Garrard 301 component build

[ssfas]

I thought I'd start a thread as I'm putting together a 301 using current suppliers. Getting a finished one done would be too easy. So the current state of play is:

1. Donor unit - purchased from Emporium Hifi and sent direct to Ray at Classic Turntable.
2. Classic Turntable Company are building the 301 unit, with premium bearing, solid brass plinth, black rubber mat. Being done in Hammertone as it was one of the original 301 colours.
3. Carl Ellis is making the plinth. He's local to Ray at Classic. I sent him the veneer.
4. I have a Reed 3P and bought a new Groovemaster III. Both came from Ammonite Audio in Norwich.
5. Getting the Longdog Quartz Mk2 power supply directly from Nick Gorham.
6. Power lead is Supra, will go directly from the motor to the power supply. Supplied by Futureshop.
7. Plinth feet are from Kridon.
8. The toxic hard gloss finish of the plinth is to be done in London by my mate Paul, he has a factory and safety certificate to do it.
9. New stand/rack being made from raw steel square tube by a local architectural metalworker called Kevin.
10. Paul is making the shelves, same veneer as the plinth, but satin finish.
11. The top of the unit will be black slate, ordered from a supplier in Wales, where black slate is everywhere.

Ray sent over a base plate so I could see the Hammertone paint finish. The veneer underneath will be used for the plinth.

 

[ssfas]

Something that might be a plinth, with a little more work.



Looks familiar. May call this toy "the pug".

 

[ssfas]

Various toys are arriving, a power supply from Nick Gorham and a rather nice new Goovemaster headshell.





The output fuse on the power supply is 0.315A, the fuse freaks would no doubt lose sleep over their power going down such a thin wire, but that's life.

 

[hifilife]

Looks great so far. How did you settle on an all ply plinth? Did you consider other materials?

 

[ssfas]

Looks great so far. How did you settle on an all ply plinth? Did yo consider other materials?

It's a popular choice over here, plus Carl Ellis who is making it was recommended by Ray at Classic Turntables. Carl has his own templates and Ray will do a test fit before I collect it or get it sent down. Plus I wanted a veneer finish.

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

do you have the new The Groovemaster IV in stainless steel?

 

[hifilife]

It's a popular choice over here, plus Carl Ellis who is making it was recommended by Ray at Classic Turntables. Carl has his own templates and Ray will do a test fit before I collect it or get it sent down. Plus I wanted a veneer finish.

Thanks. I've had a 301 for years and can't decide what kind of plinth to build for it!

 

[ssfas]

do you have the new The Groovemaster IV in stainless steel?

I went for the Groovemaster III. The IV is twice the price and there is also a Reed 3P going on, so I thought the IV was overkill. I didn't want to go completely nuts on this turntable.

I originally ordered and received a Wand arm. The arm mount that was delivered was not as illustrated, it was a horrible black thing that had been 3D printed.

I was then sent the original design - the last one they had available. It had glue smudges and fundamental design flaw in that you had to lower the arm lever before taking off the arm lock. So one swipe and you could destroy the cartridge. No surprise they changed it. I sent it back and got a refund. They were not happy.

It seems the Wand was a brilliant no frills arm, but when they tried to refine it they messed it up, unless you like 3D printed plastic.

 

[ssfas]

Need a proper stand, so a very nice chap called Kevin is making me one. He did the stand for my drinks cabinet using 20mm square tube, this is 25mm. Looks pretty rigid. He's going to drop it off at my cabinetmaker Paul to make some shelves. I have to get the 301 plinth to Paul in the next few days, it's hopefully veneered by Thursday and I can go and pick it up on Friday.

Decided to leave as natural steel rather than get it powder coated. There is an extra foot to go in the middle.

 

[ssfas]

A nice bit of Welsh slate to go on the top, arrived yesterday.

 

[ssfas]

The previous unit they did for me (Kevin and Paul). 20mm steel is pretty damned strong. There's not much to this frame, but it's rock solid.

 

[ssfas]

A little more progress. Have to go up and collect this from Ray at Classic Turntables on Thursday.

I've conveniently arranged to leave London at 4am when the cricket commentary starts, will entertain me the whole trip there and back. Will drop off at the chap to do the gloss finish.

 

[ssfas]

Prices have gone up a bit.

Bit of a delay and my mate tells me the gloss finish requires 16 layers of hand-polished laquer and will take 5 weeks.

 

[Norman Tracy]

I cannot decide if I want to spend the extra 2 pounds sterling for the strobe marks. Of course my golden ears can set the speed just by listening but I do love it when the marks hover still in the warm neon glow.

