learn that he didn't have a 401 any more, but that he did have a 301 I could borrow if I asked nicely. So I did.
At the time, I thought that he had a spare deck as he had one in a slate plinth that he used. Turns out 12 months down the line that it wasn't a spare and that the deck he brought me was the one he was using. Paul is the most generous person I have ever come across, but this is a 301! Paul you are a legend.
Following this act of god, I was in possession of a very very nice 301 on loan, that I hadn't had to sell my soul for.
Around this time, Nigel, another friend of mine, had acquired a Goldring G88 that he wanted a new plinth for as the original one was..... well..... abit crap. I had enough material to build 2 plinths, so while I was doing the 88 build, I built a plinth for the 301 alongside it. The 301 is lurking in the background as the 88 was being finished.
I was thinking about building a plinth for the Garrard 401 as it had been a while since I had had one in the house, and a while since I had heard one.
With the work I have done with Lenco's, it seemed a good idea to think about adding them to my repertoire of 'Things I Can Do'.
So, I started to look around for a suitable deck. Ideally, I wanted an absolute old snotter that was in a right state, that I could wave the magic wand over and give it back its former glory, learn about how they are put together, and maybe give a nice shiny new coat of gloss black. That was the Idea anyway, until I discovered that the 401 in a shit state is a rare beast these days, and even the ones that are, command hundreds and hundreds of your hard earned pounds sterling. The last one I had cost me fifty quid........
A friend of mine has a load of old decks that he has squirreled away over the years, so I gave him a shout to learn that he didn't have a 401 any more, but that he did have a 301 I could borrow if I asked nicely. So I did.
At the time, I thought that he had a spare deck as he had one in a slate plinth that he used. Turns out 12 months down the line that it wasn't a spare and that the deck he brought me was the one he was using. Paul is the most generous person I have ever come across, but this is a 301! Paul you are a legend.
Following this act of god, I was in possession of a very very nice 301 on loan, that I hadn't had to sell my soul for.
Around this time, Nigel, another friend of mine, had acquired a Goldring G88 that he wanted a new plinth for as the original one was..... well..... abit crap. I had enough material to build 2 plinths, so while I was doing the 88 build, I built a plinth for the 301 alongside it. The 301 is lurking in the background as the 88 was being finished.
The plinths a were built identical apart from the cutout for obvious reasons, same construction, and the same cunning decoupling method for the arm mounting.
The arm mounting plate sits on the top of an internal 'tower' that goes down to about half way through the plinth. What this does is to isolate the part that the arm mounting plate is stood on from the rest of the plinth. Motor noise has no direct path into the arm, it has to go through the rest of the plinth first before it can get into the arm base. It cuts noise down quite abit, and solid feet sink alot out into the support it is stood on before it gets a chance to get into the arm.
Interestingly, the arm on the 88 is an origin live silver, Rega geometry based based I think, and the arm that was destined to go on the 301 is another Rega based arm, an Audiomods classic 2. The arm that I took some inspiration from when I modified my own Rega. More on the Audiomods later
Fast forward a couple of months, and the 301 had been sat languishing in it's unfinished plinth. Other more important things had taken precedence, such is life.
whilst looking for something else, I discovered an untapped cache of veneer offcuts that I'd stored. There was just enough to do the 301 plinth in walnut, and having a little spare time for the first time in a long time, I got it veneered.
The arm mounting plate sits on the top of an internal 'tower' that goes down to about half way through the plinth. What this does is to isolate the part that the arm mounting plate is stood on from the rest of the plinth. Motor noise has no direct path into the arm, it has to go through the rest of the plinth first before it can get into the arm base. It cuts noise down quite abit, and solid feet sink alot out into the support it is stood on before it gets a chance to get into the arm.
Interestingly, the arm on the 88 is an origin live silver, Rega geometry based based I think, and the arm that was destined to go on the 301 is another Rega based arm, an Audiomods classic 2. The arm that I took some inspiration from when I modified my own Rega. More on the Audiomods later
Fast forward a couple of months, and the 301 had been sat languishing in it's unfinished plinth. Other more important things had taken precedence, such is life.
whilst looking for something else, I discovered an untapped cache of veneer offcuts that I'd stored. There was just enough to do the 301 plinth in walnut, and having a little spare time for the first time in a long time, I got it veneered.
