GARRARD 401 - Restoration thread!!

[brian2957]

Can't leave nowt alone

Just as well some of us like to muck around with things and create interesting threads

[Wakefield Turntables]

Can't leave nowt alone

Just as well some of us like to muck around with things and create interesting threads

It's funny you should say that because I have decided to keep my recent Lenco purchase stock and do a sensative restoration. I'm aiming to emulate how the deck would have performed back in 1973, then I'm going to do my reference Lenco and compare them to see how each upgrade works and what it brings to the table. This little experiment should keep me going for a good while yet.

[brian2957]

I'm in

[Jimbo]

It's funny you should say that because I have decided to keep my recent Lenco purchase stock and do a sensative restoration. I'm aiming to emulate how the deck would have performed back in 1973, then I'm going to do my reference Lenco and compare them to see how each upgrade works and what it brings to the table. This little experiment should keep me going for a good while yet.

That will be very interesting. I would like to something similar but with a PTP project.

[Wakefield Turntables]

The Garrard 401 (39432) Restoration Pt XIV - Going all German!

Stanley Engineering in Germany have come through again for me! Thanks guys! Here is a picture of the newly installed Panzerholz body for my beloved M55E.



I'll be installing this soon and shall be presenting a few notes about how it sounds over the next few days.

Stay tuned. ..

[Jimbo]

The Garrard 401 (39432) Restoration Pt XIV - Going all German!

Stanley Engineering in Germany have come through again for me! Thanks guys! Here is a picture of the newly installed Panzerholz body for my beloved M55E.



I'll be installing this soon and shall be presenting a few notes about how it sounds over the next few days.

Stay tuned. ..

Can you do a few pics of the installation Andy?

[Wakefield Turntables]

The hardest bit is to remove the plastic body from the Shure cartridge, but, as luck would have it, watch this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyPxDnptPPk

[Barry]

What is so special about Panzerholz over, say, ebony? Come to think of it, the first Koetsu cartridge had a rosewood body, so that would be an alternative.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Barry, years ago I managed to buy some scraps of Panzerholz. I made a two SME spacers for my 3009 and 3012 on my 301. All I can say is that things improved markedly. Panzerholz has excellent damping properties and has been used by many people with positive effects. I think Linn made a 50th anniversary LP12 with a Panzerholz plinth. I use Panzerholz for its damping properties but only in very specific areas. All my experiments have been based around damping key areas of the tonearm such as the tonearm/plinth and cartridge/tonearm interfaces. I've yet to be disappointed. All I can say is that I have been VERY pleased with the Panzerholz cartridge body for my M55E and it's taken this cartridge to another level. It's extremely rare that you'll hear me say something like that on a forum.
You could ask with Luthiers choose specific woods for specific reasons, I'm sure they could give a far more insightful answer than my wafflings.

[Wakefield Turntables]

The Garrard 401 (39432) Restoration Pt XV - Coming in song

I finally managed to find time to properly install the Panzerholz cartridge body for my hot rodded Shure M55E, and here she is.



The Panzerholz body has really transformed this M55E and I have to say that the new body is as equally important as the JICO SAS/B stylus in making this vintage cartridge a giant killer. I've not switeched on my Garrard 301 now for five weeks and it has a cartridge costing many times that of the M55E even taking into account the cost of the modifications. This cartridge now surpasses the performance of a Ortofon 2M black cartridge and without all the messing around associated with set up of these cartridges. Musical seperation bewteen instruments is staggering. Detail is staggering. I'm extremely happy with this cartridge and the argument for a JICO SAS/R is now more than justified. I'm hoping to buy one at some this year and this should push performance even further. Installing the new body has not been without problems. I did have to increase the diameter of the screw hole shafts in the body by several mm's to accomodate my mounting screws but that was no big deal. So, the M55E is now sitting parallel with the record surface, loaded with 500pF of capacitance, tracks at 1.25g with 1.1g of bias applied. I would say that I've put about 10-15 hours on the cart now so not quite broken in but each hour is a true joy!

Stay tuned.....