[Bob in St. Louis]

One of the sublet venders where I work knows that I'm into "that whole audio thing" (as he puts it) and says, "I've got something for you in my truck, come outside with me".

Ok.....{duh}

As we're walking out to his truck he says, "It's a "Gerold" ..... or .... something that starts with the leter "G" and it looks VERY old"

 I play my best poker face as I think I know what brand it is before I even see it.
Sure enough.....it's a Garrard   

From a Google search I've found a photo of a matching Garrard. Not sure what model it is though, I have not been able to find that information.
Mine is identical except the surrounding wood has been removed so the unit is "open" around the sides.
In this photo, the main "deck" is gray and the rear platform is white. Mine is just the opposite, the main deck is white painted steel and the rear platform is gray plastic.
The unit sits on steel feet. There's a couple little metal rods and a white spindle thing that appear to be part of the automatic changer mechanism.



The guy that gave it to me says the unit does work, but he's not into records. 

Anybody have any information or general thoughts on this unit?
{I'm at work and don't have access to a digital camera}

Bob

[lonewolfny42]

http://electronics.search.ebay.com/garrard_Turntables_W0QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsacatZ48649

Any look like the one you have....

Another link...

[lonewolfny42]

[lonewolfny42]

http://www.garrard501.com/links.html

[Bob in St. Louis]

Looks like the "Laboratory Series Type A".

Cool. Thanks for the links Mr. Wolf 
That'll take some time to peruse.

So vinyl folks, what's the general consensus about this unit? Anygood?

Bob

[TheChairGuy]

Bob - u might want to ask your question here: http://www.vinylengine.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=23&sid=c1bf115f69615923d81be0d04ad9bb4d or do a search on any similar topics.

I don't know of any Garrard fans here....but Vinyl Engine is where you tend to find specialists in one brand or another (another good place for research might by audiokarma.org)

If it's been sitting any length of time, ye' old Garrard needs service work.  If it does and you cannot do it....it's money probably better spent a new or used TT.  I cannot remember - did you ever get a TT (and some records)?

John

[Bob in St. Louis]

John, thanks for the link!
I don't know what kind of use this unit has seen in the past couple decades. It's not full of dust and spider webs, so it's not like it's been sitting in a barn somewhere. But unknown how it sounds or if all the "bells and whistles" work (on the changer).
Regarding my current table; "HurdyGurdy" (Dave) traded me his AR-XA a while back. I took the unit to a fellow AC members house and had it 'tuned up'. We listened to it on his Maggie's, with his preamp. Sounded very nice. It was good enough to get an eyebrow raise or two from the half dozen attending vinyl guys.
But alas........I bring it home and used my freebee digital preamp and it sounded like all of the content being reproduced was over 10,000Hz.
To say "the wind was let out of my sails" is an understatement. 
Money for a preamp is NOT in my budget right now. I'd like to get into the vinyl thing as I've heard vinyl in it's 'perfection' and the sound really is addicting, BUT I've got more projects than cash.
Basically, I need to know if this unit is something I should keep and cherish as if it were my child, dump it, use it for a wheel chock, ebay it, or....?

Bob

[Wayner]

As someone who really gets into the old stuff, Bob, I have to say the performance isn't even going to come close to your AR. However, I don't think I would dump it either. There may be a time to get 'er going when cash is available for projects like this. Might be fun to hook it up to an old Fisher tube unit of the same era and some Wharfedale speakers, if you can round some of them up. Get some old mono Frank Sinatra and Roy Orbison records onto this thing and it would be a time machine....

Wayner 

[Bob in St. Louis]

OK, cool Wayne thanks.
So it sounds like it'll have to sit on a shelf for another day.......someday......
A fella here turned me on to some cheap "inexpensive" phone pre's.
I'll get this vinyl thing going one of these days, but from the sounds of it, it'll be the "AR-XA" FIRST and Garrard second.

Cool. Thanks guys! 

Bob

[Scott F.]

Bob,

I don't know if you need (or want) them but I've got a headshell and counterweight for that table. I might have an odd spare part or two for it also. Hit me up next time you come by and I'll dig them out for you.

[Wayner]

See, Scott already has parts for you.

Scott, what the hell don't you have parts for? 

Wayner

[Bob in St. Louis]

Hey Scott,
Thanks for the offer man. You're the coolest! 
But honestly, it'll be a while before I have vinyl spinning. With everything I've got going, I need to focus a bit.
I originally got the AR thinking I could get into vinyl "quick cheap and easy". Well, that didn't pan out as well as I had hoped, so now the whole vinyl project is on the back burner.
I just have TWO turntables to store in a safe place now instead of one. 
My purpose for this thread was to find out what I've got and is it worth holding onto. Sounds like it is.

John (TCG) - I forgot to answer part of your question; Yes, I do have some records. I bought a 'lot' of 20 Blues records on eBay back when there was hope the AR was going to work. I figured I had better get my collection started before the table was operational. 

Wayne - Scott has e*v*e*r*y*t*h*i*n*g* in his workshop.
When I go in there I stare (mouth agape) like those kids in "Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory". 
He's got LOTS of cool stuff.
In fact, Scott has more "stuff" packed away, than I have stuff in use.

Thanks again folks!
Bob

[Scott F.]

Scott, what the hell don't you have parts for? 

Well, lets see........I could use a pair of cobalt output trannies for a 50 SET amp  (I'd settle for silver too)

It's funny, I got those Garrard parts on one of my junkin' trips. I happened into a little antique store in bumfu**ed Missouri. The little gal running the store had brought in the console stereo she grew up listening to. It just so happens that when I spied that console it had a Fisher name tag on it. After taking the back off the unit to see what was in it, I immediately went up to ask her how much she wanted for it. She said $25. I gave her the money then I went back and pulled out seven Telefunken 12AX7 smoothplates and stuffed them in my pocket and said I'd be back in a week or two for the carcass. There were still a few odd oscillator tubes for the tuner I left in there along with the Garrard turntable.

After I picked up the console, I gutted it of the amp (a first generation hybrid, tubed driver inputs and SS outputs, I forget the model), tuner, turntable and speakers. I gave Mike D (in GAS) the midrange and tweeters for restoring a vintage pair of speakers he found, I tossed the amp and tuner. The turntable I tossed but I kept the headshell, counterweight and I think I even kept the idler wheel and maybe the motor and the old stacking 45 adapter. I thought one day I'd put them on eBay but they are sitting on the top of my toolbox out in the garage, the same place where I gutted the console.

Who'd of thunk Bob would have ever picked up the same model Garrard. I guess it was destiny 

Oh, and I could use some type 50 tubes too. I'll find those in a junk shop one of these days, I'm sure.

[Bill O'Connell]

When you get that table up and working I have a NOS cartridge/headshell for that tonearm.

[Bob in St. Louis]

Very nice Bill, thank you Sir. I'll remember that!

Bob

[Bob in St. Louis]

Took a few shots of the unit this morning in case anybody's curious.
It does appear to have been removed from a console as opposed to a stand alone rig.