Garrard 401 total rebuild

[JonnyCJ]

I've got a pretty tatty 401 on the way, for not much money I'm pleased to say.

I will be looking to totally rebuild it over the next 6-8 months and am looking for a little help on where to source a few things.

The linkage mechanism will be totally stripped, cleaned and zinc plated - anyone know who can do this for me ?

The plinth will be similarly stripped and refinished to perfect condition - can I do this myself, or is it better to get someone else to do it ?

I'm pretty good with a screwdriver etc and have the time and patience to do it properly.

All other tips on parts, improvements etc etc great fully received !

Cheers

Jonny

[Blue Angel]

Hi

Congratulations. A 401 idler is a solid, sensible choice and good luck with the restore.

In the meantime, treat yourself to an airbrush and a suitable airbrush compressor for giving your 401 a new coat of colour. It's the perfect tool for a professional paint job - pics of refinished turntables are in my gallery here. There's a Micro MR-711 and a Dunlop Systemdek with airbrushed automotive basecoat/clearcoat applied with a Paasche airbrush.

Good luck

ba

[JonnyCJ]

Cheers BA - sourced a mint chassis and control panel already, so air brush won't be needed.

Whereabouts in CT are you ? Spent a long time in Rondebosch, Observatory, Capri, over the years. My old man used to teach at Bishops, so I'd go over and see him in the summer hols.

Jonny

[Blue Angel]

That's great Cheers to you as well from a wet, currently raining Kenilworth in Cape Town. My humble abode is (not naming my street)in the long road running from the M3 end (Newlands) through to exit in Main Road, Wynberg. Sacs, Wynberg Boys High, Herscel Girls school and Bishops are all within walking distance from my home.

My wife taught for years at Rondebosch Boys school.

Good luck with the restore/rebuild and post some pics please. Be careful with how you handle the levers underneath as the cadmium plate is poisonous.

Regards

ba

[Mark E Smith's Dentist]

I've heard conflicting reports about 401 linkages over the years, some people saying they're cadmium plated, some zinc. I know the 301s were cadmium. Maybe the 401 changed during the production run - any other input?

As for getting them replated you could get in touch with Matt at Audio Grail - he posts here has folkishienne and did a great job completely overhauling my 401. Otherwise Dom at Northwest Analogue (he also posts here but I've forgotten his username) or maybe Ray Clarke at Classic Hi-Fi.

Based on the assumption that yours, like almost every Garrard from the '50s to the '70s is fitted into an inappropriately resonant, boxy plinth I (and every Garrard user here) would recommend getting it into something with some solidity.

JT

[JonnyCJ]

Already in touch with Dom and Ray, it's great to have experts who are just really friendly guys to call on !

BA - know the area well, Noyes Chemist used to have me drooling in the shop window as a kid. My step mum used to teach around that area and my sister and brother frequented some of the schools.

Great place to live

[Blue Angel]

Spot on, Jonny.

Noyes Chemist is 2mins walk down Mains Avenue from my house and still has all those telescopes in his widows.

@ Jon

you may be right about the 401's levers. I sold my 401 recently and its levers looked generally in better condition than those of my 301's so a different kind of plating is quite possible.

ba

[JonnyCJ]

BA - if you're on Mains Ave you'll probably know a very dear friend of mine Sam and his wife Anne Marie ? They're on the right hand side going up the hill. Say hi from Jonny In the UK !

[J.D.]

Of all the laundry list of things you can do to advance your 401 performance, I'd offer that 'linkage replate' is way down at the bottom.

Plinth, yes, as it will absorb and transfer outward the motor and mechanical vibes you don't want headed into the pickup, but -- that's just the thing. Even the plinth is itself a little down the list, from the main two categories.

Those are, tied for first place, drive-motor rotorshaft, bearings and alignment, and spindle-bearing, journals and thrustpad.

No coincidence that these are the two places where wear-&-tear are felt most accutely on the 3/401. Everything else comes after these two. Even the very-important category of compliant elements, bushings, springmounts, etc-- should be viewed as being at the service of an already well-attended set of drive mechanisms. Also the plinth, which is very-important, should be notched in as a support of the drive movers.

Maybe it doesn't seem too significant if one is attempting the "total rebuild", but understanding the flowchart of important restoration categories is critical to understanding the machine. The foundation of the house needs to be comprehensively inspected (and perhaps restored first) long before the nice new doorknobs are installed upstairs.

Okay, rant segment over.
Continuing good luck on the restoration.
J.

[JonnyCJ]

Hi J - I'm probably going to send the linkages to someone appropriately familiar with the replacing process and use the wealth of information on here and elsewhere on the net to do a motor strip down and rebuild myself. Likewise, the bearings will be totally stripped down, inspected and rebuilt. Depending on the wear on the thrust bearing, I may go for an Exact thrust bearing as I think it'll have less impact on the spindle base than something like the Kokomo.

Cheers

Jonny

[Blue Angel]

BA - if you're on Mains Ave you'll probably know a very dear friend of mine Sam and his wife Anne Marie ? They're on the right hand side going up the hill. Say hi from Jonny In the UK !

Sam Z is also a very good friend of mine and has been to my home several times. I recently put Anne's L-75 in order as it has been in storage for a long time. I'm in Tennant Road - two residences from Mains Ave traffic lights. Some years ago, I attended many 'music evenings' at their Sea Point home.

Will do with the greets.

Regards

ba

[JonnyCJ]

Small world ! My wife and I think of them every time we have a glass of wine. They sent us some beautiful crystal goblets as a wedding present a few years ago.

Sam is a man of the utmost integrity and I always make a point of going to see them on my now infrequent visits. Hopefully Ann is well enough now to enjoy her music !

Jonny

[Boukman]

I would try it before stripping..... I have had 401's that looked awful, full of spiderwebs etc, but that after some lubing ran quietly and stable.... Never had to rebuild. They are rock-solid