You may notice that the arm is sat on a base that looks wrong, the base flange is not level with the top face of the plinth. This was not originally for the Audiomods, it was for an extended Mayware formula 4 unipivot. (That one has been extended out to fit at 222mm same as a Rega, (I find the tracking is better with a longer s/p distance) That has been rectified, another has been turned to fit the Audiomods. The Mayware had been fitted to my JBE direct drive in the interim, so I went on the lookout for yet another arm to go with the collection, which by this time included the Mayware, an Audio technica AT1100, another Rega R200, a Pro-ject 9cc, and my CX unipivot. This collection has now been thinned down as per the directive of she who must be obeyed.
Enter the Audiomods.
Nigel, who had me build the 88 plinth came up to see me, he was also thinning down some of his collection, in this case his decks. He fetched me one of his G99's to give a once over as he was thinking about selling it, and it had the arm on it. He had got himself an Audiomods series V, so I snatched up the classic. Im glad I did.
I'd been aware of these arms for a while, and had fitted that very Audiomods for him when he got it. and had been very very impressed by the build quality and the sound quality. Another friend Greg, had an Audiomods on his 401 for years so I had a very good idea of what to expect .
I can't praise this arm highly enough, the build is as good as my AT1100, which means it's exemplary, Jeff Spall certainly knows his way around the art of machining, and in doing so has built an absolute cracker of an arm. It is lovely to use, and those high spec bearings are so free moving that they put the vast majority of arms to shame. I've heard arms costing thousands that aren't as well rounded a performer and as well built as this is. And the series V is supposed to be even better. I can believe it.
Fits much better on its freshly turned base, which is also the correct heigh to get base of the arm up to the correct height for the 301 platter
Enter the Audiomods.
Nigel, who had me build the 88 plinth came up to see me, he was also thinning down some of his collection, in this case his decks. He fetched me one of his G99's to give a once over as he was thinking about selling it, and it had the arm on it. He had got himself an Audiomods series V, so I snatched up the classic. Im glad I did.
I'd been aware of these arms for a while, and had fitted that very Audiomods for him when he got it. and had been very very impressed by the build quality and the sound quality. Another friend Greg, had an Audiomods on his 401 for years so I had a very good idea of what to expect .
I can't praise this arm highly enough, the build is as good as my AT1100, which means it's exemplary, Jeff Spall certainly knows his way around the art of machining, and in doing so has built an absolute cracker of an arm. It is lovely to use, and those high spec bearings are so free moving that they put the vast majority of arms to shame. I've heard arms costing thousands that aren't as well rounded a performer and as well built as this is. And the series V is supposed to be even better. I can believe it.
Fits much better on its freshly turned base, which is also the correct heigh to get base of the arm up to the correct height for the 301 platter
Next thing was to give it power, I fitted a captive lead to this one as I didn't want to mess with any of the original wiring. It has to go back to Paul exactly as it arrived.
After that I turned a set of oak feet and gave it a good coat of finishing wax.
After that I turned a set of oak feet and gave it a good coat of finishing wax.
It's stood on one of my prototype speakers using fane 15" drivers. Yes they are that ugly.. (I feel a page coming on for these bloody great brutes) and yes it was a bloody tip that day.... See for yourself.....
Anyway, back to the deck, and away from my largely cavalier attitude to tidiness (swmbo was not impressed that day), I fitted my AT440mlb cart, shifted the type 2 Lenco, and took it for a test drive
suitably impressed, I then tidied up, and swapped the AT150 sa off the JVC onto it and the 440 back onto the JVC.
I now realise why these decks are so sought after. They are so dynamic and musical that I really wonder how good the SMD Acoustics V 2.0 turntable is. A modern interpretation of the pattern the 301 set, with modern manufacturing techniques and materials is an intriguing prospect. But not for me, 8 grand is abit rich for my blood. (ok.. alot rich..).
I will be a broken man when it has to go back to Paul, but on the other hand, I am very pleased with how my type 2 stands next to it. They both have their strengths, the Lenco is probably better balanced overall, but then I have spent several years refining it. Perhaps I wont be so broken after all. And the Garrard motor unit still looks gorgeous after all these years.
Finally, a big big huge thank you to Paul for making this possible
I will be a broken man when it has to go back to Paul, but on the other hand, I am very pleased with how my type 2 stands next to it. They both have their strengths, the Lenco is probably better balanced overall, but then I have spent several years refining it. Perhaps I wont be so broken after all. And the Garrard motor unit still looks gorgeous after all these years.
Finally, a big big huge thank you to Paul for making this possible