The Garrard 301 Restoration Project PT LXI - Big boy pants revisted.


Gentlemen, I usually update my various blogs on Sunday just before the working week starts. No such update this week so I thought I'd something tonight. I have finally fitted my homebrew bearing clamp to the 301 plinth. I dosen't look pretty and it's still in prototype development but at least I have a working design which is easy to fit. It really does need to be smartened up but I think that this can wait until later on in the week. As always with these things it didn't actually take that long to build something in the garage and then execute said design. The idea is to try and stiffen the mounting of the bearing to the top plate in the vertical plane. This modification has been used by the Lenco bretheren for a number of years and by-and-large people agree that it improves the sonic output.

The 301 is in pieces again. The SME 3009 is taking a holiday upto Audio Origami for a check over and ( I think) an earthing problem with the tonearm, but I'll leave J7 to work that one out! I will probably use the 401 for vinyl duties or maybe even listen to something called a CD. Overall the 301 just needs the motor decoupling from the top plate and we are motoring on all cylinders with regards the mods available. I could of course go down the route of larger platter, a machined bespoke chassis but why bother I'm having fun again messing around with things. Stay tuned...