Garrard 301 restoration project

**Wakefield Turntables** · 12-07-2015, 15:39

Originally Posted by DarrenHW

I have seen threads where people have braced the chassis, I've not looked into this but I did put a shim with a blu tack "damper" between the base of the spindle and the lower plinth. I only tried this as a quick and easy experiment but found it reduced noise and improved bass, (the choice of "damper" did have an effect on the bass, I tried sorbathane, felt, neoprene and cork but overall preferred blu tack) I don't see why further improvements couldn't be achieved with better bracing. Detaching the motor could only be a good thing as far as I'm concerned and will be something I look into when finalising the plinth design.

My 401 is on the back burner at the moment but I only have modest plans for it. I need to source another idler (I have 2 401's but only 1 idler) when I have I'll have it redressed and install new bearings, this will complete the service as all other springs and bushes have been replaced. I do intend to look at the wiring, nothing revolutionary, just really re-routing maybe fixing the wiring to the lower plinth instead of suspending it off the motor and chassis. I'm still interested in the PSU, but have no plan to progress with this in the near future. One area I would like to investigate is having a copper top plate bonded to the platter with the hope that it would act as an electrical shield? This is just something I'm mulling over, I guess the material and machining cost would be £2-300 and it would mean sacrificing a platter if the results were negative.

How's your search for a 401 coming on?

Ive managed to get a 401 from a forum member for a good price. I'll try the tweek with the blutack when I get my tannoys back.

**DarrenHW** · 12-07-2015, 17:39

Originally Posted by REXTON

Ive managed to get a 401 from a forum member for a good price...

The beginning of a third system?!?

**Wakefield Turntables** · 12-07-2015, 18:42

Originally Posted by DarrenHW

The beginning of a third system?!?

We'll see!

**Wakefield Turntables** · 16-09-2015, 08:23

The 301 continues to evolve. This time I shall be decoupling the motor from the chassis (not that I've seen how it's done).

**DarrenHW** · 16-09-2015, 17:33

Good luck with that, how do you plan on doing it / how's the PSU coming on?

**Wakefield Turntables** · 16-09-2015, 17:41

You decouple the motor, thread a couple of bolts through the screw holes and attached into plinth, it's that simple. The PSU is still a work in progress

**DarrenHW** · 16-09-2015, 18:40

I forgot you have a solid plinth

, good luck with it, I'm interested to read your findings.

**Wakefield Turntables** · 16-09-2015, 18:52

Originally Posted by DarrenHW

I forgot you have a solid plinth

, good luck with it, I'm interested to read your findings.

Yep I dont think you'll have enough space under your slate plinth, also drilling into slate could be a PITA?? Maybe this is where a birchply plinth has an advantage over slate?

**Wakefield Turntables** · 22-09-2015, 19:57

Could this be the answer to all my Garrard 301 PSU woes?

http://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories...ter_420_e.html

**Wakefield Turntables** · 24-09-2015, 07:39

Bull ... Horns... Gripped... 301 psu now under construction, parts ordered from farnell.

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