Garrard 301 DRD

[Wakefield Turntables]

Anyone got a clue what the triangular bit is over the bearing ?

26427

[dave2010]

Could we have a better piccie please?

[Wakefield Turntables]

Could we have a better piccie please?

That's all I've got.

[STD305M]

Hi Andrew
This might be a little better

http://i68.tinypic.com/2lmmnb5.jpg

[Wakefield Turntables]

Thanks Steve. I think clicking on the attached picture I included should go full screen.

[TAD12]

is this an ex BBC item ? I have a pdf of a 301 Service manual from 1961, but no specific mention of this triangular part. unlike any 301/401 I've ever seen. regards. T.

[Wakefield Turntables]

is this an ex BBC item ? I have a pdf of a 301 Service manual from 1961, but no specific mention of this triangular part. unlike any 301/401 I've ever seen. regards. T.

Yep its a heavily modded BBC model. I'm thinking the triangular part might be a bearing collar, it's over the spindle so I wonder if it's designed to stop "give" developing in the spindle. The DRD models had many modifications over the standard 301. I'm looking into previous models and seeing what I can use to improve my 301.

[DiveDeepDog]

AG will know for sure, but my thoughts are a crude system for a 2nd platter to cue records like the Thorens 124. I've seen mechanisms underneath that lift and lower the main bearing to engage a top platter?

* wrong triangles!

The bearing in the picture has been modded from grease to oil bearing, does the 'new' triangle help maintain oil reserve with a felt washer underneath for prolonged use?

[Wakefield Turntables]

AG will know for sure, but my thoughts are a crude system for a 2nd platter to cue records like the Thorens 124. I've seen mechanisms underneath that lift and lower the main bearing to engage a top platter?

* wrong triangles!

The bearing in the picture has been modded from grease to oil bearing, does the 'new' triangle help maintain oil reserve with a felt washer underneath for prolonged use?

Good points Mark, I forgot out the cueing system. You've got good eyes, I had now idea the bearing had been modded!

[DiveDeepDog]

I thought the oil bearing a standard upgrade by the BBC, involved filing the chassis to make them fit though.
My own Grey 301 was allegedly ex Lancaster BBC but is untouched.
I was able to make the SPH bearing fit without touching the chassis.

[Chas B]

I've also wondered about that part... in fact there are lots of interesting bits on those ex BBC Garrards. Like you Andrew I study them to see if there are parts/ideas worth using on my own TTs. I hadn't considered the possibility of it being converted from grease, I guess the grease bearings didn't need the felt washer so this triangular part could be simply to hold a felt washer in place. A bit over-engineered though!:) Have you spotted any mods that might benefit our Garrards? It looks like most of the modifications were to make the DJs life easier rather than to improve sound quality.

[Wakefield Turntables]

I've also wondered about that part... in fact there are lots of interesting bits on those ex BBC Garrards. Like you Andrew I study them to see if there are parts/ideas worth using on my own TTs. I hadn't considered the possibility of it being converted from grease, I guess the grease bearings didn't need the felt washer so this triangular part could be simply to hold a felt washer in place. A bit over-engineered though!:) Have you spotted any mods that might benefit our Garrards? It looks like most of the modifications were to make the DJs life easier rather than to improve sound quality.

Charlie,

I learned all my stuff from talking to people, watching youtube, and getting my hands dirty. People you may wish to talk to are Loricraft, Matt at Audiograil, Dr. Martin Bastin. Keeping you Garrard in perfect mechanical condition is probably the best modification you could try! I'm in the process of getting a fully modded Bastin 401 in plinth. Should be fun.

[DiveDeepDog]

I've also wondered about that part... in fact there are lots of interesting bits on those ex BBC Garrards. Like you Andrew I study them to see if there are parts/ideas worth using on my own TTs. I hadn't considered the possibility of it being converted from grease, I guess the grease bearings didn't need the felt washer so this triangular part could be simply to hold a felt washer in place. A bit over-engineered though!:) Have you spotted any mods that might benefit our Garrards? It looks like most of the modifications were to make the DJs life easier rather than to improve sound quality.


The bearing is swapped, grease to oil. The giveaway is the screw head at the side of the spindle. If it's been further modded to raise n lower the spindle the triangular piece may be there to retain the felt ring??

Found some pics on VE, sorry my tech skills are limited to a link.
https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?t=58029

[Chas B]

Charlie,

I learned all my stuff from talking to people, watching youtube, and getting my hands dirty. People you may wish to talk to are Loricraft, Matt at Audiograil, Dr. Martin Bastin. Keeping you Garrard in perfect mechanical condition is probably the best modification you could try! I'm in the process of getting a fully modded Bastin 401 in plinth. Should be fun.

Hi Andrew, yes I peruse the www constantly for ideas to apply to my TTs. Your own efforts brought me to AOS. My own efforts include a heavily modded Lenco with my own bearing/platter design. A 401 serviced by myself and housed in a DIY slate plinth. A 301 rebuilt by myself in a basic moldovian plinth which I've been experimenting with, it's fitted with a FR64fx which I had to manufacture the missing parts for... like yourself I'm a hands-on person, it's half the fun!

[Chas B]

The bearing is swapped, grease to oil. The giveaway is the screw head at the side of the spindle. If it's been further modded to raise n lower the spindle the triangular piece may be there to retain the felt ring??

Found some pics on VE, sorry my tech skills are limited to a link.
https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?t=58029

Ah, now I get it. So the spindle can actually rise and fall within the bearing. Good for DJs but not very relevent for us... Thanks for the link to pics, very interesting.

[A.Grail]

The pictured 301 is not a pure DRD 5 - it shares several parts from an RP2/1 - This is not unusual as BBC engineers would cobble together / maintain the units for functionality rather than originality. The face plates with no 78 RPM are DRD5 the x3 raisers on the periphery are RP2/1 types. The bearing is oil (original DRD5's are grease those still used by the Beeb as back up or were slower to be exchanged for the successor the RP2/1, were fitted with oil bearings. All RP2/1's are oil bearings and have the 78 function) The entire housing is DRD5. A genuine collectors piece for sure but if you want it to sound good there is lots (and I genuinely mean lots that needs to be done, If you want to restore full BBC function there's even more that will need to be done.)