Garrard 4HF... A bad idea? :)

I've had a couple of Garrard TTs years ago and in terms of sound quality, they are as good as any budget or mis-range TT, depending on the model of course.

The problem with really old TTs is (because of the moving parts) they could be riddled with faults, unless the seller is true to their word. If you get a good'un, ENJOY.

hurley92:

Okay so i'm in the market for a budget turntable (around £250)

and i was thinking it'd be nice to get an older turntable, especially Garrard, and i saw this one on ebay: 

I know i can't afford a 301 or 401 so this looks like the next best option.

I know it might not sound as good as a modern £250 turntable but the design looks so much better and feels more solid. Is getting it up to a decent working standard too much faff and too expensive or is this not such a terrible idea after all?

Cheers 

Just had a look at the pictures, and it looks like an old ceramic cartridge. That means if you have a modern amp, you will need to buy a cartridge pre-amp to get any sound from it....

Looks like it's in good nick, but I would be replacing the cartridge (it looks as though the headshell is standard 1/2-inch mount, so should be possible), as the chances of a cartridge that old ploughing a new furrow in your records is quite high...

Cheers for encouraging me guys

mwhaha.

anyway yeah what sort of cartridge would you recommend?

And why are nearly all the Garrard turntables on ebay sold without the plinth? What do people keep doing with the plinths!? They don't exactly look all that easy to lose. Or is there someone hoarding them all somewhere for the impending vinyl apocalypse?

P.s. nice zx spectrum fatboyslimfast... 

hurley92:

Cheers for encouraging me guys

mwhaha.

anyway yeah what sort of cartridge would you recommend?

And why are nearly all the Garrard turntables on ebay sold without the plinth? What do people keep doing with the plinths!? They don't exactly look all that easy to lose. Or is there someone hoarding them all somewhere for the impending vinyl apocalypse?

P.s. nice zx spectrum fatboyslimfast... 

Shure cartridges work well with Garrards, and so does Goldring. At the time I had Pioneer amp and Wharfedale speakers, so really depends what your kit is....

Errmm my kit is B&W 685 paired with a Rotel RA04 quite modest but i like it i havent played any vinyl through my system yet because my current dual 505 is in need of a new cart itself. The system is sounding very bright so i think a warm sounding cartridge would be good to balance this out. Cheers

hurley92:

And why are nearly all the Garrard turntables on ebay sold without the plinth?

Could it be because quite a lot of them have been liberated from old radiograms?

hurley92:

Errmm my kit is B&W 685 paired with a Rotel RA04 quite modest but i like it i havent played any vinyl through my system yet because my current dual 505 is in need of a new cart itself. The system is sounding very bright so i think a warm sounding cartridge would be good to balance this out. Cheers

well i lost that one... are there any other good vintage turntables i should look out for? i feel like a restoration project is in order... as long as the end product doesn't sound considerably worse than a budget turntable of the same price would have cost i don't mind the extra effort

cheers 

Goldring Lenco's always get good press, but above that a good "vintage" turntable, by which I mean mid-70s and older, tend to go for daft money. I've seen good (note, not immaculate) 301s and 401s going for the thick end of £700.

LP12s can be had for the sort of cash you mention, but will generally be very early (pre-valhalla power supply) in poor condition and in need of servicing (probably including new suspension).

There are a few slightly more modern tables for that price (£250ish) though - Manticore Mantra, Systemdek IIX, Linn Axis, which will all dramatically improve on your Dual.

There is one, however, that I've only recently discovered, and is within range. I paid £200 for mine and it's a minter. However, vintage looking it isn't... Clicky

It wasn't quite as good as my £800 LP12, but with a reasonable (AT-120e/Ortofon Red upwards - I use a Denon DL-110) cartridge it is really enjoyable to listen to and blows my Dual 505 into the weeds...a hell of a lot of turntable for the price.