Malvai's Garrard 401 Re-Build WIP

[malvai]

Hi guys!

A couple of weeks ago, I found a seller (right here in India) selling a NOS Garrard 401.

At that point, he had a plinth made of thin wood, which I 'borrowed' for testing the Garrard 401.

From then on, I have been designing and planning a complete re-build. Thankfully, the TT does not need major overhauling, and the only thing that I am considering to do on the deck is to re-grease, re-oil and then upgarde the bearing to the Kokomo one for tube analogue.

This is how the TT looks like at this time in its borrowed 'el cheapo' plinth.

Top:

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/3651/img2012021300169.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/208/img2012021300169.jpg/)

The Underside:

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/2757/img2012021300170.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/339/img2012021300170.jpg/)

Sorry, I dont have a great camera, and these are from my BB phone.

[malvai]

3 weeks from the time of the above acquisition, I have decided to go ahead with a 2 layered plinth. The top layer will have 3 tonearms, the tonearms will be decouple from the top layer. I will cut out the slabs from the tomearm area and grind the sides shorter by 2-3 mm on each side, and then load the arms on them. Each tonearm base will be attached to 3 spikes of the same kind as which will go on the plinth bases, so as to maintain height. This kind of decoupling will ensure that the tonearms are not moved out of position in my absence by my neatness obsessed / duster ready wife!

Why sandstone?
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock like slate and has even more uneven layers of minerals. Thus making it a brilliant option for acoustic applications.

I have already identified a seller here in India who has a beautiful 30 mm sandstone slab in dusty white colour. Not like a high gloss, milky white marble. The guy is even willing to cut it the way I want it.

But before I do that, I need to fix on the tonearms. For this build I have decided to work with the older generation tonearms. And have been extremely lucky to find the following 3:
These are (listing as per their order in the pics below)
1. SME 3009 s2 (improved with fixed headshell) I intend to put a mono cart on this one. I intend to re-wire the tonearm with trans-fi’s tonearm cable. And buy a SME RCA adaptor from ATA.
2. SME 3012 S2 (I am looking for an old Ortofon SPU for this, but will work with a Clearaudio Aurum Classics MM cart on a Nagoaka headshell that I have recently ordered). I will be re-wiring the tonearm with trans-fi’s tonearm cable and will be doing the RCA adaptation using ATA’s adaptor.
3. Denon DA 308 (longtype, transcription tonearm) This tonearm was specially developed by Denon Japan for broadcasting purposes at their NHK studios. Darned lucky to get it as it easily beats the SME 3012 in terms of build. I have bought a Denon DL 103 Pro for this arm, from eifl, japan. I willnot be doing any major tweaks to this tonearm for now. But, I will buy a better tonearm cable for it. As the stock cord with it looks pretty lousy. Anyone have any recommendations (not looking to spend in thousands here!)?
Here are some pictures:
http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/8027/img2012031400196.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/109/img2012031400196.jpg/)
The tonearms have arrived, but I don’t have their loading templates. So for the SME’s I have downloaded the JPG of the loading protractor from Vinylengine. I am recreating it on Corel and will manually stretch it to the correct size until the diagram’s correct spindle to pivot distance is achieved. For the Denon DA 308, no manual exists ANYWHERE. But, I did find the overhang and spindle to pivot distances. I am creating a protractor on CorelDraw for it. Meanwhile I have fond the Garrard 401 mounting template on CAD. This I will convert in its proper size on Corel. Then, on Corel itself, will put the SME mounting templates and the Denon template and create a master diagram. Once printed, it can be used to do a rough cut on MDF.
When everything gets mounted on MDF perfectly, I will take the final MDF cutout to the stone cutter and replicate the top plinth on Sandstone.
In the meanwhile I have also built a sand box, on which the final build of the Garrad 401 will stand!

[Dominic Harper]

Good luck with the 401. A word of advice, do not fit a Kokomo bearing. This will destroy the bearing spindle.

[malvai]

Hi Dominic,
i haven't placed the order for the Kokomo bearing just yet... and while i have read up on some of the bad press that the original kokomo bearing got, the new bearing seems to have recified the problem.

Or at least that's what we know in India. what do you advise?

Especially since my 401 has been unplayed. literally. do you think that the origial bearing is good enough to go?

[Dominic Harper]

The original bearing is ok. It can be bettered, but the Kokomo is not the answer. Stick with the stock bearing for now.

[malvai]

super bro!
tell em more about the betterment bit!

also, can u tell me how much your phono cable costs (the one with the 5 din?) as well as the RCA?

[Alex_UK]

The top layer will have 3 tonearms, the tonearms will be decouple from the top layer.

Fantastic - I love multi-arm decks! :drool: Good luck!

[selfaddict]

I am with Dom with this. Just leave the original bearing as it is. Only thing I would do is to buy new bearing oil from Dom and new set of bearing paper gaskets from e-bay. I serviced the 401 bearing myself using parts I mentioned and I am very pleased in deed for the end result.

[Alfonzo]

Yes KOKOMO a NO NO

[malvai]

ok ok ok guys!
The KOKOMO order now stands cancelled! can anyone point me in the right direction for the bearing paper gaskets?

[Dominic Harper]

Hi Marvai, can you send me an email at northwestanalogue@hotmail.co.uk

Thanks
Dom