Hi guys. I'm just discovering this thread. I've been enjoying my Artisan Fidelity Garrard 301 Statement for about six months. I looked long and hard for a turntable that I believed would be the last and only table I would ever need. I spoke with Christopher for quite a while one night and made a decision I have not regretted. Mine is in piano black lacquer with an Ortofon transcription tonearm and two SPU cartridges.
For myself, I was getting back into vinyl after a decades long flirtation with CD/SACDs. I hadn't spent much time with vinyl until a friend invited me over to hear his complete Shindo system. While he has a beautiful Shindo 301 table himself, he said he'd get an Artisan Fidelity if he had to do it again. Wow, I was surprised to hear that and I took his recommendation to heart.
Rather than two tonearms, which I eschewed for esthetic reasons, I had AF make two separate armboards instead: one standard for the SPU G shell (and other standard cartridges), the other dedicated specifically for the SPU A shell. This is working out great for me, as I don't switch between them often. That was a neat solution they came up with for me.
I specified that I wanted to go with the Ortofon SPU series cartridges and was delighted to discover that AF is a certified Ortofon (among others, I sure) dealer.
I cannot praise enough Christopher's customer service. He has raised the bar for me in every way. I won't go in to details because it would not be my place to over-promise on his behalf. But I will emphatically state that he has never over-promised and under-delivered ... and the "promise" has been quite a high bar indeed.
My Garrard 301 Statement has exceeded my expectations in every way! First, the ease of designing and ordering in conjunction with Christopher's input and expertise to my wishes, specification and expectations. Second, the timely delivery of the table at my home. And third, of course, the playing of the unit in my home. It plays like a dream.
I'm not a guy to address a lot of technical questions like I see on this thread. But as a full-time musician and record lover, I just wanted to share my experience with Artisan Fidelity.
Every single aspect of the experience has far, far and away exceeded my expectation. Christopher and I had a laugh when I ordered mine the evening of our initial discussion. "Confucius says, 'Buy the best and cry once'," I remember saying. I've thrown a lot of money at also-ran products over the years and now I see the wisdom in buying the best and being satisfied forever. I say forever because at my age (mid-fifties), I cannot foresee ever contemplating another turntable. So when you contemplate your price to value, remember price is what you pay, value is what you get. Yes, they are expensive. But their value far exceeds the initial cost. Christopher -- if you happen to read this -- THANK YOU!!
For myself, I was getting back into vinyl after a decades long flirtation with CD/SACDs. I hadn't spent much time with vinyl until a friend invited me over to hear his complete Shindo system. While he has a beautiful Shindo 301 table himself, he said he'd get an Artisan Fidelity if he had to do it again. Wow, I was surprised to hear that and I took his recommendation to heart.
Rather than two tonearms, which I eschewed for esthetic reasons, I had AF make two separate armboards instead: one standard for the SPU G shell (and other standard cartridges), the other dedicated specifically for the SPU A shell. This is working out great for me, as I don't switch between them often. That was a neat solution they came up with for me.
I specified that I wanted to go with the Ortofon SPU series cartridges and was delighted to discover that AF is a certified Ortofon (among others, I sure) dealer.
I cannot praise enough Christopher's customer service. He has raised the bar for me in every way. I won't go in to details because it would not be my place to over-promise on his behalf. But I will emphatically state that he has never over-promised and under-delivered ... and the "promise" has been quite a high bar indeed.
My Garrard 301 Statement has exceeded my expectations in every way! First, the ease of designing and ordering in conjunction with Christopher's input and expertise to my wishes, specification and expectations. Second, the timely delivery of the table at my home. And third, of course, the playing of the unit in my home. It plays like a dream.
I'm not a guy to address a lot of technical questions like I see on this thread. But as a full-time musician and record lover, I just wanted to share my experience with Artisan Fidelity.
Every single aspect of the experience has far, far and away exceeded my expectation. Christopher and I had a laugh when I ordered mine the evening of our initial discussion. "Confucius says, 'Buy the best and cry once'," I remember saying. I've thrown a lot of money at also-ran products over the years and now I see the wisdom in buying the best and being satisfied forever. I say forever because at my age (mid-fifties), I cannot foresee ever contemplating another turntable. So when you contemplate your price to value, remember price is what you pay, value is what you get. Yes, they are expensive. But their value far exceeds the initial cost. Christopher -- if you happen to read this -- THANK YOU!!
