My father-in-law has just done a house clearance on his mother’s old house and gave me a Garrard Ap-75 turntable. As far as I can tell, it’s substantially the same as the SL-75, for which manuals are available from VinylEngine.com. Bit of a discussion here: http://garrardmatters.freeforums.org/an-interesting-find-a-garrard-ap75-t429.html
I have some questions, most of which are probably daft and certainly ignorant; I’m not remotely an audiophile and I don’t have a separates system with an amp.
The turntable was thick with dust and I doubt it’s been used for a long, long time. My grandmother-in-law died over ten years ago and her house, though still occupied, had been badly neglected ever since, and had damp problems etc. I’ve cleaned the outside, but haven’t looked inside. The cabinet is clearly homemade, but I think I can get in there if I wanted to.
I have no idea whether it works.
The power cable has a type A plug (http://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/typeA.htm). I presume this had an adaptor, but that wasn’t with it.
Foolish Question 1: Obviously I can get an adaptor for a UK socket, but is there any reason why I shouldn’t just cut the existing plug off and replace it with a modern one (told you I know bugger all about this stuff)?
Foolish Question 2: The audio cable is a five pin, male connector (‘DIN’?) – I don’t have anything that will take that connection. Can I just buy an appropriate convertor and run it into powered speakers?
Foolish Question 3: Is it likely to be worth the effort? From what I can tell it was a reasonable turntable in its day, but unremarkable. Obviously, I have no idea whether the rest of it works, and while I’m happy to spend a little time and effort, I don’t want to spend time, effort and money on it if I could just go and buy something as good for the same amount.
Good thread over at Vinyl Engine. Some info there. They’ll help you out, I’m sure. Or try Pink Fish. Hope you get that beauty up & running….
https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?t=29108
I had a Garrard deck which I left behind in a move in 1991, don’t know what model but probably bought around 1970 by my parents. IIRC, the speakers were on either phonos/RCA or more likely, banana plugs. The DIN connector was an auxillary out (recording to a cassette deck?) but when I tried to use it for that it was always noisy. The type A plug may have had an adaptor on it but is often an American plug so best to check it can take UK power. Obviously, Fentonsteve is best placed to advise here.
Thanks.
The SL manual has phonos, but I didn’t notice any other leads/sockets for leads. I will check again!
I do know for a fact that the deck was used by my grandfolks-in-law, so doubt it’s a US plug, but will check.
First things first; is the motor rated for 100/110/115/120 Volts or for 220/240/250 Volts? Sticking a UK plug on it may let you plug it in, but the voltage may then just fry the motor…
Once you know how much juice to feed it, the DIN plug should present no problem – if it carries a lineout level you can just chop it off and replace it with whatever plug configuration you need to feed an amp. You may find you need a pre-amp as well as an amp, or you can just buy a contemporary second-hand amp that will already be expecting to cater for a turntable as one of its inputs.
As for is it worth it? Of course it is. I’ve recently refurbished my late father’s Sansui SR212 turntable, and it is a beaut again now. Not quite up there with my Rega, but nowhere near as inferior as you’d think, given its age and the fact that it hadn’t turned for over a decade and a half (sat in a damp empty room, just like yours) when I got it, and the platter was locked solid with the vestigial remains of its original lubricant. Much Googling, head-scratching and careful use of small hand tools let me return it to full health.
Go for it!
Garrard used to sell so-called “motor units” for building into DIY cabinets or old Stereograms, no nothing of alarm there.
Foolish Question 1: Type A plugs usually carry 110V AC mains as in the USA. Some other countries used them for our 230V AC power. Is there any chance it was purchased in Antigua or one of the other countries listed as 220V or 230V in your link? If it is a 110V motor from the US, it will need a step-down transformer, which will cost you in the region of £20 from Maplin. As Foxy says, be very careful of damaging the unit – or yourself.
Foolish Question 2: The DIN connection isn’t the problem, it will be a standard pin-out and a short adaptor lead (£5) will get you the required Phono plugs. Although you’re going to need a RIAA phono preamplifer to get the sound equalised and boosted to a level where you can plug it into your powered speakers. Richer Sounds do one for £25.
Foolish Question 3: Is it likely to be worth the effort? Some Garrards are highly-regarded for their belt-less flywheel design (pitch stability) but “gummed-up works” (dried-up grease) are not uncommon. Even in tip-top condition, they can suffer from audible bearing rumble. I’ve had a quick look on Gumtree and working units go for about £25.
Unless you have sentimental attachment to it, or fancy a the challenge of a DIY restoration job, I’d be tempted to sell it to a Garrard enthusiast and put the cash towards a modern unit from Rega.
If you decide to renovate, make sure your fitted cartridge is of a moving magnet type and not a much older….and poorer….ceramic type.
these sound crap and will wear your new 180g albums in no time.
also….if your garrards Perspex lid is scratched, automotive T cut and Turtle wax will bring it back to its former glory.
I recently used these products on a old sansui and it now looks bonza.
keep old gear alive!!!
Many amplifiers had two or three auxiliary mains output connectors on their back, which were only powered up when the amplifier was turned on. I suspect that the Type A plug here originally went into one of those.
I’m all in favour of keeping old kit alive – I run a 33-year-old Linn deck and my mum’s 1960s Dansette. I’m not quite as hardcore as the editor of a hi-fi mag I know (my pal is a reviewer) who plays only first pressing/format, so everything pre-1983 on vinyl. He runs a top-line Garrard, as it happens, which he saved up for as a young man and can’t bring himself to give up.
There can be great enjoyment in renovating old kit, but it isn’t something to leap into lightly. You’re looking at lots of graft, likely some considerable expense, and the end product will be a middling deck with performance below something like a Rega Planar 1 (£250 new with cartridge).
Go for it if you want, but don’t go in with blinkers on.
And if you do go DIY, post us some pictures to perv over. It’s a niche market.
Paging Moosey.
When mine seized up I got a man in. He did a marvellous job.
I should have known. Did it require a lot of lubrication?
No, but there was a lot of tinkering involved.
Well, now you need to get your equipment tested. Some guys have grease all over their hands. It causes long-term problems.
My old Duel was dead and incommunicado but I took it apart with the aid of a YT vid literally of a bloke in a shed, put on a new cartridge and stylus and it’s great now.