The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Garrard 301, grease bearing model -- $4,700 CDN

Surrey is a suburb of Greater Vancouver and is close to two border crossings with Washington State.

Pricey at $4,700 CDN, yes, but not entirely out of line with online asking prices.

Ugly tone arm installation.

https://www.facebook.com/share/TW8ja1i4xYrADgj1/

The value must be in the tone-arm.

JeffR1 wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2024 11:57 am The value must be in the tone-arm.

I don't know myself, but I do doubt that the tone-arm is all that valuable.

The 301 seems to be a highly sought-after transcription turntable.

There are much cheaper modern transciptions machines such as those from Rek-o-Kut.

There are also Lencos.

There are Metzner Starlights, plagued by faulty materials engineering.

There are the Stanton ST-150 DJ turntables, with non-replaceable middling arms, except for with other Stantion/Hanpin arms.

There are the modded Technics 1200s, with very limited +/- 8% speed controls.

And there are probably more.

All are cheaper than the 301.

But the 301 seems to be a cult item.

I personally do not know whether it deserves such revered status, but there are senior, highly respected, highly-knowledgeable members here who use them.

Ref: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... =0&_sop=12

In the 1990’s I had a 301 with a 16” Rek-o-kut arm wired for stereo. It came with a massive home made base. Found it at an estate sale where I missed out on a stereo tube Scott preamp & amplifier plus a set of JBL floor speakers. Fortunately the amplifier people didn’t consider it worthwhile.

Later on I actually sold it at a Vintage Radio show in Elgin Il. for around $350. Quite a profit on my original $20 purchase. Now if I had only hung onto it! No regrets as I eventually purchased a new modified Technics 1200. Even with the 8% pitch it works with my modest collection of shellac.

Now one of these days I should try one of those new platter bearings the the Garrard RC88 MkIIII I have.