 

[ssfas]

I cannot decide if I want to spend the extra 2 pounds sterling for the strobe marks. Of course my golden ears can set the speed just by listening but I do love it when the marks hover still in the warm neon glow.

I'm reliably informed by Ray at Classic Turntables (I went up to see him and he is the most delightful chap) that you should keep a strobe disc handy because the speed takes about 2 hours to stabilise as the oil/grease warms up. People used to just leave them running. He was more concerned with speed stability rather than speed accuracy. He does not lose sleep over 33.37 rpm, as long as it stays at 33.37 rpm.

 

[Norman Tracy]

Minus the attempt at witty sarcasm in my post above I can say should I one day be fortunate enough to own a Garrard 301 or 401 (especially one restored by Ray at Classic Turntables) I am about as likely to lose sleep over its exact speed as I am at the exact rear wheel horsepower should (in a price range many many orders of magnitude higher) I become the owner of a 1930 'Blower' Bentley. In both cases we have wondrous creations to be savored in their use.

BTW ssfas I love the hammertone paint on your unit.

 

[Rensselaer]

Looking good! What cartridges will you be running and what phono stage?

 

[ssfas]

Minus the attempt at witty sarcasm in my post above I can say should I one day be fortunate enough to own a Garrard 301 or 401 (especially one restored by Ray at Classic Turntables) I am about as likely to lose sleep over its exact speed as I am at the exact rear wheel horsepower should (in a price range many many orders of magnitude higher) I become the owner of a 1930 'Blower' Bentley. In both cases we have wondrous creations to be savored in their use.

BTW ssfas I love the hammertone paint on your unit.

Ray has been vexed over the Hammertone finish. The difficulty is getting it done properly, as he gets the paint jobs done externally. He only does strip down, motors and rebuilding at his place, he also sends parts out for Cadmium plating etc. His workshop/listening room is surgically clean.

He was saying he has a new paint factory in Northern Ireland. He sent me one before rebuilt so I was happy. I went for Hammertone as it was an original finish and I wanted some of the original look, unlike the brass platter. Plus it will match the arms.

He really does have it down to a "T" in being able to produce a very high quality product.

The Blower is a thing of beauty. There were stories that Edward VIII (known as David) when Prince of Wales used to drive one around Surrey and Hampshire, usually on a golfing trip, rarely dropping below 100. When I was a kid we went to the London-Brighton Race start in Hyde Park and there was often on display a Blower that had been fitted with a Rolls Royce Merlin engine.

 

[ssfas]

Looking good! What cartridges will you be running and what phono stage?

Both arms (Groovemaster III and Reed 3P) were supplied by Hugo at Ammonite Audio and he is a big fan of Phasemation. I might just have to get one. Currently I have a Koetsu Urushi rebuilt by NWA with a Fitz Gyger assembly, a DL103R/Expert Stylus upgraded, a SoundSmith Zephyr MkIII MI (2.2mV out) and a DV XX2 Mk2 with Expert Stylus Paratrace retip.

The ES Paratraces are superb but don't last long. The Fitz Gyger is very long-lasting. The Zephyr MI is well suited to the MM phono of my Luxman and is a really top class high output unit, very cleverly designed with a very light cantilever. These are all low compliance cartridges, so I can play around.

My phono stage is the utterly brilliant RCM Sensor2 Mk2. It was not the type of design I was looking for, but my dealer loaned me one and I was blown away how good it is. Before that I had a Modwright PH9.0X on loan and it was making banging noises - a rather nasty grounding issue. Sent it back.

 

[Rensselaer]

Both arms (Groovemaster III and Reed 3P) were supplied by Hugo at Ammonite Audio and he is a big fan of Phasemation. I might just have to get one. Currently I have a Koetsu Urushi rebuilt by NWA with a Fitz Gyger assembly, a DL103R/Expert Stylus upgraded, a SoundSmith Zephyr MkIII MI (2.2mV out) and a DV XX2 Mk2 with Expert Stylus Paratrace retip.

The ES Paratraces are superb but don't last long. The Fitz Gyger is very long-lasting. The Zephyr MI is well suited to the MM phono of my Luxman and is a really top class high output unit, very cleverly designed with a very light cantilever. These are all low compliance cartridges, so I can play around.

My phono stage is the utterly brilliant RCM Sensor2 Mk2. It was not the type of design I was looking for, but my dealer loaned me one and I was blown away how good it is. Before that I had a Modwright PH9.0X on loan and it was making banging noises - a rather nasty grounding issue. Sent it back.

I don't remember, did I say Hugo supplied me with my Phasemation stuff, also Reed 5A tonearm? Are you in Norfolk?