Graham Phantom / Garrard 301

[Old boy]

I have a really great condition 301 which I have now finally got around too fitting into a new plinth ordered some time ago.My original plan was to fit a newer SME arm, unfortunately prices of SME arms, the V in particular appear to increased in price to frankly ridiculous levels over the last 12 months so no SME for me.
I do however have a Graham Phantom that’s been sitting unused in a box.
plan B will installing the Graham be overkill on a Garrard 301 ?
What other 9 inch arms should I consider, I’m very wary of looking at vintage stuff I just don’t have the necessary experience / technical understanding to tell a pukka one from a duff one.
I should add the plinth was ordered with an SME cut out.

[Jazid]

It would help to know what cartridge you are thinking of using with the arm?

Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk

[Spectral Morn]

I have a really great condition 301 which I have now finally got around too fitting into a new plinth ordered some time ago.My original plan was to fit a newer SME arm, unfortunately prices of SME arms, the V in particular appear to increased in price to frankly ridiculous levels over the last 12 months so no SME for me.
I do however have a Graham Phantom that’s been sitting unused in a box.
plan B will installing the Graham be overkill on a Garrard 301 ?
What other 9 inch arms should I consider, I’m very wary of looking at vintage stuff I just don’t have the necessary experience / technical understanding to tell a pukka one from a duff one.
I should add the plinth was ordered with an SME cut out.

Major issue is that the Graham if its an SME base won't align right because the base of the arm won't clear the side of the motor unit. The arm board would need to be higher than the edge of the motor unit in order that the arm will clear the edge of the motor unit for alignment. Not sure if the same will be so if its a Graham mount. I know because I was not able to fit my Phantom on my 401, because the arm board sat below the height of the motor unit. Keep in mind the SME arms move on the mount for alignment with a Phantom the arm must be moved as a whole unit.

A Phantom is not overkill on a Garrard 301.

[Old boy]

Major issue is that the Graham if its an SME base won't align right because the base of the arm won't clear the side of the motor unit. The arm board would need to be higher than the edge of the motor unit in order that the arm will clear the edge of the motor unit for alignment. Not sure if the same will be so if its a Graham mount. I know because I was not able to fit my Phantom on my 401, because the arm board sat below the height of the motor unit. Keep in mind the SME arms move on the mount for alignment with a Phantom the arm must be moved as a whole unit.

A Phantom is not overkill on a Garrard 301.

Many thanks Neil, hadn’t thought about the possibility of the motor unit being an issue.

[Spectral Morn]

Many thanks Neil, hadn’t thought about the possibility of the motor unit being an issue.

It is, can't see it being different with the 301 to the 401 unless its a 12 in Phantom, if its a 9 in you need to be able to move the arm so you can get the spindle jig into the hole on the arm and that will require moving the arm. Because the mounting base on the Phantom is large (often a pain) it can't be moved enough (great thing about SMEs the base stays put and the arm moves back and forwards), unless it is higher than the top of the motor unit. Couple of mm above the motor unit would be enough I think. I was going to have another go with some washers/shims, but my 401 sounds great with the SME 5 on it, so I have left the Phantom on the Model 20, which sounds much better, than with the SME 5 arm it came with on it.